This talk is designed to introduce the concepts and history that attributed to the success of Linux and Open Source Software at large. The Linux kernel has risen from a university project to a versatile tool used around the globe for a variety of computing needs. Having at least a basic idea of where it came from and why it continues to excel is important for anyone involved in computers today. We hope to demonstrate the reasons so many people and organizations include Linux in their computing environments and why anyone should be conversant in the technologies behind it.