How To Get Started With Linux

This seminar is adapted from Red Hat Inc.'s Introduction To Linux. Copyright, 1999, Red Hat, Inc.

Other backgrounders and white papers are available at the Red Hat web site.

Introduction to Linux

Linux is no longer only for hobbyist hackers who dig so deep into computer code that it gets caught under their fingernails like gardening soil. With the success of a growing number of companies like Red Hat that develop and package open source programs, Linux has found its way onto the servers and desktops of major corporations as well as personal computers. It offers one of the most powerful and reliable systems available,and as an open source system, it can be altered to meet the needs of its users.

Although you may already know enough about Linux to understand it's pronounced with a short "i", here's where you can learn more.

Linux: the basics

What is Linux? Linux is an operating system that can be downloaded free and "belongs" to an entire community of developers, not one corporate entity. In other words, anyone from professional software developers to hobbyist computer hackers can access and make changes to the Linux kernel--all the information about Linux is open and available to everyone. That's why Linux is known as "open source" or "free software," because there is nothing secret about this system. This freedom also allows companies to sell and distribute Linux on CD-ROM or by other means, although those companies must keep their code open to the public.

With more and more people looking for an alternative to Windows, Linux has recently grown in popularity and is quickly becoming a favorite among major corporations and curious desktop users. Not only does it give users a choice of operating systems, it also proves itself valuable with its power, flexibility, and reliability.

How did Linux get started? The concept of open source programming has been around for many years--its roots stem from universities that needed to be able to share information as well as allow students and developers to adapt programs to meet their needs. In 1984, Richard Stallman, a researcher at the MIT AI Lab, started a project he called GNU to counter the fast-moving trend toward proprietary, fee-based software. Stallman, who remains an open advocate of open source, believes that making source code available to anyone who wants it is integral to furthering computer science and innovation.

This concept served as the basis of Linux development, the brainchild of Linus Torvalds. When Torvalds began developing Linux in 1991, he was a student at the University of Helsinki and originally targeted Linux at the Intel 386 (although it is now one of the most widely ported operating systems available for PCs). Torvalds wanted to write a new version of UNIX, so he and a group of programmers combined talents and created a core operating system called Linux.

The system evolved as a large number of volunteer developers worked on the kernel, sharing information over the Internet and creating an unusual community that supported and policed itself. If one developer decided to drop a specific Linux project, others would pick up where their predecessors left off. The result, which continues to grow and change, is the open source system available over the Internet (and on packaged CDs) today.

How can Linux companies profit from the software if it can be downloaded for free? Since license fees have been the traditional source of income for the software industry, companies that sell Linux must redefine the open source business model. That's why companies like Red Hat believe that the value of software is in its use,it's profitable to offer services that empower customers to install, configure and use open source software more effectively, and to sell and support software in easily installed packages.

Are Linux and open source the same thing? Open source software is a concept that keeps software source code open and accessible to the public. Programmers value this software because it promises them certain rights: the right to copy the program and distribute those copies, the right to improve and change the program and the right to view code created by other developers. Although software licenses do exist for some programs, these licenses all fall under the same open source principles and don't impede on a programmers' basic rights. Open source is therefore a type of software the includes Linux, which is a specific UNIX-compatible kernel, as well as Apache server software, the Perl scripting language and others.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Linux? Linux is an extremely powerful and reliable operating system that gives users a certain flexibility not found within other systems. Aside from the fact that Linux can be downloaded and upgraded for free (and therefore becomes attractive to small businesses and individuals on a small budget), it can also be altered by the user to fix bugs or meet specific operating needs. Another advantage: Linux gives users a choice for their operating system. No longer do people have to rely on Windows or other Microsoft products to get their computing jobs done; instead, they can turn to any number of open source programs. And if the company that developed a specific version of Linux goes out of business, the software can still be maintained. This promises Linux users a certain continuity to their systems, and minimal concern that critical updates and improvements will ever stop being developed.

The disadvantages to using Linux currently includes the simple fact that it can be tricky to install if there isn't support to help guide new users through the process. Likewise, users who are accustomed to using a Windows interface will have to adjust to a different system,although the adjustment generally isn't a complicated one. Some users have complained that the Linux interface is not as intuitive as a Windows interface, but Linux advocates argue that developers are improving the interface and graphics with each new version. Turning open source software into a user-friendly operating system remains one of the highest priorities for the development community, which will greatly benefit users in the long run.

Linux in business

Why does Linux make a good operating system for a business? Linux is the fastest-growing server-side operating system today, and it's making inroads on the desktop. Unlike proprietary operating systems, Linux can be installed and upgraded for free. This makes it extremely attractive to those businesses that don't have a high budget but still want an excellent operating system. But cost is not the main factor. Many companies, large and small, prefer Linux simply because of its reliability: Linux can run for months, even years, without having to be rebooted. And because the source code is open, bugs can be fixed quickly and easily without having to wait for proprietary vendors to issue fixes on a schedule that suits them more than their customers. Businesses also value open source software because it allows groups of companies to collaborate on software problems and issues without being concerned about an anti-trust lawsuit. Linux programs can be installed on practically any machine, including older, outdated computers,and offer business owners a degree of flexibility they wouldn't find with other operating systems.

What types of businesses are currently associated with Linux? Several major corporations, like Burlington Coat Factory, IBM, Netscape, Oracle and Sun have all seen the benefits of Linux. Other companies that use Linux in their day-to-day operations include Sony Electronics Inc., Sallie Mae Inc., Mercedes-Benz and several educational and research institutions around the world.

Does Linux expertise pay off in the business world? With a new influx of college students transferring their knowledge of Linux into the workforce, more and more systems engineers and developers are finding that learning Linux,and even earning a certification,boosts their marketability and salary potential in the professional environment.

What software is available for Linux users? Almost all Linux software is available for free to users, and many people don't realize the variety of programs available. Examples include:

Graphics programs like the GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program), which is gaining a reputation as being a better graphical program than Photoshop Development software like BASIC and Perl Word processing programs like Word Perfect Office suites like StarOffice and Applixware Games like Civilization: Call to Power, Quake II, Flightgear and Majik 3D.

Is Linux difficult to install and use? Users who experience difficulties installing Linux can often attribute the problem to unusual hardware or to computers that already have another operating system installed. The good news, however, is that every new version of Linux becomes easier and easier to install and use,it's a high priority with Linux development companies like Red Hat. And companies such as Dell and IBM are selling computers with Linux already installed.

What is the future of Linux? Linux developers are rapidly trying to make the software as user-friendly as possible and they continually create new interfaces and functionalities. Their goal is to make the programs as appealing to desktop users as they are to major corporations and agencies who depend on Linux for its power and reliability. Linux's ability to be improved is one of the strengths of open source software, simply because an entire community of talented developers can devote their efforts to fixing problems and adding new innovations. In another prediction for the future, Linus Torvalds, who created Linux, has said he thinks the future of Linux lies in supporting a wider range of systems, taking advantage of and expanding Linux's portability.

If I don't like something in the code, or if I find a bug, is it legal for me to change it myself and contribute it to the open source community? Programmers who enjoy working on the Linux kernel do so for the satisfaction of sharing their work and of having made a significant contribution to the open source community. It is this same pride that entices other computer enthusiasts to contribute their own additions to an open source project, but there are a few things to consider before donating changes or improvements. First, contributors should consider whether a certain code is licensed to allow changes. Although open source is,by definition,open to the public, most codes fall under one of several different types of licenses, including the BSD-Style Copyright (which allows users to alter the code on the condition that you give credit if you try to sell it), the Mozilla Public License (which requires that any changes are released under the same copyright as the MPL, which makes it available to the original project) and the GNU Public License (which says that changes that incorporate GPL'd code also fall under the GPL) used by Red Hat, among many others.

Aside from licensing issues, anyone who wants to change or improve a Linux kernel should consider whether those changes would be of value to other developers of the same project. Competition to have a specific patch or improvement accepted into the open source community is tough (and financially unrewarding), but many novice developers take pride in having their work appreciated, despite the lack of compensation for their time.