Linux for Newbies: Part 1 - Introduction

by Gene Wilburn

(The Computer Paper, August 1999. Copyright © Wilburn Communications Ltd. All rights reserved)

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Hello, and welcome to Linux, the hottest, fastest-growing operating system on the planet. Linux is everywhere these days--it's being used by businesses, schools, students, writers, scientists, webmonkeys, programmers, graphic designers, and Dilbert's mom. A free operating system that has grown from its hobbyist roots to deployment in major corporations, Linux now has an estimated 10 million or more users worldwide. If you've been tempted to try out Linux for yourself, "Linux for Newbies" is a new series designed to help you get Linux up and running.

Linux for Newbies will lead you through setting up and operating Linux on an Intel or Intel-compatible PC. Along the way you'll learn enough basic Unix to administer your Linux system. To follow along with this series, you'll need a PC you can use to run Linux. The minimum system for character-based Linux (similar to plain DOS) is a 386 with 8Mb RAM, 100Mb hard drive, and a CD-ROM player.

To use Linux comfortably with a graphical user interface (GUI), your PC should have at least 32Mb RAM and a fast processor, preferably a Pentium-level chip. Linux can coexist alongside DOS/Windows, OS/2, or Windows NT. We'll dig into the details next time, but planning ahead, you'll need a 500-600Mb partition for a reasonably well-appointed graphical workstation installation, and 1-2Gb if you want the kitchen-sink version. With disk drives being so cheap these days, you may wish to install a second drive just to experiment with Linux.

But first, a disclaimer. Linux is not for everyone. Linux can be challenging, frustrating and a bit too techie for some users. When you embark on Linux, you are embarking on a major study. If patience and a willingness to learn new things are not among your stronger qualities, you should stick with Windows and Macintosh. If you enjoy computing challenges, however, Linux offers the biggest bang for the buck, plus the most fun, of anything out there.

So, all you need to participate is an available PC with enough free disk space, a Linux installation CD, and an attitude. Oh, yes--a good connection to the Internet will really help. The cost of obtaining a Linux CD will fall somewhere between $1.99 plus shipping to $50 or more. For this series I'm recommending the $1.99 special.

What is Linux?

If Linux were a motor vehicle, it could be a Volkswagen Beetle, a sleek Mercedes convertible, a Chrysler mini-van, a Mac Truck 18-wheeler, or an all-purpose, all-terrain Hummer, depending on how you set it up. There is no operating system anywhere that can match it for versatility. More specifically, Linux is a free Unix-compatible multitasking, multiuser operating system that resulted from the convergence of a number of independent, grass-roots Internet-based projects.

The kernel, or engine, of the operating system was created by Finnish graduate student, Linus Torvalds, at the University of Helsinki in 1991. Torvalds created the Linux kernel because he liked Unix but couldn't afford a commercial version. He drew together a band of developers from around the world and they have been developing the Linux kernel ever since, under Torvalds' supervision. Critically important parts of the rest of the operating system came from the Free Software Foundation GNU Project (www.gnu.org), the XFree86 Project (www.xfree.org), and various other projects.

Linux combines the seasoned, mature features of Unix with support for modern hardware such as ZIP drives, colour printers, sound cards, Voodoo cards, Palm Pilots, and CD writers. One of the distinguishing features of Linux is the amount of choice given to the user. There are at least a dozen choices in graphical user interface alone, ranging from simple interfaces to the slick new KDE (www.kde.org) and GNOME (www.gnome.org) environments. Linux is highly valued for its speed and stability--it's fast and it rarely crashes.

Linux, which is named after Linus Torvalds, is normally pronounced LINN-nix or LINN-nux though LYE-nux is acceptable. The Linux mascot is the penguin. The central Linux website is Linux Online (www.linux.org).

Choosing a Distribution

Although Linux is free (you can download all the parts and put it together yourself), it's more convenient to purchase a ready-made distribution on CD. Each "distro" has a slightly different flavour and texture. Once they're up and running, they're all pretty much the same, but each distribution has different installation, maintenance, and upgrade procedures. They also vary in the amount, nature, and currency of the free software they include. Some distros include "personal use" versions of commercial software, such as WordPerfect 8 for Linux. Every distro offers well over 1000 free programs.

The major distros are: Red Hat Linux (www.redhat.com), Caldera OpenLinux (www.calderasystems.com), SuSE Linux (www.suse.com), Slackware Linux (www.slackware.com), and Debian GNU/Linux (www.debian.org). These distros are frequently sold at computer stores and they're often included as CDs in Linux books. If Linux is not carried in your local store, you can order the distros directly from the companies via the web, or from online discount stores such as www.cheapbytes.com or www.lsl.com.

Which distro should you pick? The best guideline is this: if you have a friend who is experienced with Linux, use the same distro that he or she is using. Getting help will be much easier that way. If you're on your own, here are some rough guidelines:

Red Hat Linux is the most widely used distro. It's well supported and there are several third-party books devoted to it. The current release is 6.0. Red Hat is a very good choice overall, and is frequently the pick of professionals for setting up Internet servers. It also makes a fine personal workstation--installation is straightforward and easy. The full, commercial 6.0 release includes Star Office 5, GNOME, KDE and the Linux 2.2 kernel. I will be using Red Hat 6.0 to illustrate this series.

Caldera OpenLinux is also well supported and the latest release, 2.2, positions it to challenge Red Hat as the leading distro for home users. Caldera includes a lightweight version of Partition Magic that helps you install Linux onto an existing Windows 95/98 machine. Furthermore, you can perform the entire Linux installation directly from Windows. If you want the easiest way into Linux there is, this is it. The 2.2 release includes WordPerfect 8, Star Office 5, KDE and the Linux 2.2 kernel. It even sets up WordPerfect for you as a bonus. Very slick and impressive.

SuSE Linux, based in Germany, is the top distro in Europe and has been gaining rapid acceptance in North America. It's a beautifully engineered product and the current release, SuSE 6.1, is a distro I can recommend highly. The 6.1 release includes WordPerfect 8, Star Office 5, KDE, GNOME, the Linux 2.2 kernel, and a bunch more, including "personal" versions of several commercial database engines. SuSE is the largest of the distros (5 CDs) and also has the most comprehensive user manual. SuSE users tend to be happy campers.

Slackware Linux is a popular distro characterized by a simple, straightforward, menu-driven setup. It's one of the oldest of the distros and the one that feels the most like traditional Unix. Its clear setup and simple approach to administration make it a very satisfying distro to install and run. Slackware maintains a good website and has always offered high quality. Its principal drawback is that it provides no easy upgrade path to new versions. The latest release, 4.0, includes KDE and the Linux 2.2 kernel.

Debian GNU/Linux, the only non-commercial distribution, is a sophisticated distro favoured by many Linux veterans. It is maintained by a group of volunteers on the Internet, in the spirit of the Free Software Foundation. The Debian release is very carefully crafted, with the best update/upgrade procedure of all the distros. The latest 2.1 release does not include KDE, GNOME, or the Linux 2.2 kernel, though these can be added.

Unfortunately, Debian GNU/Linux is a diamond in the rough. It's the most challenging Linux to install for inexperienced users so I'm not recommending it to newbies at this time. Debian has been selected by Corel Corporation for its forthcoming Corel Desktop Linux. Once Corel has smoothed over the rough edges of installation, we'll re-visit this release.

In the next installment, we'll look at the mechanics of installing Linux. If you want to follow along step by step, get yourself a copy of the $1.99 Red Hat 6.0 i386/Intel CD from CheapBytes (www.cheapbytes.com). You can split the cost of shipping if you purchase multiple copies with a friend or two. If you'd prefer a version that includes a printed manual and extra software, pick up a boxed set directly from Red Hat or from your favourite computer shop.

Gene Wilburn (gene@wilburn.ca) is a Toronto-based IT manager, musician and writer who operates a small farm of Linux servers.

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