OK, here's what I have so far for content. Obviously most of this text won't be on the slides. The layout/formatting is inconsistent and the organization is quite rough, so don't focus on that. Let me know if there's anything else specific that should be covered, or if I've made any mistakes.
Thanks, JMJ =========================================== Getting Started with Linux First Draft OBJECTIVES Define relevant terms: Linux, GPL, Open source, Free Software, distribution Point the prospective Linux user to various resources Downloads, information, etc. Present some things that will need to be studied so that intelligent decisions can be made partitioning, live CD vs. install, etc. Present options for installing and using Live CD, install, dual-boot, external hard drive, etc. ============== What is Linux? Include history of Linux kernel and GNU Hurd? Linux is a Unix-type operating system originally created by Linus Torvalds with the assistance of developers around the world. Developed under the GNU General Public License, the source code for Linux is open and freely available to everyone. The GPL: "GNU General Public License" The GNU General Public License is a free, copyleft license for software and other kinds of works. Basically, the GPL says that once I license my software under the GPL and release it to the public, others are free to use and/or modify my software in any way they see fit. However, if they release their new creation to the public, it must also be licensed under the GPL BONUS FACT: The name “GNU” is a recursive acronym for “GNU's Not Unix!” Open-source Any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit. Open source software is usually developed as a public collaboration and made freely available. "Free Software" Linux is “free” as in “free speech,” not as in “free beer.” "Distribution" (this still needs work) Linux kernel Operating System (shell, libraries, etc.) GUI desktop (KDE, Gnome, etc.) Applications, including distribution-specific system tools --- Which distribution should I use? That depends on what you want to do, and what hardware you have to work with. Many distributions are general purpose, but some focus on a specific function Mandriva, Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Slackware, CentOS, openSUSE and Linux Mint are examples of general purpose distributions Ubuntu Studio, Musix, dyne:bolic and 64Studio are digital media workstations Backtrack and Pentoo focus on penetration testing and security SystemRescue CD and Gparted are system recovery tools on a bootable CD Damn Small Linux and Puppy are for use on old, minimal hardware. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Linux_distributions DESKTOP ENVIRONMENTS - KDE vs. Gnome vs. ??? The Graphical User Interface of Linux is commonly called the Desktop Environment, or simply the Desktop. You may also hear the term "window manager." Very generally speaking, KDE looks/feels more like Windows and Gnome looks more like MacOS. Both GUI's provide the same basic functionality and a similar set of applications. Some distributions use KDE by default and some use Gnome. However, most can use either desktop simply by downloading the appropriate packages and configuring your computer to use that desktop. E.g., Ubuntu uses Gnome, but the Kubuntu distribution uses KDE. Just like there is a variety of distributions, there is also a variety of desktop GUI's and something other than KDE or Gnome might suit your purposes better, especially if you have older hardware. E.g., XFCE, IceWM, LXDE and Fluxbox are all desktop GUI's that require fewer resources (RAM, CPU power, etc.) than KDE and Gnome. The downside to this is that they also generally provide fewer features. Be sure to try out different desktop GUI's as you audition distributions. Your decision will be greatly influenced by which desktop GUI you prefer. --- Before you try out any distro's you have to know where to get the software, right? So... Where do I get Linux? Purchase a Book/CD at Book or computer stores. Download CD/DVD .iso from the distributor via their web site DistroWatch is a good source for info on a variety of distributions. Talk to your Linux-using friends. It will be helpful if you use the distro they use so that they will be more likely to be able to help with any problems you may have. Purchase CD's/DVD's from the distributors. --- Now you've checked out a few distributions, maybe booted a few live CD's and have decided to install a specific distribution tinker with it. What do you do next? Before you install... Considerations before you install the distribution you've selected. -- PARTITIONING One of the more powerful and useful, yet confusing and sometimes controversial features of Linux is the ability to partition your hard drives in any manner you wish. The partitioning scheme you use can allow you do do a variety of things. Single partition, single drive - If you have a hard drive to dedicate to Linux, you can create a single partition (this is what Windows generally does when installed). Multiple partitions, single drive One of the more common, and most simple schemes is: partition 1 - / (root partition) partition 2 - /home partition 3 - swap The major advantage here is that if you need to reinstall the OS, your personal data is safe on the /home partition. Multiple partitions, multiple drives Using the above as an example, you could put each of those partitions on a separate drive. Or if you have a small, old hard drive, it could be used as the swap drive, while / and /home are on your new 500G drive. External, attached drives can be included also. The entire OS can be on the external drive, or just a partition holding files that you need to access while running both Windows and Linux in your dual-boot system. The possibilities here are endless, and the best one for you will depend on your needs. -- OK, I have a pretty good idea of how I want to set up my partitions. What next? Put the CD in the drive and start the install! But wait... there are still more decisions to make! In addition to the various settings that will be part of the configuration process, you will need to choose which applications to install. If you're unfamiliar with Linux, you're probably also unfamiliar with the names of the various applications. The good news is that if you later find an application that you want but didn't install, you can easily add it after you install the OS. The details of the install process will be covered later, perhaps in Linux 102, so we won't dwell on that now. Besides that process will vary depending on your hardware and the distribution you choose. ---- There are several things about Linux that will be different from Windows. You'll want to learn about these features in order to effectively manage your new Linux system. -- FILE PERMISSIONS Every Linux file has permissions and ownership. This is unlike most versions of Windows and is one of the features that make Linux a more secure operating system. In Linux each file and directory has permisssions for the owner of the file, other users in the same group as the owner, and for all other users. Examples of file permissions: -rwxrwxrwx this is what most Windows files useful -r--r--r-- A read-only file dr--r--r-- A read-only directory -rwxr-xr-x Read-write for the file owner, read-only for all others. -- USERS Linux is designed to be a true multi-user system, Windows is a multi-user system, but just not quite as much. In Linux, there are 2 types of user. The super-user known as "root" has acces to every file and diretory on the system. The general-purpose user known as whatever name you used when you installed your system has access to files/directories based on the file permissions. In most situations you should login as use your general user and use that user for most of your work. The super-user or "root" account should be used only when absolutely necessary, e.g. to make changes in the system configuration. Additionally, you should never login as root, but use root via the command line or when starting specific applications that require root-level access. -- Everything in Linux is a file Every hardware device in your system shows up as a file in Linux. Quick notes about the directory structure The most common directories: /bin - most "commands" will be here /boot - configuration files /dev - devices that your system uses or can use /etc - the Linux kernel usually resides here /home - contains sub-directories for each user of the system. These sub-directories contain the personal files of each user. /initrd - provides the capability to load a RAM disk by the boot loader /lib - library files /proc - doesn't contain 'real' files but runtime system information /root - home area for the "root" user /sbin - programs that are only for use by the root user /tmp - temporary files /usr - files & programs meant to be used by all users on the system /var - for files that may change in size Other directories you may see /mnt - generic mount point under which you mount your filesystems or devices /cdrom - mount point for a CD-ROM drive /floppy - mount point for a floppy drive (remember those?) /media - subdirectories which are used as mount points for removeable media /opt - software and add-on packages that are not part of the default installation For more info on the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy, check out: http://tldp.org/LDP/Linux-Filesystem-Hierarchy/html/index.html Still need a "wrap up" -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NLUG" group. 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