Basics of Linux Learning

1, what is Linux?

To be exact, the Linux kernel (the core program of the system), whose kernel copyright belongs to Linus Torvalds, is issued under the GPL (GNU general public License) Copyright Agreement, and anyone can copy (copy) and modify ( Change), package distribution (distribute), sales, but can not add any restrictions at the time of distribution, and all the original code must be public, so anyone can get all the execution files and the original code.

For Linux users and system administrators, Linux refers to a complete operating system that contains Linux kernel, utilities (System Tools), and application (application software). Linux applications are developed by the Free Software Foundation (FSF), and many enthusiastic programmers around the world have developed or ported many applications for Linux, including X-windows, Emacs, TCP/IP networks (including SLIP/PPP/ISDN), etc. Now Linux (including the kernel and a large number of applications) is already up to 200M to execute the program and will be larger (about 500M) after the full installation.

Linux is essentially a Unix "clone" or UNIX-style operating system that is compatible with most UNIX standards (such as IEEE Posix,system V,BSD) at the original code level, and it complies with the POSIX specification, for example, for System V, It can be run after the program source code has been recompiled under Linux, and for BSD Unix, its executable files can be run directly in the Linux environment.

Linux logo is cute penguin, as for why the use of penguins, Linus is said: The other is used by others, penguins, not also very cute?! The Linux author publishes just one kernel, and some companies or organizations distribute the kernel, the original code, and related applications together, resulting in a different Linux release (distributor) version, with a more famous release redhat, SlackWare , S.U.S.E, Debian and so on.

To learn more about Linux, visit the following sites:

http://www.linux.org

Http://www.linuxresources.com/what.html

2, the development of Linux history?

The history of Linux dates back to 1990, Linus Torvalds, a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland, originally wrote a program in assembly language to handle multitasking in 80386 protection mode, later from Minix (for operating system teaching, very small Unix) Was inspired to write a better minix than Minix, and began to write some hardware device drivers, a small file system ..., This 0.0.1 version of Linux came out, but it must be in the Minix machine to play after compiling, this time the Linus has been completely "out of possession", decided to kick open Minix "revolution", so on October 5, 1991 released a Linux 0.0, 2 version, This version is already ready to run bash (a software that communicates with the OS kernel) and GCC (the GNU C compiler).

Linus from the outset, decided to freely spread Linux, including the source code, he put the source code online, and immediately attracted the attention of enthusiasts, they have joined the Linux core development work through the Internet, a large number of high-level programmers to join, so that the rapid development of Linux, by the end of 1993 , Linux 1.0 was finally born. Linux 1.0 is already a full-featured operating system, its core is compact and efficient, can give full play to the performance of the hardware, the 4 m memory of the 80386 machine also performed very well.

A lot of people have a misunderstanding of Linux, that is, always put Linux and low-end hardware platform to connect together, In fact, starting with the 2.1.XX-series kernel, Linux began to move up the path, after about 1.3, began porting to other hardware platforms, including the so-called fastest CPU---Digital Alpha (currently the highest frequency), At present Linux can give full play to the performance of hardware, can include low-end to high-end of all applications.

Linux joins the GNU and follows the public Copyright license (GPL), because does not exclude the merchant to the free software further development, does not reject the development commercial software on the Linux, therefore causes the Linux to start again the leap, has appeared many Linux distributions, like Slackware, Redhat , Suse, Turbolinux, OpenLinux and more than 10 kinds, and are also increasing, and some companies on Linux to develop commercial software or other UNIX platform software porting to Linux, many of the IT industry today, such as IBM, Intel, Oracle, Infomix, Sysbase, Corel, Netscape, CA, Novell and so on all announced support linux! Merchants to join to make up for the lack of pure free software and development barriers, Linux can be quickly popularized.

3. Why use Linux?

Using Linux allows you to achieve the performance of high-end systems on a relatively low-cost Intel X86 hardware platform, and many users use benchmarks to test on X86 machines running Linux and find that they can match the performance of the midsize workstations of sun and digital companies. In fact, not only many enthusiasts and programmers in the use of Linux, many business users such as Internet service Providers (ISPs) also use Linux as a server to replace expensive workstations, these server system stability is the highest record of 600 consecutive days did not encounter a system crash!

★ If you can not stand the frequent crashes of windows, want to change the system platform, choose Linux, you will be surprised to find Linux is fairly stable, performance is also very good.

★ If you want to learn about operating systems, such as UNIX, you can start with Linux, because people who are crazy about Linux are quick to learn about UNIX, Linux is open source OS, follow the public Copyright license (GPL), but also promising, completely free, You don't have to spend time and again buying a software license.

★ If you are it enterprise, Linux is so hot, potential business opportunities immeasurable, study it as early as possible in order to seize the commanding heights for future development.

★linux is ideal for developing internet/intranet, using its open source code, you can develop Web servers, routers, embedded systems, network computers, personal digital assistants, Oracle,infomix,sysbase, IBM supports Linux, and it's good to use it as a database platform, and using Linux can greatly reduce the total cost of development.

★ Open the original code of Linux allows you to have full control of the system, the original code open, you can according to their own needs to add or remove certain functions, at will create their own operating system, the development of independent copyright operating system, Linux is a way.