2. What is Linux ?
• Generically : a class of operating system that
use a common kernel
• “Distribution” cobbled together from various different
user-space tools
• Many core tools originated in the GNU project; thus
systems are sometimes called “GNU/Linux”
• Specifically : the kernel it self
3. Linux Kernel
• Originally started as a hobby by an undergrad
at the University of Helsinki : Linus Torvalds
• Linux still leads the kernel development project
• Monolithic kernel
• Device drivers built in, but with module support
• Latest stable version was 3.11.0 on 1/12/2013
• www.kernel.org
4. Linux System
MAIN components of Linux operating system
GUI:
Gnome, KDE, XFCE, LXDE, X.org
LAMP :
Apache, PHP, MySQL
Net :
Sshd, inetd
gcc
GNU Coreutils
Bash
Other libraries
GNU C Library
SCI
Device files
Linux kernel
File systems
processes
Sockets
Protocols
Memory management
Drivers and modules
Computer hardware
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LINUX
5. Linux Distributions
• A large number of differenr distributions have
been created (see www.distrowatch.com)
• Distributions can be classified by which
package manager they use
• Package managers install extra software and update
existing software
6. Package Managers
• Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)
• RHEL, Fedora, Mandriva, OpenSUSE, etc.
• Advanced package Tool (APT)
• Debian, Ubuntu, BlankOn, etc
• Other binary formats
• Slackware (tgz), Arch Linux (pacman), etc
• Source formats
• Gentoo (ebuilds), Linux From Scratch, etc
7. Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• A linux dsitribution from Red Hat, Inc.
• RTP (Durham), NC
• Open-source (like other distributions), but the
official product is sold with an updates
subscription, accesses via per-installation serial
numbers
• RPM package format
8. Debian GNU/Linux
• Fully open source distribution (avoids proprietary
software)
• Emphasis on security and stability
• Achieves stability by using well-tested packages
• Package versions tend to be rather dated
• An “unstable” version is available with more bleedingedge packages
• APT package format
9. Ubuntu
• Distribution sponsored by Canonical, Lts., based in South
Africa
• Designed to be easy to use and friendly to new users
switching from competing platforms
• New releases every 6 months
• Dist-upgrade rarely works properly in practice,
• Package pinning policy means that security updates are back-ported
to packages, but installing a new release is required to obtain feature
updates
• APT package format
10. Arch Linux
• Minimalist framework for creating a custom system
• Different philosophy from traditional distributions
• Not based on any prior distribution (written from
scratch)
• Rolling distribution
• No discrete versions
• Updating the system updates all packages to the latest version,
with all the latest bugs
• Pacman package manager
11. BlankOn
• Distribution sponsored by YPLI., based in Indonesian
• Designed to be easy to use and friendly to new users
switching from competing platforms
• New releases every 12 months
• Dist-upgrade rarely works properly in practice,
• Package pinning policy means that security updates are backported to packages, but installing a new release is required to
obtain feature updates
• APT package format
