http://www.elinux.com/community/eLx_Community_Newbies.html Linux for Newbies What is Linux? Linux (pronounced "Lih-nucks") started in 1991 as a project of Linus Torvalds, a computer science student at the University of Helsinki, Finland. It is a powerful, stable, flexible and fun Unix-like operating system (most programs written for Unix are fully compatible with Linux systems) that is currently being used by millions of people around the world. Its lean core allows it to run on a wide range of different hardware platforms-- in fact, when it comes to the support of diverse hardware, Linux takes first place, running on more hardware architectures than any other operating system. It not only runs on Intel Computers (on which it originally ran), but also most of the hardware platforms already in use, including PCs, Macintosh and Amiga computers, Silicon graphics workstations, Digital Alpha computers and more. Linux is fast and reliable. It has all the features of a modern, fully-fledged operating system: true multi-tasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, demand loading, shared, copy-on-write executables, proper memory management, and TCP/IP networking. Linux is used for software development, networking (intra-office and Internet) and as an end-user platform. Linux supports multiple users and several Windows- like graphic interfaces, and is exceptionally stable, because from its inception it was designed to take multiple hits and field numerous requests. This makes Linux an excellent choice for servers. And it's free. Linux' copyright is owned by Torvalds and other contributors, but it is licensed under the GNU Public License (GPL) so it's freely distributable. A copy of the GPL is included with the Linux source; you can also get a copy directly from ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/COPYING. As thousands of programmers have spontaneously teamed up across the Internet, forming the Linux community, they are contributing new features, fixing bugs and making improvements; Linux is quickly evolving into a viable Windows alternative with worldwide acceptance. This approach to software development has proven to be very effective in creating stable, feature-rich programs that can rival or exceed the quality of commercial software. Strictly speaking, the word 'Linux' refers to the kernel, the core part of the operating system that's responsible for critical things such as hardware, memory, file management, separating processes, etc., but is widely used to refer to an entire operating system built around the Linux kernel. Each distinct combination is a different version, called a "distribution." The Linux kernel is available over the Internet from hundreds of ftp sites, and several companies now make and sell their own Linux distributions which are available on CD-ROM. Each distribution has its own characteristics, but the Linux OS kernel is the same so they remain largely compatible with each other. Linux distributions include the free Linux kernel plus a variety of other manufacturer-added software and utilities, such as installation programs, desktop managers, graphical interfaces, and Web browsers. Major Linux distributions include those offered by Red Hat, Corel, Caldera, TurboLinux, Debian, SuSE, Yellow Dog and Mandrake. These commercial Linux distributions generally bundle utility and application programs with the Linux OS Kernel, including installation programs that make it easier to get started. Is Linux really free? Essentially, yes. Linux is not public domain, nor is it 'shareware.' It is free software called 'freeware' or Open Source SoftwareTM (see http://www.opensource.org), which basically means that Linux can be freely distributed as long as the source code is included (or made available). Not only are you allowed to download Linux off the Internet at no charge, you can pass on copies to friends or even sell your own version. Anyone can access the original source code and modify its internals, altering the system to meet their unique needs, all without breaking a single law. So, Linux is free at its core, and will continue to be free. Note that although Linux is available at no cost to anyone with the inclination to download it, the "freeness" is related to freedom of use rather than the price; it is perfectly legal to charge money for your unique distribution of Linux, so long as you distribute the source code. If you do pay for a distribution from a commercial distribution company, you'll get thousands of dollars worth of software, some free, some proprietary-- all offering a very low cost operating system for a fraction of the cost of comparable systems or other Unix-like operating systems. The Internet is a prime example of the advantages of having a free and open license. The most popular Web server on the Internet, Apache, is free and licensed under a similar agreement as Linux. The same goes for Sendmail, which is by far the number one mail server in use today. Even the fundamental software that allows us to use domain names (BIND) is free, and more importantly, Open Source. Is Linux user-friendly? Yes! Although Linux started out as a command-line OS much like DOS, without the spit-polished GUI we've come to expect from operating systems, you don't have to give up a graphic interface. X Windows, which runs on Unix, gives Linux a straightforward, Windows-like graphic interface that is far more versatile than others you may be using now. And there are two competing Windows-like desktop environments called Gnome and KDE that address the needs of the end user, immersing them in a highly configurable, intuitive and robust environment. KDE (K Desktop Environment) is more corporate, while Gnome is fun and highly customizable. If you'd like a preview of what the K desktop environment (KDE) looks like, check out http://trylinuxsd.com/, where a self-proclaimed recent Linux convert is creating interactive demos and tours. If you're wondering what Gnome would look like running on your computer, a screenshot is available at http://www.gnome.org/screenshots/. While you'll still have to configure hardware and system devices such as printers, dial-up connections and networking using a bunch of command- line utilities and configuration files with Linux, the payoff is that you generally have more power and more options when your program accepts command line commands. Especially if you're looking at more difficult tasks, the command-line is an excellent alternative. In fact, some people truly prefer it, finding the experience and capabilities praise-worthy, as evidenced in the article "In Praise of the Console." Even with a really user-friendly GUI, a user may find certain operations difficult to express with a graphical metaphor, such as "piping" the output of one program to the input of another. The powerful repertoire of commands available makes the Linux command line a very productive environment. Scripting is another area where predominantly GUI-based systems are notoriously weak. Why are there so many versions (distributions) of Linux? When he wrote the Linux kernel, Linus Torvalds could have put together a complete operating system distribution, much like what other free operating systems (FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD) have done, but he was more interested in hacking the kernel, so he left the politics of establishing distribution to others. As a result, there are several Linux distributions out there, all competing against each other. This is just a perfect situation for the consumer, since Linux evolves according to practical needs and not corporate agendas and product release schedules that may compromise quality. Linux's open nature is a virtual guarantee against stagnation. The Linux OS, like the Internet era that birthed it, is a dynamic phenomenon, growing and evolving rapidly. With developers, programmers, hardware manufacturers and most importantly, users, constantly adding value to the product, essentially what we're seeing is a "natural selection" process taking place, with a very stable, functional, powerful OS as the result. Distributions that don't survive this process become extinct or morph into something else (SLS, Bogus, Lasermoon, Craftworks, LST). Despite the plethora of versions available, the majority of users run a mainstream distribution such as Red Hat, Corel, Caldera, TurboLinux, Debian, SuSE, Yellow Dog and Mandrake, all of which are available here at eLinux.com. For those interested, there is a historical archive of all versions of the Linux kernel at http://ps.cus.umist.ac.uk/~rhw/kernel.versions.html How stable is Linux, really? Linux is highly sophisticated in terms of its capabilities. Plus, its reliability is legendary. Imagine working without system crashes, reboots and lost files! A Linux system is unlikely to crash, has been known to run for months without rebooting, and there are documented cases of Linux servers running for over a year at a time without a system-halting crash. Linux is a true multi-tasking OS, which means that more than one application can run at the same time. And should one application crash, it's unlikely to cause the entire system to fail. Linux was designed to be upgraded and modified on the fly, so unless you want to add hardware or boot from a different kernel you don't need to turn the system off. This means that the end user can rely on Linux to work day in and day out. In fact, some people think the reports of extended "uptimes" (the length of time that the OS is up and running without crashing) are exaggerated. If you're interested in seeing some fascinating hard statistics, you can visit the Uptimes Project. How about security? Security, which is necessary for protection of sensitive information, is built into Linux at selectable levels. Linux uses the Unix idea of permissions. Only authorized users are able to modify, for example, global configuration files (settings that affect all users). With Linux, you don't have to waste valuable system resources and money for a virus scanner since it's so secure that if a virus attempts to delete a system critical file, it will receive a "permission denied" message, the same as if a user without the proper privileges tried to delete one. In addition, having the source code freely available is a boon to security. Developers and users can continually check for and fix problems instead of being at the mercy of their software vendor. If a bug is found, Open Source systems can be fixed within a day, if not hours. Closed operating systems cannot match this turn around time. Can I install Linux on any system? Pretty much. One of the real cost savings that Linux realizes may have little to do with the sticker price of the OS itself. As previously mentioned, Linux will run extremely well on a wide range of different hardware platforms, including old Intel 386/486 systems to new Pentium IIIs, Macintosh and Amiga computers, Silicon graphics workstations and Digital Alpha computers. Linux will not, however, run fully on an 8086 or '286, as it requires task-switching and memory management facilities not found on these processors. Nevertheless, that 386 collecting dust in the garage or the company broom closet could make an excellent Web or mail server. For mission critical high performance applications, Linux will perform at the same level as many alternatives on lesser hardware, or best them on similar machines. Linux doesn't take up much room on the hard drive, and requires little memory. You can install Linux to add new life to older computers, or easily transform your old desktop into a powerful workstation. Surprisingly, you can get Linux to run with as little as 1MB RAM, and 1.44 MB or 1.2 MB floppy. Some people suggest at least 2MB of RAM, others 4 or 6MB. But everyone agrees that to do anything substantial, you will need more RAM and disk space-- it really depends on what you're trying to accomplish, and which applications you want to run on your Linux system. A minimal installation with the normal basic set of Unix utilities, shells, and administrative programs should run fine with less than 10 MB, but a complete commercial distribution will run a lot better on anywhere from 60 to 600MB, depending on the distribution, and which applications you choose to install. An installation that includes X will fit into 80MB. The Debian GNU Linux takes 500MB to 1GB, including kernel source code, some space for user files, and spool areas. And you'll need another GB of disk space for a commercial distribution with a desktop GUI, commercial word processor, and front-office productivity suite. Linux will also easily handle the multi-gigabyte hard drives, and adding memory makes a huge difference with Linux, so if you're buying new hardware, go ahead and get as much space as you can for the money. As far as memory goes, you need at least 4MB if you don't use X, and then you'll need to use special installation procedures until the disk swap space is installed. 8MB is better if you do use X. If you use many programs at the same time, 16MB will reduce swapping considerably, or 32MB if you don't want to swap much at all under a normal load, and 64MB to avoid it altogether if you're running lots of memory-intensive applications simultaneously. Because Linux excels at compatibility and openness, it also has the ability to co-exist on many machines that are running other operating systems. Most Linux distributions allow you to set up your computer so you can run Linux on the same machine as your old operating system. So, you can try Linux without erasing your old OS, or having to buy another computer! The standard method is to partition your hard drive, but you can also install Linux as a DOS file. (also link to article about Windows/Linux on the same computer) MS-DOS and MS Windows users interested in switching completely over to Linux can read the "From DOS/Windows to Linux" HOWTO. What about networking? Linux supports most of the major protocols, and quite a few of the minor ones. Linux supports a great variety of networking hardware, including some obsolete equipment. Support for TCP/IP networking has been present in Linux since its beginning, and since it's one of the fastest and reliable implementations, it's one of the key factors of Linux' success. Linux has a very clean IPX/SPX implementation, built-in support for ISDN, PPP, SLIP, PLIP and amateur radio protocols. It also has full AppleTalk networking, and ATM support is currently in pre-alpha stage. Several third parties provide T-1, T-3, X.25 and Frame Relay products for Linux; generally, special hardware is required for these types of connections. With support for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and other services (such as Domain Name Service), Linux is also well suited to serving large networks Is there any software for Linux? There are several commercial Web development software products freely available for Linux, including Netscape Navigator and Communicator. There is a tremendous wealth of free Linux software from which to choose, and the choices are growing exponentially, from office, financial and productivity packages to multimedia, audio and video applications and the new tools that give you command of the Internet. There is a Linux program available for almost every need you can imagine. Linux is the fastest growing software development platform. Linux distributions come with a programming development environment that includes C, C++, Fortran, toolkits such as Qt and scripting languages like perl, awk and sed. If you wanted to buy all this to develop software of a Windows system, it would require a substantial investment. Most of the common Unix tools and programs are available for Linux, including almost all GNU software and many X clients from various sources. If there is a commercial Unix application you enjoy using, the manufacturer will be able to tell you if its been ported to Linux. Commercial Linux HOWTO is a document maintained by a Mr. Poet that lists commercial software and applications that are offered for Linux. The following is a very partial list of software that is available for Linux: Office tools: StarOffice Suite, Corel WordPerfect Office 2000, The American Hertitage Dictionary Deluxe, Applixware Office Suite for Linux, D.M.S. Document Management System, HotWire EasyFAX, NexS, Network Extensibe Spreadsheet, Axene Office, Projector and the Projector/Net, Virtual Office System, Axene XA11Write, Axene Xclamation, Axene XQuad Image Manipulation: GIMP, blender, ImageMagick Data Visualization and CAD: IDL (Interactive Data Language), Megahedron, Tecplot 7.0, VariCAD, VARKON, XVScan Programming: C/C++, Pascal, Java, ACUCOBOL-GT, Amzi! Prolog & Logic Server, Basmark QuickBASIC, Critical Mass CM3, Dynace, Fortran, Absoft Fortran 77, Finesse, ISE Eiffel, EiffelBench, C-Forge IDE, IdeaFix, j- tree, KAI C++, Khoris Pro 2.1, MetaCard, ObjectManual Release 3.0, Critical Mass Reactor, Resource Standard Metrics, r-tree, sdoc (Source Documenter), SEDIT, S/REXX, SniFF+, ST/X (Smalltalk/X), tdb (Tcl Profiler), View Designer/X (VDX), Xbasic, Xmove 4.0 Multimedia/ Sound: RealPlayer 5.0, MPEG Video Player (mtv/mtvp), MpegTV Player 1.0, Xaudio MP3 player by MpegTV, Peter Lipa and his Journeys, Lucka Vondrackova and her Journeys, Peter Nagy and his Journeys, CD-Player, MODPlayer, MP3Player, MIDI-Sequencer, OSS, ALSA Typesetting: teTeX/LaTex, Ghostscript, Edith Pro for X11, TeraSpell 97 for Emacs Web server: Apache, CommuniGate Pro Website development: ASWedit, Empress DataWEB, EZ-EDIT, LinkScan, TalentSoft Web+, VirtuFlex 1.1, Visual prolog, Web Crossing, ThreadTrack, WebTailor Network: TCP/IP, NFS, UUCP, PPP, IPX, Appletalk, HAM radio, ISDN, SMB (samba: Windows), ARCnet, Internet, Critical Angle X.500 Enabler, DNEWS News Server, Aventail Internet Policy Manager, Aventail VPN, WANPIPE, Zeus Web Server, Intel Network Management Suite Internet: WWW, mail, IRC, News, DNS, SuSE Proxy Suite (firewall tool) with FTP Proxy, Netscape Communicator Mail: Sendmail, smail Databases: Sybase ASE, Informix Dynamic Server (Linux Edition Suite), MySQL, FrontBase, c-tree Plus, Empress, Essentia, FairCom Server, INFORMIX-SE, Just Logis/SQL, KE Texpress, Qddb, Raima Database Manager++, Empress Embedded RDBMS, SOLID Server, Velocis Database Server, Yard SQL, Oracle, Paradox Unix tools: awk, sed, grep, find, rcs, make, mgroff, bison, flex, perl, m4 Emulators: DOS, Atari ST, Amiga, C64, C128, VIC20, PET, ZX Spectrum, Gameboy, Nintendo Entertainment System, Atari VCS2600, C9oleco Vision, ZX81, Emulus, Executor 2, Wabi 2.2 for OpenLinux, Vmware Financial Software: BB Stock Pro and BB Stock Tool, Time Clock Libraries: FontScope, INTERACTER, Matrix-C++ Math Matrix Library, PKWARE Data Compression Library for Linux, readyBase, SIMLIB IG Mathematics: Maple V Release 4- The Power Edition, MATCOM and MATCOM MATH LIBRARY, Mathematica 3.0, MATLAB and Simulink System Administration Tools: Host Factory, PerfectBACKUP+, Venus X Windows Related Products: Accelerated-X Display Server, Bxwidgets, Bxwidgets/DB, Laptop, MaXimum cde Developer's Edition v1.0, Multi- headed, OpenGL, OSF-Certified Motif Utilities: BootMagic, PartitionMagicSE, LILO, Bru, Arkeia, White Pine Games: Simcity, Quake, Railroad Tycoon II, Heroes of Might and Magic III, Heretic II, Eric's Ultimate Solitaire, Myth II Soulblighter, Civilization: Call to Power, Heavy Gear II Macintosh software: Mozilla, Netscape Communicator, Apache, Crystal Space, Nedit, MP3, MpegTV, Q-SeeMe, Netatalk, BootX, Krilo, C, Java, Tcl/Tk, gnuplot, Gameboy Emulator Other Software: ABACUS 4, BBBS, Clustor, FootPrints, Aladdin Ghostscripts, Magician, journyx WebTime, LanSafe, LjetMgr, Synchronize/CyberScheduler Free Software for Commercial Hardware: Stallion Technologies Multiport Serial Boards Where can I get Linux? eLinux.com is your best resource. You can download Linux for free from any ftp site , but unless you're an experienced programmer with lots of time on your hands, our advice is to begin with a commercially available Linux distribution, such as those produced by Red Hat, Corel, Caldera, TurboLinux, Debian, SuSE, Yellow Dog and Mandrake. Linux distributions differ in features. Red Hat is a popular choice, in particular because of its easy installation. Debian offers a very comprehensive package. And, Caldera Open Linux includes NetWare support. For a small investment (less than $50) you can also purchase an informative reference book put out by companies such as O'Reilly, MacMillan, IDG, Mcgraw-Hill, such as Linux: The Complete Reference, or, Linux Unleashed. Both publications include a CD-ROM packed with Linux programs that are generally easier to install than a download version. Plus, you get useful documentation, which is handy if you are unfamiliar with Linux. If you're the technically adventurous type, you can download the entire Linux kernel from a number of sites and build your own custom OS. Depending on the speed of your connection, be prepared for the download to take hours or even days. Since Linux is Open Source, almost all Linux software is free, along with the source code, and readily available. There are lots of great archives of Linux software where you can get useful applications, free of charge. Is there any documentation There's an abundance of documentation! Most of Linux's documentation is online rather than in a set of physical manuals, a dynamic model that is well suited to documenting an evolving piece of software. Right at your fingertips is the eLinux.com Knowledgebase, a huge, searchable repository of Linux documentation that is organized for easy access, and includes authoritative information on everything that concerns the Linux user. eLinux.com also offers Support Forums for 15 different categories and a myriad of topics, including support and development. The Linux Documentation Project (LDP) maintains very good, reliable, free documentation, with a variety of manuals and articles for the Linux operating system and application software. Linux Installation and Getting Started, version 3.2 is the latest version of the original Linux beginner's manual. You can download either the Postscript document or the LaTeX source in a tar archive. An additional resource is the Linux Frequently Asked Questions with Answers; the most recent text version of the FAQ is posted weekly to the Usenet news groups: news.answers, comp.answers, and comp.os.linux.misc., and is archived on the official Usenet FAQ site, ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.os.linux.misc. If you prefer something in your hot little hands, that's available as well. Since Linux is Unix for the most part, the documentation for Unix is applicable and readily accessible, especially in English. For the programmer and administrator, the ultimate documentation bonus is the fact that Linux is an Open System, so when a question arises, the definitive answer can be found in the source code. The open source code makes trouble-shooting a breeze for your company's IS department. Can I get technical support The very fact that Linux is free has fostered a helpful attitude in the Linux community. Newsgroups and mailing lists jump to action, providing surprisingly fast, high quality technical support. The help is of such superior quality that Infoworld awarded the coveted "Best Technical Support" to the Linux Community as a whole in 1998! If you prefer a more formal support structure than going online for answers, look no further! For the best protection you can buy to keep your business running, eLinux.com Technical Support offers general tech support for products purchased through eLinux.com as well as Linuxcare Incident Support Packages. Incident support can be used whenever you have a Linux problem you can't solve yourself, such as troubleshooting, system configuration issues, connecting to the Web, adding users and other system administration functions. World-class Linux experts assist you, resolving most incidents in about an hour so you can get back to business quickly! With Linuxcare as our partner, you have at your side the first company to provide a complete solution for Linux technical support, consulting, education and product certification. eLinux.com offers customized services that meet your specific needs, including on-site support, phone support, or e-mail response support. To inquire into eLinux.com's technical support services, call us toll free at (877) 39-LINUX or e-mail us at support@eLinux.com What is the Linux Community The Linux community has become almost legendary, and it an integral part of Linux itself. The Linux community is that loosely knit team of talented programmers who are adding value to the operating system from working from all over the world. As a programmer, you can contribute your ideas to the Linux Open Source group, headed by Linus Torvalds. If accepted, your code will be added to future versions of Linux. This approach to software helped create stable, feature-rich programs. It may well be that Linux is the path toward a truly universal OS. But you don't have to be a programmer to have an influence on the future shape of Linux-the developers will take your feedback and questions for consideration. You can even drop Linus Torvalds a line at torvalds@transmeta.com if you want, but we don't recommend bothering him for things like asking how to recompile the kernel or whatnot-that's a job for the Linux Community. If you want to know more about Linus himself, you can check out The Rampantly Unofficial Linus Torvalds FAQ and see what he looks like, find out how his name is pronounced and where he lives. The site even tells you his middle name. What's with the penguin? Linus Torvalds, the original creator of Linux, was the one who came up with "Tux," the official Linux mascot. Here's what he has to say about it: "Ok, short version: I've always liked penguins, and when I was in Canberra a few years ago we went to the local zoo with Andrew Tridgell (of Samba fame). There they had a ferocious penguin that bit me and infected me with a little known disease called penguinitis. Penguinitis makes you stay awake at night just thinking about penguins and feeling great love towards them. So when Linux needed a mascot, the first thing that came into my mind was this picture of the majestic penguin, and the rest is history "Slightly more accurate version: Yes, I was bitten by a penguin, but it wasn't actually very ferocious. It was really just a pigmy penguin about 6 inches tall or something, and it was more of a timid nibble ('Is this a finger I see before me, or a small fish, or what?'). Even so, I like penguins a lot. "More down-to-earth version: All the other logos were too boring- I wasn't looking for the "Linux Corporate Image," I was looking for something fun and sympathetic to associate with Linux. A slightly fat penguin that sits down after having had a great meal fits the bill perfectly. "Final Comment: Don't take the penguin too seriously. It's supposed to be kind of goofy and fun (it's also the best operating system out there, but it's goofy and fun at the same time!). Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100 mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had." -- Linus Torvalds