Before you can dive into working with the Linux command line and shells, it's a good idea to first understand what Linux is, where it came from, and how it works. This chapter walks you through what Linux is and explains where the shell and command line fit in the overall Linux picture.
Investigating Linux
If you've never worked with Linux before, you may be confused as to why there are so many different versions of it available. We're sure that you've heard various terms such as distribution, LiveDVD, and GNU when looking at Linux packages and been confused. Wading through the world of Linux for the first time can be a tricky experience. This chapter takes some of the mystery out of the Linux system before you start working on commands and scripts.
For starters, four main parts make up a Linux system:
The Linux kernel
The GNU utilities
A graphical desktop environment
Application software
Each of these four parts has a specific job in the Linux system. Each one of the parts by itself isn't very useful. Figure 1-1 shows a basic diagram of how the parts fit together to create the overall Linux system.
This section describes these four main parts in detail and gives ...
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