For Linux beginners [Series 2]

OK. Your first question is: what is Linux? What is the difference between it and UNIX? Most of the reasons for this question are that you went to the lab when you were a freshman and saw a senior student answer questions on a machine with a large screen. You looked at him with envy, q: "What is this computer, so advanced?" He said proudly, "this is Unix ". Later, you know much about it. You know it's a Sun workstation, and it's running Solaris, it's UNIX. Now you have heard that Linux is also Unix. Why?

Short answer: reading books. The first chapter of many Linux books on the street is about their history and kinship.

Long answer: Unix is an operating system that was commercialized by a large company 20 or 30 years ago after several graduate students started in the lab. It grew and occupied the market. At that time, it was only running on expensive machines that only the university could afford one or two. Later, there were more machines, more companies, and more people to know, so they split their families. The "Unix" name was due to legal relations, no one can say that their operating system is "Unix" but "UNIX compatible. So now the "Unix" system does not exist, and there is only a distant legend. So What Are Solaris, Aix, and Iris now? All these are commercial Unix systems developed by companies on their hardware. These systems all follow an odd POSIX standard. By the way, this standard is too messy, programming interfaces and even commands are different, so there is no way to discuss a protocol.

So what is Linux? Linux is a UNIX-Compatible System Based on PC (also supported by other platforms). It is no longer compatible with any other UNIX systems in terms of UNIX. So if you have the idea that "Solaris is an orthodox UNIX, Linux is only compatible", I'm sorry you are wrong. At least you have to defeat anyone who supports Aix, they also think that AIX is the Orthodox UNIX. Therefore, you can learn about UNIX in Linux, which is mostly used in other businesses.
UNIX can be used. Of course, the core idea is absolutely the same. So three years ago, only your doctoral counselor had the opportunity to go to the baby sun in the lab. Now you can practice it on a PC, isn't that a wonderful thing?

The second question: I want to install a Linux. Which version is the latest? I have heard of xxxlinux, yyylinux, and zzzlinux launched by a Chinese company. Which is better?

First of all, you need to understand that Linux is not windows, it is not a software maintained by a commercial company, but only one package. Linux can be freely packaged. Anyone, a company, can follow their own ideas, such as adding a bit of functionality, adding Chinese support, and making a Linux. Although the core components of these Linux systems are the same, the default configurations of the software they bring are different. The difference is that you can use a Linux release (different Linux is called a different release). Maybe the hardware is well configured and various software can be installed, and the speed may be faster, another method may be better to support Chinese characters. In short, there is no white lunch. In Windows, it is assumed that you may need to stay up late in Linux to get things. Therefore, you must be very careful when selecting distribution from the very beginning. Otherwise, because you just get a Linux release with a magazine, you will think that all the installation will begin, and the hard disk data will be destroyed, or it will be too late when the network is not ready for use. I know that the driver is installed in windows.ProgramJust a few mouse clicks, but in Linux, it is not surprising to drive a NIC for a night -- of course, I think this is worth it.

Therefore, which of the following should you choose in the face of so many Linux distribution?

The most famous Linux distribution is: RedHat: Latest Version 6.2, 7.0 Beta. Because Redhat has been listed and has gained a lot of commercial support, it has good compatibility with hardware and software. In fact, it is already the industrial standard of Linux. Imagine if you are the boss of a vendor such as Oracle, you need to develop a version for Linux, and different Linux dists need to be developed and maintained independently, for cost consideration, you will naturally identify only one Linux.

Slackware (7.1 ). There have been many loyal users in some early Linux systems, but they are getting worse and worse.

SuSE Linux, made by Germans, is very popular in Europe and has some driving advantages.

In addition, Debian, corellinux and other dists will not be introduced one by one.

In addition, you will see various "Chinese Linux" advertised by the domestic media. Their main advantages include Chinese processing. However, as in the previous articleArticleIf you want to use Chinese, Windows 2000 is the best. In fact, I think a senior in the seven-character class told me a good sentence: "(for US) It is a strange thing to see Chinese on the computer ". If you want to learn computers, you cannot avoid reading English documents. Even Microsoft documents and programming documents are all up-to-date in English. Of course, BBS and Chinese Web pages can be used in the same way as English dists.

As a personal (personal opinion, you don't have to trust me), I only use RedHat, because I need it as an operating system to allow me to learn more quickly and what I want to learn, instead of fighting with stupid NICs and sound cards. Although these struggles are also very helpful for learning Linux, for a newbie, if the system cannot be installed and cannot be configured, how can he learn? Again, this is only my own opnion, And I cocould be wrong.