67 lines
4.1 KiB
HTML
67 lines
4.1 KiB
HTML
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<!Converted with LaTeX2HTML 95.1 (Fri Jan 20 1995) by Nikos Drakos (nikos@cbl.leeds.ac.uk), CBLU, University of Leeds >
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<HEAD>
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<TITLE> Preface</TITLE>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1638 HREF="node3.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1636 HREF="gs.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1630 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1640 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1641 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1639 HREF="node3.html"> Audience</A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1637 HREF="gs.html">Linux Installation and Getting </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1631 HREF="node1.html">Contents</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<H1><A NAME=SECTION00200000000000000000> Preface</A></H1>
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<P>
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<em>``You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.''</em>
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<P>
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Before you looms one of the most complex and utterly intimidating
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systems ever written. Linux, the free UNIX clone for the personal computer,
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produced by a mishmash team of UNIX gurus, hackers, and the occasional loon.
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The system itself reflects this complex heritage, and although the development
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of Linux may appear to be a disorganized volunteer effort, the system is
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powerful, fast, and free. It is a true 32-bit operating system solution.
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<P>
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My own experiences with Linux began several years ago, when I sat
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down to figure out how to install the only ``distribution'' available at
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the time---a couple of diskettes made available by H.J. Lu. I downloaded
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a slew of files and read pages upon pages of loosely-organized installation
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notes. Somehow, I managed to install this basic system and get everything
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working together. This was long before you could buy the Linux software on
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CD-ROM from worldwide distributors; before, in fact, Linux even knew how to
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access a CD-ROM drive. This was before XFree86, before Emacs, before
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commercial software support, and before Linux became a true rival to
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MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and OS/2 in the personal computer market.
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<P>
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You hold in your very hands the map and guidebook to the world of Linux.
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It is my hope that this book will help you to get rolling with what I
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consider to be the fastest, most powerful operating system for the personal
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computer. Setting up your own Linux system can be a great deal of fun---so
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grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and read on.
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<P>
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Grab a cup for me, too, while you're at it. I've been up hacking Linux for
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days.
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<P>
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<BR> <HR>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1642 HREF="node3.html#SECTION00210000000000000000"> Audience</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1643 HREF="node4.html#SECTION00220000000000000000"> Organization</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1644 HREF="node5.html#SECTION00230000000000000000"> Acknowledgments</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1645 HREF="node6.html#SECTION00240000000000000000"> Credits and Legalese</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1646 HREF="node7.html#SECTION00250000000000000000"> Documentation Conventions</A>
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</UL>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1638 HREF="node3.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1636 HREF="gs.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1630 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1640 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1641 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1639 HREF="node3.html"> Audience</A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1637 HREF="gs.html">Linux Installation and Getting </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1631 HREF="node1.html">Contents</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<BR> <HR>
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<P><ADDRESS>
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<I>Matt Welsh <BR>
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mdw@sunsite.unc.edu</I>
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</ADDRESS>
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</BODY>
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