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8.5 KiB
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123 lines
8.5 KiB
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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>1 Introduction to Linux</TITLE>
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<meta name="description" value="1 Introduction to Linux">
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<meta name="keywords" value="gs">
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<meta name="resource-type" value="document">
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<meta name="distribution" value="global">
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<P>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1713 HREF="node9.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1711 HREF="gs.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1705 HREF="node7.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1715 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1716 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1714 HREF="node9.html">1.1 About This Book</A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1712 HREF="gs.html">Linux Installation and Getting </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1706 HREF="node7.html"> Documentation Conventions</A>
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<BR> <HR> <P>
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<H1><A NAME=SECTION00300000000000000000>1 Introduction to Linux</A></H1>
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<P>
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<A NAME=chapintro> </A>
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<A NAME=chapintronum> </A>
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<A NAME=137> </A>
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<P>
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Linux is quite possibly the most important achievement of free software
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since the original <em>Space War</em>, or, more recently, Emacs. It has
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developed into the operating system for businesses, education, and personal
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productivity. Linux is no longer just for UNIX wizards<A NAME=139> </A>
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who sit for hours in front of the glowing console (although we assure you
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that quite a number of users fall into this category). This book will help
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you get the most out of it.
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<P>
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Linux<A NAME=140> </A>
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(pronounced with a short <em>i</em>, as in <em>LIH-nucks</em>)
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is a clone of the UNIX operating system that runs
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on Intel 80386 and 80486 computers. It supports a wide range of
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software, from <IMG BORDER=0 ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="" SRC="img10.gif"> to X Windows to the GNU C/C++ compiler to TCP/IP.
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It's a versatile, bona fide implementation of UNIX, freely distributed by
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the terms of the GNU General Public License (see Appendix <A HREF="node246.html#appgplnum">E</A>).
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<P>
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Linux can turn any 386 or 486 PC into a workstation. It will give you the
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full power of UNIX at your fingertips. Businesses are installing Linux
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on entire networks of machines, using the operating system to manage
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financial and hospital records, a distributed user computing environment,
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telecommunications, and more. Universities worldwide are using Linux for
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teaching courses on operating systems programming and design. And,
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of course, computing enthusiasts everywhere are using Linux at home, for
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programming, productivity, and all-around hacking.
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<P>
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What makes Linux so different is that it is a <em>free</em>
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implementation of UNIX. It was and still is developed by a group
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of volunteers, primarily on the Internet, exchanging code, reporting bugs,
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and fixing problems in an open-ended environment. Anyone is welcome to join
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in the Linux development effort: all it takes is interest in hacking a free
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UNIX clone and some kind of programming know-how. The book that you hold
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in your hands is your tour guide.
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<P>
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<BR> <HR>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1717 HREF="node9.html#SECTION00310000000000000000">1.1 About This Book</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1718 HREF="node10.html#SECTION00320000000000000000">1.2 A Brief History of Linux</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1719 HREF="node11.html#SECTION00330000000000000000">1.3 System Features</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1720 HREF="node12.html#SECTION00340000000000000000">1.4 Software Features</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1721 HREF="node13.html#SECTION00341000000000000000">1.4.1 Basic commands and utilities</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1722 HREF="node14.html#SECTION00342000000000000000">1.4.2 Text processing and word processing</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1723 HREF="node15.html#SECTION00343000000000000000">1.4.3 Programming languages and utilities</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1724 HREF="node16.html#SECTION00344000000000000000">1.4.4 The X Window System</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1725 HREF="node17.html#SECTION00345000000000000000">1.4.5 Networking</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1726 HREF="node18.html#SECTION00346000000000000000">1.4.6 Telecommunications and BBS software</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1727 HREF="node19.html#SECTION00347000000000000000">1.4.7 Interfacing with MS-DOS</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1728 HREF="node20.html#SECTION00348000000000000000">1.4.8 Other applications</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1729 HREF="node21.html#SECTION00350000000000000000">1.5 About Linux's Copyright</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1730 HREF="node22.html#SECTION00360000000000000000">1.6 The Design and Philosophy of Linux</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1731 HREF="node23.html#SECTION00361000000000000000">1.6.1 Hints for UNIX novices</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1732 HREF="node24.html#SECTION00362000000000000000">1.6.2 Hints for UNIX gurus</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1733 HREF="node25.html#SECTION00370000000000000000">1.7 Differences Between Linux and Other Operating Systems</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1734 HREF="node26.html#SECTION00371000000000000000">1.7.1 Why use Linux?</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1735 HREF="node27.html#SECTION00372000000000000000">1.7.2 Linux vs. MS-DOS</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1736 HREF="node28.html#SECTION00373000000000000000">1.7.3 Linux vs. The Other Guys</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1737 HREF="node29.html#SECTION00374000000000000000">1.7.4 Other implementations of UNIX</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1738 HREF="node30.html#SECTION00380000000000000000">1.8 Hardware Requirements</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1739 HREF="node31.html#SECTION00381000000000000000">1.8.1 Motherboard and CPU requirements</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1740 HREF="node32.html#SECTION00382000000000000000">1.8.2 Memory requirements</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1741 HREF="node33.html#SECTION00383000000000000000">1.8.3 Hard drive controller requirements</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1742 HREF="node34.html#SECTION00384000000000000000">1.8.4 Hard drive space requirements</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1743 HREF="node35.html#SECTION00385000000000000000">1.8.5 Monitor and video adapator requirements</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1744 HREF="node36.html#SECTION00386000000000000000">1.8.6 Miscellaneous hardware</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1745 HREF="node37.html#SECTION00386100000000000000">1.8.6.1 Mice and other pointing devices</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1746 HREF="node38.html#SECTION00386200000000000000">1.8.6.2 CD-ROM storage</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1747 HREF="node39.html#SECTION00386300000000000000">1.8.6.3 Tape drives</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1748 HREF="node40.html#SECTION00386400000000000000">1.8.6.4 Printers</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1749 HREF="node41.html#SECTION00386500000000000000">1.8.6.5 Modems</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1750 HREF="node42.html#SECTION00387000000000000000">1.8.7 Ethernet cards</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1751 HREF="node43.html#SECTION00390000000000000000">1.9 Sources of Linux Information</A>
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<UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1752 HREF="node44.html#SECTION00391000000000000000">1.9.1 Online documents</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1753 HREF="node45.html#SECTION00392000000000000000">1.9.2 Linux on the World Wide Web</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1754 HREF="node46.html#SECTION00393000000000000000">1.9.3 Books and other published works</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1755 HREF="node47.html#SECTION00394000000000000000">1.9.4 USENET newsgroups</A>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1756 HREF="node48.html#SECTION00395000000000000000">1.9.5 Internet mailing lists</A>
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</UL>
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<LI> <A NAME=tex2html1757 HREF="node49.html#SECTION003100000000000000000">1.10 Getting Help</A>
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</UL>
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<BR> <HR><A NAME=tex2html1713 HREF="node9.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="next" SRC="next_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1711 HREF="gs.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="up" SRC="up_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1705 HREF="node7.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="previous" SRC="previous_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1715 HREF="node1.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="contents" SRC="contents_motif.gif"></A> <A NAME=tex2html1716 HREF="node250.html"><IMG ALIGN=BOTTOM ALT="index" SRC="index_motif.gif"></A> <BR>
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<B> Next:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1714 HREF="node9.html">1.1 About This Book</A>
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<B>Up:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1712 HREF="gs.html">Linux Installation and Getting </A>
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<B> Previous:</B> <A NAME=tex2html1706 HREF="node7.html"> Documentation Conventions</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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