Chapter 1

Introduction to Linux

This chapter’s learning objects are

  • To understand the appeal behind the Linux operating system
  • To understand what operating systems are and the types of things they do for the user
  • To know how to navigate using the two popular Linux GUIs (graphical user interfaces)
  • To understand what an interpreter is and does
  • To understand virtual machines (VMs)
  • To understand the history of Unix and Linux
  • To understand the basic components of a computer system

1.1 Why Linux?

If you have this textbook, then you are interested in Linux (or your teacher is making you use this book). And if you have this textbook, then you are interested in computers and have had some experience in using computers in the past. So why should you ...

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