IntroIntro toto LinuxLinux WelcomeWelcome A Basic Introduction to

stan reichardt [email protected] LinuxLinux BasicsBasics

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• LikeLike DOS,DOS, MSMS Windows,Windows, oror MacMac OS-X,OS-X, LinuxLinux isis anan OperatingOperating System.System. • ThereThere areare moremore thanthan 200200 formsforms ofof LinuxLinux available.available. MoreMore thanthan 100100 areare active.active.

• is the Linux mascot and official trade mark. • DistroWatch tracks top 100 versions • http://www.distrowatch.com/ • Linus Torvolds holds the Linux™ (Trademark). WhatWhat isis anan “Operating“”?System”?

AnAn operatingoperating systemsystem (“OS”(“OS” forfor short)short) isis aa computer’scomputer’s mastermaster controlcontrol program.program.

Application programs

OPERATING SYSTEM

Computer (hardware) • ItIt managesmanages internalinternal functions.functions. • ItIt controlscontrols thethe computer'scomputer's operations.operations. • ItIt givesgives resourcesresources toto otherother runningrunning programs.programs. WhyWhy dodo wewe needneed anan OS?OS? • WithoutWithout anan operatingoperating system,system, eacheach programprogram installedinstalled inin aa computercomputer wouldwould havehave toto controlcontrol allall ofof thethe computer’scomputer’s hardwarehardware onon itsits own.own.

All Other Application Programs BLOCKED

ONE Application Program Running

Computer (hardware) • ProgramsPrograms wouldwould fightfight oneone anotheranother forfor hardwarehardware control,control, makingmaking “multi-tasking”“multi-tasking” impossible.impossible. HowHow wouldwould wewe pickpick anan OS?OS? • OSOS CompatibilityCompatibility • withwith youryour computercomputer hardwarehardware • withwith otherother systemssystems (i.e.(i.e. networking)networking) • withwith specificspecific applicationapplication softwaresoftware • OSOS FeaturesFeatures • StandardStandard FeaturesFeatures • SpecialSpecial FeaturesFeatures • OSOS CostCost • PurchasePurchase price,price, availabilityavailability ofof updatesupdates • LicenseLicense issuesissues OpenOpen SourceSource SoftwareSoftware

• http://www.opensource.org/http://www.opensource.org/ • KeyKey PointsPoints ofof OpenOpen Source:Source: • FreeFree AcquisitionAcquisition && RedistributionRedistribution • SourceSource CodeCode (must be included or available) • DerivedDerived WorksWorks (must allow modifications) • IntegrityIntegrity ofof SourceSource CodeCode (credit to authors) • NoNo DiscriminationDiscrimination (of persons, groups or use) • DistributionDistribution ofof LicenseLicense (can not be restricted) HowHow dodo wewe useuse anan OS?OS?

• AnAn operatingoperating systemsystem hashas aa “user“”interface” toto acceptaccept commands.commands. • ItIt cancan bebe text-based…text-based…

• ……oror graphics-based.graphics-based. LinuxLinux DistributionsDistributions

01/13/15 11:02 11 VarietyVariety IsIs TheThe SpiceSpice OfOf LinuxLinux • ThereThere areare moremore thanthan 200200 differentdifferent formsforms ofof Linux.Linux. • LinuxLinux distributions,distributions, knownknown asas “distros”“distros” areare basedbased onon oneone ofof severalseveral "core""core" versions.versions. • CompareCompare distrosdistros atat http://www.distrowatch.com/http://www.distrowatch.com/ • SpecialSpecial featuresfeatures andand moremore applicationsapplications maymay bebe addedadded toto distros.distros. DD@#%@#% SmallSmall LinuxLinux DD@#%@#% SmallSmall LinuxLinux

• UsedUsed frequentlyfrequently toto “boot”“boot” LinuxLinux directlydirectly fromfrom aa USBUSB flashflash drive,drive, oror aa smallsmall “business-card”“business-card” CD.CD.

• CapableCapable ofof runningrunning onon “legacy”“legacy” PCsPCs whichwhich maymay notnot supportsupport newernewer WindowsWindows operatingoperating systems.systems. PuppyPuppy LinuxLinux PuppyPuppy LinuxLinux

• PuppyPuppy LinuxLinux usesuses aa traditionaltraditional “graphical“graphical useruser interface”interface” desktopdesktop likelike manymany popularpopular LinuxLinux distros,distros, suchsuch asas antiX,antiX, ,Knoppix, MEPHIS,MEPHIS, openSUSE,openSUSE, PCLinuxOS,PCLinuxOS, oror Zorin.Zorin.

• UsersUsers movingmoving fromfrom MSMS WindowsWindows toto thesethese LinuxLinux distrosdistros willwill easilyeasily recognizerecognize manymany similaritiessimilarities toto thethe MSMS WindowsWindows “desktop”.“desktop”. UbuntuUbuntu LinuxLinux UbuntuUbuntu LinuxLinux

• AnAn earlyearly LinuxLinux variantvariant forfor bothboth MacintoshMacintosh oror WindowsWindows systems.systems. • ClaimsClaims toto bebe mostmost popularpopular Linux.Linux. • OnceOnce usedused thethe traditionaltraditional GNOMEGNOME versionversion 22 graphicalgraphical useruser interface.interface. ItIt isis nownow fairlyfairly similarsimilar toto thatthat ofof MacOSMacOS X,X, andand sharesshares somesome ofof itsits features,features, suchsuch asas selectableselectable “desktop“desktop panes”.panes”. • NowNow usesuses thethe UnityUnity desktopdesktop environmentenvironment thatthat isis gearedgeared toto newernewer touchtouch screenscreen hardware.hardware. EdubuntuEdubuntu KubuntuKubuntu XubuntuXubuntu EdubuntuEdubuntu KubuntuKubuntu XubuntuXubuntu

• EdubuntuEdubuntu usesuses thethe newnew GNOMEGNOME 33 graphicalgraphical environmentenvironment insteadinstead ofof .Unity. FocusFocus isis onon educationaleducational tools.tools.

• KubunuteKubunute usesuses thethe KDEKDE graphicalgraphical environment.environment.

• XubuntuXubuntu usesuses thth XFCEXFCE graphicalgraphical environmentenvironment forfor lowlow powerpower computers.computers. LinuxMintLinuxMint LinuxLinux LinuxMintLinuxMint LinuxLinux

• UsesUses thethe UbuntuUbuntu softwaresoftware repositories.repositories.

• UsesUses thethe MATEMATE oror CinnamonCinnamon desktopdesktop environmentenvironment insteadinstead ofof GnomeGnome oror Unity.Unity. MATEMATE andand CinnamonCinnamon areare moremore familiarfamiliar andand traditionaltraditional thanthan thethe newnew UbuntuUbuntu andand itsits variants.variants.

• HighlyHighly recommendedrecommended forfor LinuxLinux newcomersnewcomers..

LinuxMintLinuxMint InstallingInstalling LinuxLinux

01/13/15 11:02 23 SystemsSystems Pre-LoadedPre-Loaded withwith LinuxLinux

• Major vendors • Some computer vendors infrequently provide that pre-load Linux Linux pre-loaded • System76 • Examples, such as the • EmperorLinux ASUS EeePC and the • ZaReason PowerSpec N108, used • LinuxCertified different Linux distributions as their • Los Alamos Computers default operating system • InaTeX Computers TheThe BestBest OfOf BothBoth WorldsWorlds

• LinuxLinux cancan usuallyusually bebe installedinstalled inin aa "dual"dual boot"boot" mode.mode. • AA startupstartup “boot“boot loader”loader” menumenu allowsallows thethe useruser toto eithereither startstart LinuxLinux oror thethe vendor'svendor's originaloriginal OS.OS. DiscDisc OrOr DownloadDownload

• Now Available at Micro Center: Distributions of Linux can be purchased as low-cost “stand-alone” CDs or DVDs. • Or, order from http://www.osdisc.com/

• LinuxLinux cancan alsoalso bebe downloadeddownloaded viavia aa “broadband”“broadband” InternetInternet serviceservice asas anan ISOISO disc-imagedisc-image file,file, andand burned burned asas aa bootablebootable CD,CD, DVDDVD oror USBstick.USBstick. TestTest DriveDrive LinuxLinux

• MostMost LinuxLinux distributionsdistributions useuse aa “Run“Run Live”Live” feature,feature, allowingallowing thethe useruser toto safelysafely runrun LinuxLinux directlydirectly fromfrom CD-ROMCD-ROM oror otherother mediamedia withoutwithout makingmaking anyany permanentpermanent changechange.. LinuxLinux SystemSystem RequirementsRequirements (example:(example: UbuntuUbuntu LinuxLinux versionversion 8.x)8.x)

• 32- or 64-bit PC with 800 MHz+ CPU (including Macintosh G3 or newer) • 384 MB of RAM recommended (256 MB minimum) • Hard drive with 3 GB free space • 1024×768 or higher resolution monitor (3-D graphics accelerator card for some games, screen savers, etc.) • CD-ROM or DVD drive • Keyboard & Mouse • Sound card and speakers or headphones • Ethernet card for Internet/LAN connectivity • 56 Kbps hardware modem (optional) PCPC ManagementManagement

MostMost LinuxLinux distributionsdistributions areare “Plug“Plug andand Play”Play” Ready.Ready. TestTest “Run“Run Live”Live”.. • NewNew hardwarehardware detectiondetection • WiredWired && wirelesswireless networkingnetworking • USBUSB andand FirewireFirewire detectiondetection • DeviceDevice supportsupport inclues:inclues: • DigitalDigital CamerasCameras • ScannersScanners • MP3MP3 PlayersPlayers • FlashFlash drives,drives, memorymemory cardcard readersreaders InstallInstall thethe OSOS

• PartitionPartition thethe hardhard drive*drive* • FormatFormat thethe hardhard drive*drive* • CopyCopy systemsystem files*files* • ConfigureConfigure systemsystem settingssettings • UpdateUpdate driversdrivers • InstallInstall softwaresoftware applicationsapplications • RestoreRestore youryour datadata filesfiles LinuxLinux InstalledInstalled && RunningRunning LinuxLinux ApplicationsApplications

01/13/15 11:02 32 FreeFree OpenOpen SourceSource

• TheThe samesame communitycommunity developmentdevelopment modelmodel usedused toto createcreate distributionsdistributions ofof LinuxLinux isis alsoalso usedused toto makemake applicationapplication softwaresoftware toto runrun onon LinuxLinux systems.systems. WorksWorks WellWell WithWith OthersOthers

• ManyMany open-sourceopen-source programsprograms createcreate andand editedit documentsdocuments whichwhich areare “cross-compatible”“cross-compatible” withwith theirtheir MacOSMacOS oror WindowsWindows counterparts.counterparts. • ManyMany havehave “cross-platform”“cross-platform” versions.versions. CommunicationsCommunications

• WebWeb BrowserBrowser -- FirefoxFirefox • FeaturesFeatures anan adaptableadaptable addressaddress && searchsearch bar,bar, makingmaking itit easiereasier toto findfind informationinformation onon thethe Internet.Internet. CommunicationsCommunications

• E-mailE-mail ClientClient -- ThunderbirdThunderbird • IncludesIncludes advancedadvanced searchingsearching featuresfeatures withinwithin thethe e-maile-mail programprogram itself.itself. ProductivityProductivity

• TheThe LibreOfficeLibreOffice SuiteSuite ProductivityProductivity

TheThe LibreOfficeLibreOffice SuiteSuite camecame fromfrom thethe OpenOfficeOpenOffice Suite.Suite. • DeveloperDeveloper communitycommunity tooktook thethe OpenOfficeOpenOffice openopen sourcesource softwaresoftware codecode andand greatlygreatly improvedimproved it.it. • ItIt startedstarted asas anan exactexact duplicate,duplicate, addedadded manymany fixesfixes andand continuescontinues toto improveimprove atat aa fasterfaster rate.rate. ProgramProgram DownloadsDownloads

• OneOne ofof thethe “trade-offs”“trade-offs” ofof usingusing LinuxLinux isis thethe relativerelative lacklack ofof over-over- the-counterthe-counter applicationapplication software.software.

• However,However, LinuxLinux usersusers cancan downloaddownload andand installinstall nearlynearly anyany kindkind ofof applicationapplication softwaresoftware imaginableimaginable fromfrom thethe Internet.Internet. SecuritySecurity

Total US CERT Threat Bulletins issued between 2004-2009

• "Malware""Malware" threatsthreats stillstill existexist underunder Linux.Linux. • OpenOpen sourcesource anti-virusanti-virus andand securitysecurity programsprograms areare available.available. ResourcesResources • OriginalOriginal presentationpresentation fromfrom MicroCenterMicroCenter • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linuxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux • http://www.opensource.org/http://www.opensource.org/ • http://www.distrowatch.com/http://www.distrowatch.com/ • http://www.linuxscreenshots.org/http://www.linuxscreenshots.org/ • http://images.google.com/http://images.google.com/ • http://www.osdisc.com/http://www.osdisc.com/ • http://www.linuxmint.com/http://www.linuxmint.com/ • http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ubuntu-http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/ubuntu- utopic-mate.htmlutopic-mate.html • http://hzwlug.sluug.org/http://hzwlug.sluug.org/ SummarySummary • AdvantagesAdvantages ofof Linux:Linux: • InexpensiveInexpensive toto buy,buy, freefree toto download.download. • MultipleMultiple versions,versions, differentdifferent features.features. • SafeSafe “Run“Run Live”Live” trialtrial beforebefore installation.installation. • WorksWorks onon manymany PCPC andand MacMac systems.systems. • CanCan co-existco-exist withwith originaloriginal vendorvendor OS.OS. • Trade-offsTrade-offs ofof Linux:Linux: • LessLess “over-the-counter”“over-the-counter” software.software. • SometimesSometimes cancan requirerequire moremore complexcomplex installationinstallation andand setset upup ofof peripherals.peripherals. IntroIntro toto LinuxLinux

QuestionsQuestions

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stan reichardt [email protected]

01/13/15 11:02 43