from: FOCUS ON LINUX
part of ABOUT.COM

Five Facts for Beginners

Issue #20: 02/23/98 (Archive)
by Aron Hsiao


Because I've received a number of messages lately via e-mail with questions about the nature of Linux, Linux distributions, and X11R6, we're going to distance ourselves from the technical side of things today and help those who are just starting out. I've put together five very basic facts about Linux; beginners are also encouraged to visit the Linux Frequently Asked Questions with Answers document and our Getting Started section.

Now, on to the facts.

//Fact 1:// Linux looks like Unix.

Many people know of, or have at least heard of, Unix. Unix is both one of the oldest and one of the most powerful operating systems available today. "How can Unix be old and yet powerful by today's standards?", you ask. The answer to this question lies in the history of Unix; Unix is a sort of subset of a much larger and more complex operating system called Multics. Both Unix and Multics were developed decades ago for very large computers; only now, decades later are personal computers finally powerful enough to tackle these multitasking, multiuser systems with advanced features.

Getting back to the crux of our first fact, Linux looks like Unix. Linux is not officially Unix simply because it wasn't written by the same programmers as was the original Unix system. However, Linux runs Unix programs and shares the Unix command set. Linux is, for all general intents and purposes, a full-featured Unix-type operating system.

//Fact 2:// Linux complicated. There is a learning curve.

Linux, that is, an entire Linux installation, can be as large as 300 Megabytes before installation, in compressed form. An entire Linux distribution can contain tens of thousands of separate files which oversee and control various parts of the system, provide various kinds of program or application functionality, and outline the data structure of the environment. Because of this complexity, it is imperative that prospective Linux users be able to read and to effectively use the Internet and usenet (newsgroups). Installing Linux is not a simple process, and new users will, in all likelihood, need to consult the Linux newsgroups (such as comp.os.linux.setup or comp.os.linux.help) often.

Even after installation, you must not expect a miracle. Do not believe that you are some sort of computer guru who just doesn't know Unix yet. You aren't. These may seem like harsh words to you, but far too many users with little or no Unix experience feel that they can jump in and crack Linux in ten minutes simply because they have been using MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows 95, or (listen up, you nerds) Windows NT for years. These other operating systems do not provide any meaningful background for Unix use. Unix is a much larger and more involved system than any of these, with a completely new (and extremely large) set of commands. You will require a Unix reference book (of several hundred pages, at least), no matter how smart you think yourself to be. Luckily, these are available at many public libraries, and almost always apply to Linux.

//Fact 3:// Linux is a command-driven system.

Lazy people need not apply. Yes, you will be forced to use your keyboard in order to use Linux. No, this does not reduce functionality. In fact, using a keyboard and Unix, processes which require thousands of mouse clicks in popular graphical operating systems can be reduced to a single, typed command.

The philosophy behind most other modern operating systems (Windows, OS/2, etc.) says that the system should take control whenever it can, hiding the complex "internal workings" of the system from the user and preventing undue complexity. Unfortunately, simple systems can only provide correspondingly simple functionality. In short, there are a limited number of things which you are allowed to do, and there is no way to change things which are part of "the system". The user must simply adapt to the computer.

Linux and Unix, however, are different. You must master the computer, and the computer must adapt to service your needs. You become the system administrator, and Linux assumes that you know what you are doing.

This kind of flexibility is very, very powerful; you'll have no idea just how powerful it can be until you've used and mastered a system of this kind effectively. However, if you tell Linux to erase your hard drive, Linux will do it; this functionality is not hidden from the computer's owner, and Linux will not ask you to reconsider your rash decision. You are the boss, and you gave the command.

Fact 4:// Linux does// have a "windowing" system.

Actually, Linux has several, but the one you've heard about, the one you'll want to use, is called the X Window System. The X Window System is a very powerful, networked distributed display manager for modern operating systems. The X Window System is very fast and very configurable. If you thought Windows 95[TM] was flexible and configurable, you're going to have a heart attack using the X Window System. You decide everything, from the ground up. You can have circle windows, triangle windows, octagonal windows, or, if you really want, boring old square windows. You can have buttons down the side, down the top, down the middle, on the corners, or even no buttons at all on a window. Your title bar can be a bar, a car, a clown's head, another window - it can even show up on another computer if you decide to send all of your titlebars to display on it's screen. To see some examples of the flexible functionality of the X Window System, visit the Focus On Linux Screenshot of the Moment Archive.

Here again, responsibility comes into play, however. You can easily edit all window buttons, title bars, and interactive features out, and Linux will take them out. Getting them back is your job; the system won't do it for you. You can even (using Unix security features and X Window System configuration) edit away your ability to access your own display by declaring yourself a security risk.

In the right hands, this kind of power can make your graphical work environment more productive that you ever could have imagined it to be.

//Fact 5:// There is no "official" Linux system.

Beginners often ask me which Linux is the "real" one, or where to get the "official" version of Linux. Unfortunately, this question really has no answer. The only part of Linux which is "officially" Linux is the core of Linux, otherwise known as the kernel. All programs, appearances, configurations, startup code, and installation programs are provided as parts of what are called Linux "distributions".

A distribution is simply a collection of programs and utilities which turn the Linux core (or kernel) into a full-fledged, fully-functional Unix-type system. Unfortunately, each distribution is slightly different and can greatly affect the user's initial impression of Linux. Different distributions will present the user with different initial configurations for Linux. Some are more businesslike, others are more playful or wild. Here are quick, inexcusably terse comments about some of the major distributions.

There are a number of other Linux distributions out there, both on the Web and on CD-ROM. Each has its own flavor and feel, and if none of the distributions above appeals to you, maybe you can find one which does on our Distributions page. The page also includes links to the distributions I've just mentioned, as well as a number of links to distributions which you can download, for free, over the Internet.

Did this help?

I hope this helped those of you who have been asking me for some basic groundwork about Linux. If it didn't, always feel free to e-mail me with your questions. KEEP THIS