Final answer:
Operating systems have evolved from proprietary models controlled by businesses to more open-source alternatives like Linux, which has transformed the technology economy by promoting innovation and reducing costs through collaboration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The development and evolution of operating systems exhibit the longstanding tension between proprietary models and open-source initiatives. In the early days of computing, companies such as IBM, DEC, and HP, along with software giants like Microsoft, wielded control over their specific operating systems. Mainframes and personal computers ran on these tightly controlled systems, with companies owning proprietary rights and versions of what begun as the UNIX operating system, developed by researchers at AT&T Bell Labs and the University of California, Berkeley.
UNIX, initially more open, became commercial as AT&T sold rights to Novell, which in turn sold them to SCO. Notably, this led to proprietary and costly versions such as IBM's AIX, Microsoft's Xenix, Sun Microsystems' Solaris, and SGI's IRIX, offering similar functionality but restricted to specific hardware.
The growth of open-source operating systems like Linux dramatically altered the high tech economic landscape. By offering a free, community-maintained alternative, Linux disrupted the market, reducing costs for businesses and consumers and fostering innovation through collaborative development. This served as a counterpoint to the traditional, commercial operating systems and highlighted a shift towards a more open, shared technological infrastructure.