Module 01 Introduction to Linux

Module-1 Introduction to Linux
Tushar B Kute
tushar.kute@gmail.com
http://snashlug.org
contact@snashlug.org

Before Linux
 In 80’s, Microsoft’s DOS was the dominated OS
for PC, Apple MAC was better, but expensive.
 UNIX was much better, but much, much more
expensive. Only for minicomputer for
commercial applications.
 People was looking for a UNIX based system,
which is cheaper and can run on PC.
 Both DOS, MAC and UNIX were proprietary, i.e.,
the source code of their kernel is protected.
 No modification is possible without paying high
license fees.

How Linux initiated?
 A famous professor Andrew Tanenbaum
developed Minix, a simplified version of
UNIX that runs on PC
 Minix is for class teaching only. No
intention for commercial use
 In Sept 1991, Linus Torvalds, a second
year student of Computer Science at the
University of Helsinki, developed the
preliminary kernel of Linux, known as
Linux version 0.0.1

Linux Today
 Linux has been used for many computing
platforms PC, PDA, Supercomputer,…
 Not only character user interface but
graphical user interface is available
 Commercial vendors moved in Linux
itself to provide freely distributed code.
They make their money by compiling up
various software and gathering them in a
distributable format
 Red Hat, Debian, Slackware etc.

Why Linux
 Excellent networking facilities
 Ideal environment to run servers such as a
web server, or an ftp server.
 A wide variety of commercial software is
available if not satisfied by the free software
 Easily upgradeable.
 Supports multiple processors.
 True multi-tasking, multi-user OS.
 An excellent window system called X, the
equivalent of Windows but much more flexible.
 Full source code is provided and free.

Linux is powerful OS
 Today Linux has joined the desktop market.
 On the server side, Linux is well-known as a
stable and reliable platform.
 Linux provides many applications like:
 Databases (MySQL,Postgresql),
 Network services(Web Servers,DNS, Proxy,
firewall etc)
 Software development tools(C, Java,
Python,Perl etc.)
 Office automation tools
 And many more…

Is Linux difficult?
 There is excellent and free Internet
support and documentation
available.
 The graphical user interface (GUI) is
similar in design to that on any other
system
 A very powerful command line
alternative is also available.
 Linux is user friendly.

Properties of Linux
 It is Open Source
 Today, Linux is ready to accept the
challenge of a fast-changing world.
 Linux is free:
 If you want to spend absolutely nothing,
you don't even have to pay the price of
a CD.
 Linux can be downloaded in its entirety
from the Internet completely for free.

Properties of Linux
 Linux is portable to any hardware platform.
 Linux was made to keep on running.
 As with UNIX, a Linux system expects to run
without rebooting all the time.
 Tasks can be scheduled to run at suitable times.
 Linux is secure and versatile.
 The security model used in Linux is based on the
UNIX idea of security which is robust.
 It is less prone to virus attacks.
 Linux is scalable

Linux Performance
 Key factors: features and
performance
 It runs on a wider range of hardware
platforms and run on less expensive
and powerful systems.
 Linux exceeds other operating
systems in its multiprocessing
capabilities and its support of
advanced TCP/IP networking facilities

Linux Performance
 Linux does not restrict the number of
clients connected at the same time
 It provides more reliable data
storage than other operating
systems
 Linux provides advanced disk
management (RAID) which makes it
possible to automatically duplicate
stored data on several hard drives

FOSS
 Free Open Source Software
 Free – Means Liberty and not related
to Price or cost
 Open – Source code is available and
any body can contribute to the
development. Organization
independent

Commercial Software
 The opposite of OSS/FS is “closed” or
“proprietary” software.
 Software
 Source code that can be viewed
 But cannot be modified and redistributed
without further limitation
 Microsoft Windows has most of the
commercial software.

Freedom with the FOSS
 Freedom to run the software
anywhere
 Freedom to study how the programs
work. i.e source code will be
accessible
 Freedom to redistribute copies
 Freedom to improve the software
 If a software has all these 4
freedoms, then it is a FOSS

Free Software
Foundation
 Founded by Richard Stallman in 1983
 Organisation that started developing
copylefted programs
 Project – GNU Project
 GNU Not Unix
 Recursive expansion

Linux Distributions
 Redhat
 Fedora
 Debian
 Novell’s SUSE Linux
 Ubuntu
 Mandrake
 Linux MINT
 Live CDs – Knoppix and more

GNU/Linux
 Only the kernel is called by the name
Linux
 The rest are the tools developed
under GNU Project
 Hence the name GNU/Linux

What is GNU?
 GNU stands for GNU Not Unix
 The goal of GNU
 Create a free and complete UNIX-like
operating system
▪ This has been in development since 1984
▪ Towards this goal the GNU project has released:
▪ GCC, GNU Emacs, Bash, to name a few
 For more information see the GNU
Manifesto
▪ http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html

What is GNU GPL?
 The GNU General Public License
 Ensures that GNU software stays free
 This is done through Copy Lefting
 Any modification to GPL software is
required to be released to the public
 Linux is released under the GPL
 Due to its restrictive nature the GPL
has recently come under fire
 http://www.linux.org.uk/GPL.html

Where Linux stands?
 More than 90% of today's 500 fastest
supercomputers run some variant of Linux,
including the 10 fastest.
 Linux also runs on embedded systems
(devices where the operating system is
typically built into the firmware ) such as
mobile phones, tablet computers, network
routers, televisions and video game
consoles;
 The Android system in wide use on mobile
devices is built on the Linux kernel.

Supercomputer’s List
Source: Wikipedia

Linux vs. Windows
 Financial Differences
 Technical Differences
 End-User Differences

Financial Differences
 Cost for Businesses
 Companies have to spend millions for
licenses for ever individual windows
computer
 For Linux companies don’t have to spend
anything
COST
LINUX WINDOWS
Online Downloads Free Not Available
Retail Price, CD Rs. 100 Rs. 3000 +

Technical Differences
 Keeping up to date by Upgrading
 Linux upgrades faster than Windows
 Almost after every 6 months Linux distro is
upgraded.
 Compatibility
 Linux is Backward Compatible unlike Windows.
 Linux have multi-user support.
 Application Differences
 No commercial word processor for Linux,
which matches the quality for Windows

End-user differences
 Proprietary vs. Open Source
 Windows is a Proprietary Technology
▪ Applications will only work on Windows
 Linux – Open Source
 Linux
 Complete information needed for download
 Technical help – Available on Internet (user must
be comfortable with UNIX system)
 Windows word processor is better
than Linux

In commercial arena
 Windows – is easy for
non-programmer.
 Linux – is programmer-based culture.

From our point of view
 Due to the properties of Open source,
freeware, and security use of Linux is
growing in State and Central government
in India. Kerala and Andhra has already
started their movement.
 University of Pune has converted its
syllabus into open source based
technologies from last academic year.

Linux User Group
 GNU/Linux User Group (GLUG) is a
private, generally non-profit or
not-for-profit organization that provides
support and/or education for Linux users.
 The term commonly refers to local groups
that meet in person, but is also used to
refer to online support groups that may
have members spread over a very wide
area and which do not organize, or which
are not based around, physical meetings.

User groups meetings
 LUGs typically meet once per month in
facilities freely provided by universities,
colleges, community centers, private
corporations, or banquet rooms in
restaurants.
 Joining is free.
 Informal conferences and round table
discussions.
 Close geographical locations such as
City or University.

User Group activities
 Organizes installfests.
 Development of project and
international stature.
 Gifting books, Linux magazines, Linux
CDs.
 Socialization.
 Organizing guest lectures and seminars
from Linux expertises.
 Hackfests
 Free software day.

Main activities
 Advocasy
 Education
 Support
 User
 Consultant
 Business
 Movement
 Socialising

Kind of meetings in
group
 Social
 Technical presentations
 Informal discussion groups
 User group business
 GNU/Linux installation
 Configuration and bug-squashing

Activities in meetings
 Install distributions for newcomers and
strangers.
 Teach members about GNU/Linux.
 Compare GNU/Linux to other operating
systems.
 Teach members about application software.
 Discuss advocacy.
 Discuss the free software / open-source
movement.
 Discuss user group business.

Groups uses internet
 Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
 Boston Linux and Unix
 Colorado Linux Users and
Enthusiasts
 Düsseldorfer Linux Users Group
 India Linux Users Group - Delhi
 Israeli Group of Linux Users
 Korean Linux Users Group
 Linux México (La Cofradía Digital)
 Linux User Group Austria

This presentation is created using LibreOffice Writer 4.1.0.4 available
freely under GNU public license.
Thank you

Module 01 Introduction to Linux

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Module 01 Introduction to Linux