The Linux kernel 3.3 has been released and among other features that have been included, there is some code from Google Android included. This is an interesting development, this does not mean that you can run Angry Birds on a Debian or Linux Mint system, but this could lead to something cool in the future. The Linux kernel is a free kernel that makes up a free operating system called Linux. The whole operating system is sometimes called Linux, but Linux is only the kernel, you could build a UNIX operating system using the GNU Coreutils, gcc, and Xorg, but have a different kernel maybe one you developed with your own team of developers and then you could distribute that as something else. FreeBSD uses Coreutils, gcc and the same software available on Linux distributions like Ubuntu, but FreeBSD uses a different kernel and a different executable format. The FreeBSD kernel is available for Debian with Debian KFreeBSD, that is an interesting idea, I prefer the Linux kernel, the hardware support is pretty good now, the need for binary firmware will not go away anytime yet, but at least you have a reasonable expectancy that the WIFI dongle you have bought will work with Linux. Netgear is a good brand. I am having some problems with my Internet connection right now, but I am wanting to try Debian Stable again.
The Linux kernel is truly a massive achievement, it would have cost a staggering, amount if a major corporation had developed the Linux kernel instead of a worldwide network of kernel hackers that have helped develop the Linux kernel and get this kernel to the state that is right now. There are many devices in the world that are running the Linux kernel including the Android operating system that is using the Linux kernel to provide a Linux powered operating system, as an alternative to Symbian and IOS. The Apple Macintosh operating system is built on top of the Darwin UNIX operating system kernel, the Darwin kernel is free to download, the interface and software placed on top of the underlying UNIX kernel is what you are actually paying for. I downloaded the Darwin operating system ISO, burned it to a DVD and tried to boot it on a PC, but it would not boot, I just got an error. I guess that I need the expensive hardware to run the Darwin operating system, but I could just run OpenBSD or FreeBSD if I wanted a UNIX operating system to experiment with. FreeBSD has the standard Linux Gnome desktop, the Desktop BSD live disc has a nice desktop as well, but the BSD desktops are lacking GEM/KMS support at the moment, something we take for granted with Linux. But this is coming slowly but surely. I might consider switching to FreeBSD if they added V4l support as well.