SuSE Linux 6.1 [antikvár]

Chapter 1 Introduction Much has happened since Linus Torvalds first started working on a UNIX-like operating system for Intel-based PCs. Linux has evolved from a "hacker's toy" to a serious competitor to other operating systems. For many years, there was an air of mystery about UNIX. Because of its exorbitant licensing fees, only owners of high-end computers could afford it. Today, Linux offers the PC user the opportunity to learn a UNIX-compatible operating system at a reasonable price. A complete system is available for less than $50. When used commercially, an arbitrary number of machines can be run affordable under Linux because there are no license fees. Linux is an ideal development platform because of source code compatibility with most UNIX systems and the availability of the standard OSF Motif user interface. There is no cheaper alternative for an X-Terminal; because even a cheap, old 386 machine running Linux is sufficient for this task. Linux cooperates well with other operating systems. It is no problem to install Linux along with other systems on your computer and easily exchange data between the different operating systems. The biggest advantage of Linux, however, is the availability of the complete source code. Apart from the fact that you can modify the system to suit your needs, you can find and correct bugs even if they are in the operating system itself. Instead of saying "we have to live with that" (as is the case with other operating systems), you can say "we have to change that". This is what makes the development of Linux so fast and surprisingly robust. 1.1 What is Linux? There are many different Linux distributions and versions. Therefore, we would like to explain a few of the terms used. When we talk about "Linux", we must define exactly what we mean by the term. The "real Linux" is the kernel, the "heart" of every UNIX operating system. But the kernel alone does not make an usable operating system. For UNIX there are, in addition, a number of software packages known as UNIX tools. These well-known programs are available for Linux as free software pack-