Linux Sea Sven Vermeulen Linux Sea Sven Vermeulen Copyright © 2009-2013 Sven Vermeulen
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Linux Sea Sven Vermeulen Linux Sea Sven Vermeulen Copyright © 2009-2013 Sven Vermeulen Abstract The book "Linux Sea" offers a gentle yet technical (from end-user perspective) introduction to the Linux operating system, using Gentoo Linux as the example Linux distribution. It does not nor will it ever talk about the history of the Linux kernel or Linux distributions or dive into details that are less interesting for Linux users. For various topics, the online Gentoo Handbook offers a very detailed approach and as such is mandatory reading for any Gentoo Linux user who wants to know the full power of this Operating System. Although there is definitely overlap between "Linux Sea" and the online Gentoo Handbook, "Linux Sea" is by no means meant to replace the online Gentoo Handbook. "Linux Sea" will attempt to focus on topics that everyday users would probably need to know to continue working with Gentoo Linux. The version you are reading currently is v1.14 and has been generated on 2013/10/06. PDF [http://swift.siphos.be/ linux_sea/linux_sea.pdf] and ePUB [http://swift.siphos.be/linux_sea/linux_sea.epub] versions are available as well. You are free to share (copy, distribute and transmit) the work as well as remix (adapt) the work under the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 2.0 license, available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/be/deed.en Table of Contents 1. What is Linux? ......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 The Anatomy of an Operating System ...................................................................... 1 Kernel ......................................................................................................... 2 System Libraries ........................................................................................... 2 System Tools ............................................................................................... 3 Development Tools ....................................................................................... 3 End User Tools ............................................................................................ 4 Okay, I bite, What is this GNU? ...................................................................... 4 Linux as the Kernel of the Linux Operating System .................................................... 4 Linux Operating Systems: Distributions .................................................................... 5 What is a Distribution? .................................................................................. 7 What does a Distribution Provide? ................................................................... 7 What is an Architecture? ................................................................................ 8 Myths Surrounding Linux ....................................................................................... 8 Myths ......................................................................................................... 9 Weaknesses ................................................................................................ 11 Exercises ........................................................................................................... 11 Further Resources ................................................................................................ 11 2. How does Free Software affect Linux? ........................................................................ 12 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 12 Free Software ..................................................................................................... 12 What are Software Licenses? ......................................................................... 12 What Licenses Exist? ................................................................................... 13 Free Software isn't Non-Commercial ............................................................... 14 So Linux is Free? ........................................................................................ 14 Development Model ............................................................................................ 15 Multi-Project Development ........................................................................... 15 Transparent Development ............................................................................. 15 Fast Release Cycles ..................................................................................... 16 Large Documentation Base ........................................................................... 17 Software Life Cycle ..................................................................................... 17 Open Standards ................................................................................................... 18 File system Hierarchy Standard ...................................................................... 18 Linux Standard Base .................................................................................... 18 Free Desktop Specifications .......................................................................... 19 Exercises ........................................................................................................... 19 Further Resources ................................................................................................ 19 3. The Role of the Community ...................................................................................... 20 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 20 Communities ...................................................................................................... 20 Local Communities ...................................................................................... 21 Online Communities .................................................................................... 21 Support .............................................................................................................. 22 Documentation Guides ................................................................................. 22 Internet and Usenet Forums .......................................................................... 22 Mailinglists ................................................................................................ 23 Chat .......................................................................................................... 23 Real-life Meetings ....................................................................................... 23 Conferences ........................................................................................................ 23 FOSDEM ................................................................................................... 24 FOSS.IN .................................................................................................... 24 LinuxTag ................................................................................................... 24 Exercises ........................................................................................................... 24 Resources .......................................................................................................... 24 iii Linux Sea 4. Running Linux ........................................................................................................ 25 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 25 System Architecture ............................................................................................. 25 User Accounts ............................................................................................ 26 Processes ................................................................................................... 26 Files and File Structure ................................................................................ 27 Permissions ................................................................................................ 27 Using the Command Line ..................................................................................... 28 Navigating ................................................................................................. 28 Listing Content ........................................................................................... 30 Basic File Manipulation ................................................................................ 30 Editing Text Files ........................................................................................ 32 Linking Files and Directories ........................................................................ 33 File / Command Completion .......................................................................... 33 Switching Terminals .................................................................................... 34 Logging Out ............................................................................................... 34 Shutting Down ............................................................................................ 34 Getting Help ......................................................................................................