[...]... understand how Linux can be used, what benefits Linux offers to a company, and how Linux has developed and continues to develop In the first half of this chapter, you learn about operating system terminology and features of the Linux operating system, as well as the history and development of Linux Later in this chapter, you learn about the various types of Linux and situations in which Linux is used... different companies embed Linux in their products A list of embedded Linux vendors can be found on the Internet at http://www.embedded -linux. org Ease of Customization Being able to control the inner workings of the Linux operating system is another attractive feature of Linux, particularly for companies that need Linux to perform specialized functions If you desire to use Linux as an Internet Web server,... However, although Linux and the Linux source code are distributed freely, implementing Linux is not cost free Costs include purchasing the computer hardware necessary for the computers hosting Linux, hiring people to install and maintain Linux, and training users of Linux software The largest costs that companies face with Linux are those for the people involved in maintaining the Linux system When using a... tasks required by the applications Linux has the ability to manage thousands of tasks at the same time, including allowing multiple users to access the system simultaneously Hence, Linux is referred to as a multiuser and multitasking operating system Versions of the Linux Operating System The core component of the Linux operating system is called the Linux kernel The Linux kernel and supporting function... different software can be used to modify the appearance of Linux, the underlying kernel is common to all Linux The Linux kernel is developed continuously, and, thus, it is important to understand the different version numbers of the Linux kernel to decide which kernel version is appropriate for certain needs Because the Linux kernel is The Linux Operating System 5 directly responsible for controlling... Introduction to Linux source license, some people incorrectly refer to freeware as OSS, assuming that the source code is free as well Linux Advantages Many operating systems are in use today; the main ones include Linux, Microsoft Windows, Novell NetWare, UNIX, and Mac OS Notably, Linux is the fastest growing operating system released to date Though Linux was only created in 1991, the number of Linux users... and the number of Linux users estimated by the Linux Counter Organization in 2003 was 18 million Many large companies, including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and Dell, have announced support for Linux and OSS In the year 2000, IBM announced that they would spend one billion dollars on Linux and Linux development alone There are a multitude of reasons so many people have begun using Linux The following... 3, Linux Installation and Usage” walks through a typical Linux installation given the hardware and software information collected in the previous chapter As well, this chapter describes how to interact with a Linux system via a terminal and enter basic commands into a Linux shell such as those used to obtain help and properly shutdown the system Chapter 4,“Exploring Linux Filesystems” outlines the Linux. .. of the Linux operating system As well, this chapter discusses the history and development of Linux and Open Source Software xii Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification Second Edition Chapter 2, “Preparing for Linux Installation” introduces the various hardware components inside a computer, as well as methods that can be used to collect hardware and software information prior to installing the Linux operating... Outline the key features of the Linux operating system Describe the origins of the Linux operating system Identify the characteristics of various Linux distributions and where to find them ♦ Explain the common uses of Linux in industry today L inux technical expertise has quickly become significant in the computer workplace as more and more companies have switched to using Linux to meet their computing . www.thomsonrights.com. Disclaimer Course Technology reserves the right to revise this publication and make changes from time to time in its content without notice. ISBN 0-6 1 9-2 162 1-2 Linux+ Guide to Linux ® Certification is. importance to the Information Technology industry. Key to demon- strating ability with Linux is the certification process. The Linux+ Guide to Linux Certification, Second Edition uses carefully constructed. features, benefits, and uses of the Linux operating system. As well, this chapter discusses the his- tory and development of Linux and Open Source Software. xii Linux+ Guide to Linux ® Certification Second