Linux introduction - 12/04/03 01:18 PM
If you are reading this you might be wondering what the hell is Linux. What is so great about it. Where can I get it. I hope to create a document to answer many newbie questions. Below I have created an image of the break down of the linux OS as I see it.
Linux or as it should be called GNU linux is made up of many parts. There are mainly 3 but I have included a 4th.
Added 01/31/2004 21:18
This is an old and slightly outdated link, but still tons of good info.
Linux or as it should be called GNU linux is made up of many parts. There are mainly 3 but I have included a 4th.
- Explanation of each group below
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. - Linux - When you hear the term Linux, think Linux kernel. The Kernel was created by a now famous man Linus Trovalds. Linus's pronunciation of linux is lee-nucks. Much of the non kernel software is GNU. Other components come from many organizations, groups, and individuals. The name Linux sort of refers to a UNIX like operating system. This in a nutshell means it is an implementation of the POSIX specification.
Now Linux is not UNIX. It is a free implementation of UNIX that cannot be called UNIX. UNIX is a registerd trademark of the Open Group. Although there is some confusion these days as to weather the SCO Group might own UNIX. Only time and a bunch of lawyers will tell.
An operating system must conform to the Single Unix Specification (SUS) to be called UNIX. Linux dose not conform to SUS so it is not UNIX. GNU software has many moe features than SUS requires. The Open Group charges major money for SUS testing, and since Linux is free/open source... who will pay for this testing?
Now here is a kicker. Some patched versions of VMS and Windows NT conform to SUS and therefore can be called UNIX. Many Govt. and DoD agencies require thier OS's to be POSIX compliant. Microsoft wants thier money sooo they comply. Yes guys that is a fact. Linux could probably pass the SUS testing without any problem. But no one has the money to get it to testing. Much less each companys version of it.
Some info on the Linux Kernel. Linux Kernel began as Linus Trovalds personal project to run a UNIX like operating system on an i386 PC. He also wanted to improve on Andrew Tanenbaum's Minx. Version 0.02 was made public in the newsgroup comp.os.minix on October 5, 1991. It ran bash, gcc, gnu-make,gnu-sed, compress and some other applications. Sources were made available for general development.
Linux was originaly writen for intel processors but now supports all intel i386, i486, Pentium-series, Cyrix and AMD clones, 68000, MIPS, PowerPC, PowerMac, SPARC, 64-bit CPU's to include Alpha, UltraSPARC, and Itanium. Not bad for a personel project. Not bad for free.
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. - GNU - The GNU system comes from The Free Software Foundation founded by Richard M. Stallman in the 1980's. His main goal was to creat freely distributable UNIX tools. Richard M. Stallman and The Free Software Foundation belive software should be free from patents and commecial ownership.
The GNU provides many UNIX commands and useful applications. Many GNU tools such as make , are much better than ther commercial counter parts. You will quickly find the GNU people love word play. The GNU replacement for the pager more has more functionality and is called less .
Linux and the GNU were a perfect match in the early 1990's. The Linux kernel needed supporting software and the GNU needed a supporting Kernel.(It now has Hurd). Linux and the GNU together made a complete free UNIX-like operating system.
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. - X - X or X windows is a powerful networked graphical environment. X was developed at MIT and is freely distributable. XFree86 is a complete implementation of X based on the X11R6 standard.
Linux is most popular as a server. Now most servers do not require a graphics, as a mater of fact if you do not need them you want to not install them. Nothing like a resource heavy screen save to crash your server at just the right time. However X can provide some of the most sexy graphics you ever saw.
see examples below
http:// thebucket.org/ echo/ gallery/ albums/ screenshots/ noia_warm_kde.sized.png
http:// thebucket.org/ echo/ gallery/ albums/ screenshots/ gimp_1_3.sized.png
http:// thebucket.org/ echo/ gallery/ albums/ screenshots/ karamba.sized.png
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. - Other - Many Unix software packages have now been ported to Linux. UNIX packages are often distributed in source form. Many server componets are generic UNIX software. Some software components are free implementation of commercial products. And some ore unique to Linux.
Added 01/31/2004 21:18
This is an old and slightly outdated link, but still tons of good info.