Introduction to Linux
Winelfred G. Pasamba
Dec 9, 2005
Finster Hall
Adventist University of the Philippines
Nov 6/7, 2007
De La Salle Canlubang
Intro to Linux Outline
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Goals of this seminar
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How does Linux benefit you?
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What is Linux?
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Linux for big systems
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Linux for personal computers
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Scribus, Audacity, Edutainment, Personal
Accounting
Goals of this Seminar
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Educate about benefits of Linux
Teach how to recover files from a bogged
down computer with a Linux LiveCD
Help users understand Intellectual Property
Issues
Give users more software options to choose
from
How does Linux Benefit You?
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Not prone to virus and spyware
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Because of LiveCDs
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Linux not likely target of spyware and viruses
because:
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Most linux users are smart (not foolable into clicking
social engineering advertisements)
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Linux security bugs are quickly fixed within hours
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Only few people use Linux compared to Windows
How does Linux Benefit You?
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Use Linux for data recovery
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When your OS crashes, use a Linux liveCD to
copy your files to a safe place before
reformatting
Don't need to pay for sofware
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Free. Most software in Linux distributions are put
under the GPL, Artistic License, and the like
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You can do anything, but don't hide the source
How does Linux Benefit You?
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Lower hardware costs
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Some linux distributions (like Puppy Linux) can
run productively with a Pentium 166 with 64MB
of RAM and 300mb harddisk, boottime < 30sec
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Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP)
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For computer labs, internet cafes
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“thin-client”, all programs run in the server
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Reduces a lot of maintenance time
How does Linux Benefit You?
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No need to use pirated software
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Software is intellectual property (IP) of
individuals or companies.
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License is “grant to use” software
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Read the License Agreement of your software
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Linux saves us by being a free alternative to
expensive software. GPL
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GPL says you can do anything as long as you
don't hide the source
Our Interest In Educating You
About Linux
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We are not forcing you to use Linux or
forcing you to stop using Windows,
Or judge which is better than the other,
We show you the benefits, but the choice is
yours.
We hope you can be able to use both for
your needs.
What Is Linux?
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A complete computer sofware set
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Wordprocessors
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Spreadsheets
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Presentation Makers
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Desktop Publishing Programs
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Educational Games
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Web Browsers
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Instant Messengers and Chat Software
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A lot of utilities
What Is Linux?
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A complete Operating System
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Hardware drivers
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Networking
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File sharing
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Programming (C#/.net, php, java, c, c++, perl,
lisp, pascal, jsp, asp,...)
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Servers (web, dns, dhcp, ftp, samba, novell, nfs,
X, etc...)
What Is Linux?
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An Operating System Kernel
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Loadable modules
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Virtual memory management
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Filesystems
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Security
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Threading
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Symmetric Multi-Processing
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Process, Memory, and IO Protection
What Is Linux?
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A project of Linus Torvalds as a student in
Helsinki University, Finland
Many programmers around the world
contributed code to Linux.
Many companies, individuals, and groups,
compile the Linux code and bundle it with
other free software. These are called
“Distributions”.
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Ubuntu, CentOS, RedHat, Puppy, Knoppix,
SuSe, Xandros, etc...
Distributions
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RedHat – one of the first most successful
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Mandriva – plenty of applications
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Ubuntu – most user-friendly
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Knoppix – popularized the liveCD idea,
installable to harddisk, lots of applications,
automatic hardware detection and
configuration
Distributions
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Puppy Linux – for legacy computers
Xandros – commercial, tries to make
windows-to-linux transition easy
Debian – basis for Knoppix and many other
distros
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Slackware – only for the bravehearted
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Hundreds of more...
What are Other Options?
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Microsoft Windows
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Microsoft Office
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Best for end-users, virus/spyware prone, great
set of compatible software base, not free
Best office suite, fastest, expensive
FreeBSD
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Used by Yahoo servers, free
What are Other Options?
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OpenBSD
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Solaris
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For big machines
Mac OS
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Most secure, great networking (packet filter)
Best combination of artistic and technical design
Others (IRIX, AIX, BeOS, ... DOS)
Linux Compared to Other Options
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A lot of applications compared to other free
OSes
Compatible with a wide selection of hardware
compared to other free Oses
Is free compared to Microsoft Windows
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You can copy, install, to as many machines as
you want
Stability (runs for days, weeks, months,
without a crash or hang)
Linux for Complex Systems
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Google uses more than 20,000 Linux servers
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AOLIS uses Linux for almost everything
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AUP Cafeteria System is a Linux System
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Shopwise POS is Linux also
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Scooby-Doo, by Warner Brothers, was
created using Linux render machines
Linux for Personal Computers
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Scribus – desktop publishing
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Audacity – multi-track recording
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Edutainment
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Accounting - gnucash, grisby
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OpenOffice
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Firefox, GAIM, GIMP