Learning Modern Linux

Chapter 1. Introduction to Linux

Linux is the most widely used operating system, used in everything from mobile devices to the cloud.

You might not be familiar with the concept of an operating system. Or you might be using an operating system such as Microsoft Windows without giving it too much thought. Or maybe you are new to Linux. To set the scene and get you in the right mindset, we’ll take a bird’s-eye view of operating systems and Linux in this chapter.

We’ll first discuss what modern means in the context of the book. Then we’ll review a high-level Linux backstory, looking at important events and phases over the past 30 years. Further, in this chapter you’ll learn what the role of an operating system is in general and how Linux fills this role. We also take a quick look at what Linux distributions are and what resource visibility means.

If you’re new to operating systems and Linux, you’ll want to read the entire chapter. If you’re already experienced with Linux, you might want to jump to “A Ten-Thousand-Foot View of Linux”, which provides a visual overview as well as mapping to the book’s chapters.

But before we get into the technicalities, let’s first step back a bit and focus on what we mean when we say “modern Linux.” This is, surprisingly, a nontrivial matter.

What Are Modern Environments?

The book title specifies modern, but what does that really mean? Well, in the context of this book, it can mean anything from cloud computing to a Raspberry Pi. In addition, the recent ...