I'd love to have a more intersting answer, but it's essentially the foundation of most modern computing. Pretty much everything else I can think of, as important and useful as they may be, are things that could reasonably be rebuilt.
Linux was not inevitable and it's probable that such monumentally huge and complicated project would never be reproduced. It came out of a culture that was rooted very much in its time, and the momentum it gained was incredible. I think it will stand as a unique and wonderful anomaly in human history.
afterthought: Actually, I'm gonna go with Ben and say GNU/Linux. As pretentious as the copypasta rant Stallman went was, Linux as we know it wouldn't be what it is without the GNU project.
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
We're a place where coders share, stay up-to-date and grow their careers.
Linux, 100%
I'd love to have a more intersting answer, but it's essentially the foundation of most modern computing. Pretty much everything else I can think of, as important and useful as they may be, are things that could reasonably be rebuilt.
Linux was not inevitable and it's probable that such monumentally huge and complicated project would never be reproduced. It came out of a culture that was rooted very much in its time, and the momentum it gained was incredible. I think it will stand as a unique and wonderful anomaly in human history.
afterthought: Actually, I'm gonna go with Ben and say GNU/Linux. As pretentious as the copypasta rant Stallman went was, Linux as we know it wouldn't be what it is without the GNU project.