![[linux.gif]](linux2.gif)
So many operating environments, so
little time. Aren't operating environments, GUI's and modern operating
systems, supposed to save you time? How do you choose which environment
you want to work in? You could spend half your life just trying all of
them out!
Linux is a full fledged multi-user UNIX system that runs on IBM compatible PC's with a 386 or better processor. You can use it
to learn UNIX and the X-Window GUI, develop programs, run a server,
cruise the Internet, play games or all of the above.
Linux is UNIX. UNIX is a multitasking
operating system along the lines of OS/2 or Windows NT. Unlike OS/2 or
Windows NT, it is also a multi-user system and as such has security to
control access to files and the rest of the system. It also comes with
all the software you need to hook up to a TCP/IP network, whether it is
by adialup connection or a LAN connection. Linux is also easy to set
up for the first time UNIX user. To make it easier to find the packages
you want, the Linux slackware distribution is available. It's
acompendium of software including the base operating system and
numerous tools and applications. To top it all off, Linux is free. You
can download the entire system from the Internet or purchase a set of
CD-ROMs from a vendor.
Linux is a complete UNIX clone for Intel 386/486/Pentium machines. It includes Emacs, X11R6 (the latest X-Windows system), gcc, TeX/LaTeX, groff, TCP/IP, SLIP, UUCP, the works.
XFree86 is the standardized GUI that comes
with the slackware distribution of Linux. It is a full featured
implementation of the the X-Window system, X11R6. R6 (release 6) is the
absolute latest implementation of X-Window. It's not uncommon for Linux
to have the latest and greatest features out there since all the
Linuxdevelopers are on the Internet. X-Window is a powerful and arcane
GUI for the new user.
Nearly all
the GNU development tools are available for Linux. This includes C,
C++, objective C, as well as other free packages like and XView
toolkit, objective C and Tcl/Tk. GNU is an organization of programmers
that creates free software that is copyrighted under a special
agreement detailed in the GNU Copyleft. This document essentially
states that all material produced by GNU cannot be sold and must remain
free. However, you can develop software with GNU tools and then sell
the software you have developed. Many special conditions apply so you
should read the copyleft document before you go about making your
fortune.
Loads of Internet tools exist for Linux.
In addition to all the standard UNIX tools such as telnet, ping,
traceroute, whois, sendmail and others. In addition, more user oriented
tools areavailable like the widely used Netscape WWW browser. Also
includedin the slackware distribution are Pine and Elm;
popular, easy to use UNIX E-mail programs.
The wildly popular DOOM is available for Linux and, in fact, is a part of the
slackware distribution. Also in the slackware distribution is a
collection of the classic BSD games distribution and a couple of
X-Windows games like connect 4, lunar lander, and an X-interface for
GNU Chess. Netrek, a 16 player real time space battle game played over
the Internet (virtual sport of the gods) is also available. Many more
games are available on the Linux distribution sites
listed on page 16.
Since Linux can support many
different configurations, there are many different system requirements.
Below I've made a little list of the MINIMUM I would recommend to each
class of user or developer.
The
bare minimum setup is just barely a usable system, in my opinion.
Smaller configurations are possible than even this bare minimum, but
they are useful only in very specific applications, such as a (slow)
router for a network, or a dialup terminal server. A more practical
system setup that will support the X-Windows GUI and run several
applications at once would have a 386DX 33 and 8Mb of RAM and an 80Mb
hard drive. This configuration will support a regular user, and even
development of small applications. For a serious development system I
would recommend at least a 486DX33 with 16Mb of RAM and 200Mb of disk
space at least. All the development tools can take up quite a bit of
space. And with all the information, source code and programs you may
find on the Internet to help you out, you can easily consume that
200Mb.
In all cases the
IBM PS/2 MCA (microchannel) bus is not supported. PCI, VESA Local Bus,
EISA and ISA bus are all supported. Many common brands of ethernet
cards, SCSI adapters and the Soundblaster sound card are supported. It
is beyond the scope of this document to list all these items
individually, but complete lists may be found on the Linux
Documentation Project homepage, which is listed below in the Support
section of this document.
Of course, Pentiums are really
nice, but they are definitely not required for any user configuration
of Linux, but perhaps only for servers or serious developers. After a
486DX2/66, it's really a matter of user preference and how patient you
are!
Via
the Internet:
Via a CD-ROM vendor:
Because
Linux was developed as a collaborative effort on the Internet, there's
no better place to find information about it than the Internet. Guess
what? It's free too.
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