1. Introduction to Linux Nechiele T Whittington Kaplan College IT320-05 Operating Systems Concepts Instructor: Denver Martin January 24, 2010

2. What’s the story with Linux?  When people think of computer operating systems, the first one they consider is Microsoft Windows. It is one of the most recognizable operating system programs available. But, there are other options, one of which is the Linux suite of operating systems.

3. Linux Distros  There are over 100 flavors (or distributions (distros)) of Linux available to suit different user needs.  Unlike Windows, Linux allows users to customize their operating system based on their specific needs. The open source nature of the system is why Linux is so customizable.

4. Linux Distros (continued)  For ‘mainstream/public’ users (users that aren’t interested in developing software, writing in specific programming languages, working with enhanced security applications, etc.), there are at least 50 flavors to choose from! Some of the more recognizable flavors are Ubuntu, Knoppix, SuSE, Red Hat, Fedora, Gentoo, Mandriva and Debian.  If security enhancement is your ultimate goal, there are an additional 20+ flavors to choose from.  If you’re running platforms that aren’t Intel compatible, (Sparc, PPC, Itanium are some platforms to consider), users still have plenty of flavors to choose from.  There’s no limit to the distribution combinations available to suit the Linux user needs.

5. So, what does Linux have to offer?  Each flavor comes with core standard applications specific to the distro and is customizable to suit your individual tastes. For this exercise, we’ll focus on the Ubuntu, SuSE and Knoppix Linux operating systems.  To start, we’ll review some of the basic system requirements for each of these three systems. We’ll then take a quick peek at the operating system core application, utilities and user interface features and ease of use for each program. The next step will be a quick review of the intended program ‘audience’.  Finally, we’ll close with a personal experience user recommendation.

6. Minimum System Requirements Ubuntu 9.10openSuSE 11.1Knoppix 3.4 (Live CD) ProcessorsIntel compatible, PPC, Itanium, 64 bit Intel compatible, PPC, Alpha, Sparc, Itanium, Mainframe, 64 bit Intel/AMD (i486 and above) Memory256 MB (384 suggested for Live CD) 512 MB120 MB for graphical desktop (500 MB recommended for office applications) Hard Disk3 gig CD/DVD Drive Required for Install/Operation Yes for install/No for operation Yes- for Live CD installation Floppy Disk Required No

7. Desktop GUI’s Ubuntu 9.10 DesktopopenSuSE 11.1 Desktop Knoppix 3.4Desktop

8. Desktop GUI’s (continued)  The previous slide showcases the individual Ubuntu 9.10, openSUSE 11.1 and Knoppix 3.4 desktops as they were at initial installation. No additional programs were loaded during installation. As you can see, each one has a different layout. Don’t let the images fool you though! While they may seem spartan, each of these operating systems has quite a lot to offer. The scalability alone for each one is enough to make you dizzy—for instance, openSuSE has over 2,000 applications to choose from.  Special note on SuSE: because the operating system was downloaded exactly as is with no additional applications, the tables below will have very limited quantifiable information for review.  The next slide takes a quick glance at the applications available with the initial installation of each of the captioned operating systems.

9. Operating System Applications: *Ubuntu 9.10*openSuSE 11.1*Knoppix 3.4 (Live CD) Desktop EnvironmentGnomeKDE or GnomeLDXE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) Office ApplicationsOpenOffice (Word Processor, Spreadsheet & Presentation), Dictionary None on initial installOpen Office E-Mail ApplicationEvolution Mail and CalendarNone on initial installKmail, Mozilla Mail Media PlayersRhythmbox Media PlayerNone on initial installMplayer, K3b CD/DVD burner, Kmix sound mixer, KsCD CD player, xine Internet Browser/Messaging Mozilla FireFox, Empathy IM Client, Evolution Mail & Calendar, Remote Desktop Viewer, Terminal Server Client None on initial installMozilla FireFox Netscape Image/Graphics EditorsGIMP, F-Spot Photo Manger, OpenOffice Drawing, Xsane Image Scanner None on initial installGIMP, KDVI, KGhostView, Kpaint, Kview, Kooka, Kuickshow, Scribus, Xaos (etc.) AccessoriesCalculator, CD/DVD Creator, gedit Text Editor, Tomboy Notes, Disk Usage Analyzer, Calculator, CD/DVD Creator, Password and Encryption Keys, Search for Files, Take Screenshot, Terminal Kwrite Text EditorXHTML, Emacs, Joe, Kwrite, Zile, gvim, vim, Xedit (etc.) Games/EntertainmentLogic, AisleRiot Solitaire, Blackjack, Chess, Gnometrics, Iagno, Mahjongg, Nibbles, Robots, Tali None on initial installGenres (each has subsets): Adventure, Arcade, Board, Card, Kidsgames, Puzzles, Strategy & Tactics, Tetris-like, Enigma

10. Operating System Utilities: *Ubuntu 9.10*openSuSE 11.1*Knoppix 3.4 (Live CD) System Clean Up/Utilities/File Monitoring Computer Janitor, System Monitor, System Testing, System Monitor Desktop Applet, Dolphin File Manager, Konsole Terminal, Terminal Super User, Xterm, Install Software, System Monitor, YaST Administrator Settings, QT4 Settings Kbackup, KDE System Guard, Desktop Sharing, Kcron, F-Tape tool, Nessus, Konsole, xload (etc.) Disk PartitioningPalimpsest Disk UtilityPartition Image NetworkingNetwork Tools, Users & Groups Network Folder WizardDSL/PPPoE Configuration, isdn Monitor *Please note: because of the exhaustive size of available applications, utilities and features, the featured tables do not contain all included programs.

11. Operating System Review  This is in no way a complete view of the three captioned Linux operating systems—it’s more of a quick reference tool for the ‘right out of the box’ applications and utilities for each.  Each operating system reviewed has a number of pros & cons. For users that don’t know much about Linux, I wouldn’t recommend SuSE. The initial download (and the overall website itself) is not very intuitive so a novice (like myself) will miss the initial software add-ons that can be included during the installation. One of the pluses for SuSE is the ability to create your own ISO. Both SuSE and Ubuntu offer a software repository within their respective operating systems that organizes software downloads and installations for the user. Knoppix is a great system to cut your teeth on but the Live CD aspect makes saving and upgrading a scary proposition for novices.  For me, the ideal Linux operating system turns out to be Ubuntu 9.10. It was easy to install, has an easy user interface, and has most of the basic programs I find useful. Additionally, getting user support tends to be faster and more efficient of the three operating system reviews.

12. Resources  Linux Online: http://www.linux.org/http://www.linux.org/  Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com/http://www.ubuntu.com/  openSuSE: http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUS E.org http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUS E.org  Knoppix: http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index- en.html http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index- en.html