news
Why Supercomputers Use Linux Instead Of Windows Or macOS
Linux will turn 35 this year, with the free and open source operating system launching in 1991. Linus Torvalds created the Linux kernel, and since then, it has been built upon by an army of programmers. In those 35 years, Linux has gone from a niche project to one of the most installed operating systems of all time, partially thanks to the thousands of variations of distributions available. It has also become synonymous with the supercomputer sector of the tech world.
Key to Linux's success in this realm is that it's open source. That means it can be used either commercially or privately for free, however the developer sees fit. With that in mind, having no overhead cost on the core piece of software used to run their servers is immensely appealing to operations building out a supercomputer.
[...]
Being able to build out a supercomputer to fit the job at hand is of paramount importance over almost everything else. If an OS can't be scaled or pivoted to a new task easily, then it's functionally an albatross around the neck that could bring down the project. Without that level of flexibility and openness, a lot of the world's supercomputers would be a much more rigid, frustrating experience for those who have to use them.