FAQ I -- Awareness
(Aug 1, 2003)
| This FAQ is the first part of a series of FAQs and corresponds to the the
general inquiries made by the newbies regarding Open Source and Free Software.
Linux Awareness FAQ
Q.What is Linux?
Q.What is GNU/Linux?
Q. What is GPL?
Q. What is Open Source and Free Software?
Q. Does Linux have a Desktop?
Q. Why should I use Linux?
Q. How do I install Linux?
Q. Can I have multiple operating systems?
Q. Is Linux compatible with other devices?
Q. What is Linux?
A. Linux, just like Windows is an operating system. But there's a
catch. Unlike Windows, it s Open Source(see below). Linus Torvalds with the
assistance of volunteer
programmers from across the globe started development on Linux. Linux behaves
and performs similarly to the celebrated UNIX operating system from AT&T Bell
Labs.
Q. What is GNU/Linux?
A. Richard Stallman in 1983 started an organization called GNU (GNU's
Not Unix). He asserts that Linux is just a kernel, the operating system should
be known as GNU/Linux.
Q. What is GPL?
A. GPL is an acronym for the General Public License. The most
widespread such license is the GNU General Public License or GNU GPL in short.
This can be further shortened to "GPL", when it is understood that the GNU GPL
is the one intended.
Q. What is Open Source and Free Software?
A. It is a common belief that Open Source and Free Software are the
same thing. Factually, this is a misconception since the two, though related in
a way, are very different. Open Source software are generally released under the
GPL. Open Source simply means that the developer provides the source code for
others to see and modify as they see fit and distribute freely as long as the
license is maintained. Free Software on the other hand simply means that the
software is provided at no cost but the end-user does not have the access to the
source code of the software and thus cannot contribute in the development of the
software.
Q. Does Linux have a Desktop?
A. Yes it does. In fact, Linux has several desktop environments to
choose from, KDE and GNOME being the most widely used desktop environments. For
details on KDE and GNOME refer to the General section of this FAQ series.
Q. Why should I use Linux?
A. In recent years Linux has proven it's mettle in as diverse fields
imaginable. Organizations all over have saved valuable resources and have made
profits because of deploying Linux. At the desktop, it has everything Windows
has to offer and much more at an unparalleled price-to-performance ratio.
Q. How do I install Linux?
A. Firstly you have to acquire a copy of any distribution of Linux.
There are several distributions available from different vendors at any time.
To install Linux you require two partitions, one to install Linux and another as
SWAP space. See the Installation section of this FAQ series for details.
Q. Can I have multiple operating systems on my disk?
A. Yes you can. Actually, you can run multiple Linux distributions or
Windows and Linux both. See the Installation section of this FAQ series for
details.
Q. Is Linux compatible with other devices?
A. Linux today supports USB, USB 2.0, Firewire, SCSI and many other
devices. Plus, many device vendors now come out with Linux drivers for their
devices.
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