When you hear the word kernel, you might think of popcorn chicken or the Colonel's popcorn chicken. But you might have also come across the same word in a computing context, with folks talking about the Linux kernel or Windows kernel. What the heck is it? The kernel is basically the heart of whatever operating system you're using. Although the kernel is a software component, it sits between your system's hardware and the rest of your OS and software. You see, user software, such as your web browser or your favorite game, doesn't talk directly to your hardware. Instead, the kernel serves as an intermediary. But why is this necessary? Well, one of the main functions of a kernel is to abstract away the physical differences between hardware setups. There are endless possible hardware configurations in a PC or server. A kernel gives your other software a standardized surface area to interface with, making the differences between individual machines much less of an obstacle. As a more easily...

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