8 Part I . Linux First Steps . (Web host 4 life)
8 Part I . Linux First Steps . Portable software You can usually change to another Linux, UNIX, or BSD system and still use the exact same software! Most open source software projects were created to run on any UNIX-like system, and many also run on Windows systems, if you need them to. If it won t run where you want it to, chances are that you, or someone you hire, can port it to the computer you want. . Downloadable applications If the applications you want are not delivered with your version of Linux, you can often download and install them with a single command, using tools such as apt and yum. . No settings hidden in code or registries Once you learn your way around Linux, you ll find that (given the right permissions on your computer) most configuration is done in plain-text files that are easy to find and change. . Mature desktop The X Window System (providing the framework for your Linux desktop) has been around longer than Microsoft Windows. The KDE and GNOME desktop environments provide graphical interfaces (windows, menus, icons, and so forth) that rival those on Microsoft systems. Ease-of-use problems with Linux systems are rapidly evaporating. . Freedom Linux, in its most basic form, has no corporate agenda or bottom line to meet. You are free to choose the Linux distribution that suits you, look at the code that runs the system, add and remove any software you like, and make your computer do what you want it to do. Some aspects of Linux make it hard for some new users to get started. One is that Linux is typically set up to be secure by default, so you need to adjust to using an administrative login (root) to make most changes that affect the whole computer system. Although this can be a bit inconvenient, trust me, it makes your computer safer than just letting anyone do anything. For the same reason, many services are off by default, so you need to turn them on and do at least minimal configuration to get them going. Linux can be more difficult than Windows because it is just different, but because you re reading this book, I assume you want to learn about those differences. Exploring Linux History Some histories of Linux begin with this message posted by Linus Torvalds to the comp.os.minix newsgroup on August 25, 1991: Hello everybody out there using minix - I m doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won t be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I d like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as
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