TCS 2043 – LINUX
OS
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO LINUX
Prepared by Nurun Nadzirah bt Md Akhir
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING
SYSTEM
Most important program runs on a computer is operating
system.
Every general-purpose computer must have an operating
system to run other programs.
Operating systems perform basic tasks:
Recognize input from the keyboard.
Sending output to the display screen.
Keep track of files and directories on the disk.
Control peripheral devices, eg: disk drives/ printer.
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OTHER TASKS OF OS
1. Processor management – ensure that each application
gets a share of the processor’s time.
2. Memory management – allocates memory to
applications and OS functions.
3. Device management - manage how hardware
components interact with each other.
4. Storage Management – define how files and data are
stored.
5. Application interface – provide APIs for application to
connect.
6. User interface – interacting with the user.
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TYPES OF OS
4 main types of operating systems:
1. Real-time operating system - often found in robotic
machinery and scientific devices.
2. Single user, single task system - allows one user to
operate one program at a time.
3. Single user, multitasking system - a user can open
multiple programs and jump back and forth between
applications as required.
4. Multi-user system - allows many users to access
the computer's resources simultaneously.
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OS STRATEGY AS DESCRIBED BY NUTT
[1997]
Batch
Reading a series of jobs (called a batch) into the machine and then
executing the programs for each job in the batch.
This approach does not allow users to interact with programs while they
operate.
Timesharing
supports multiple interactive users.
users establish an interactive session with the computer and then provide
commands, programs and data as they are needed during the session .
Personal computing
supports a single user running multiple programs on a dedicated
machine
Dedicated
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supports real-time and process control systems
EXAMPLE OF OS
Mac OS X: Manufactured & sold by Apple Computer.
Microsoft Windows: A family of OS by Microsoft.
DOS (Disk Operating System): OS which dominated the IBM
PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995.
Linux (also known as GNU/Linux): A Unix-like computer
operating system. It is one of the most prominent examples of
open source development and free software; its underlying
source code is available for anyone to use, modify, and
redistribute freely.
Netware: A network operating system developed by Novell, Inc.
Cisco IOS (Internetworking Operating System): The software
used on the vast majority of Cisco Systems routers and all
current Cisco network switches. 6
UNIQUENESS OF LINUX
Linux is free. Anyone is free to reverse-engineer it,
modify it, redistribute it and even charge money for it.
Linux is also entirely open source. That means we can
look at the source code, or blueprints of the software if
we please.
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LINUX VS. WINDOWS
Security – Linux more secure.
Performance – will be as fast as or even slower than Windows or OS
X.
Graphical User Interface (GUI) – KDE tends to look and behave
more like Windows, and GNOME feels more like OS X.
Applications – Free software available for Linux: office suites,
browsers, image editors, music players, text editors, scientific software,
etc.
Hardware support – Linux runs on a huge variety of hardware,
ranging from supercomputers to networking routers to smart phones.
Multimedia support – To enable support for Windows Media Files,
Flash, Java, Quicktime, DVD video, etc.
Software management – Install, update and remove software, all from
one easy GUI application. This includes both the operating system and 8
all installed applications.
GNU
GNU is a free operating system consisting of a kernel, libraries, system
utilities, compilers, and end-user applications.
Stand for "GNU's Not Unix", which was chosen because its design is Unix-
like.
The plan was announced in September 1983 by Richard Stallman.
GNU Project - The project to develop GNU.
Programs released under of the GNU Project are called GNU packages or
GNU programs.
The official kernel is the GNU Hurd but it not yet finished.
Most GNU users use the third-party Linux kernel.
GNU does officially include other third party software such as the Xorg
windowing system and the TeX typesetting system.
The system's basic components:
GNU Compiler Collection (GCC)
GNU Binary Utilities (binutils)
bash shell
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GNU C library (glibc)
coreutils
GPL
GNU General Public License (GPL) is using free
software license.
Originally written by Richard Stallman.
GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL) - modified
version of the GPL, intended for some software libraries.
The usages of GPL - to grant the recipients of a
computer program the following rights:
to run the program, for any desired purpose.
to study how the program works, and modify it.
to redistribute copies.
to improve the program, and release the
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improvements to the public.
WHAT IS A KERNEL?
Kernel is the supervisor program that manage the
memory and devices.
Core of the Operating System.
Can be seen as an executive, system monitor.
Controls and provides access to the hardware.
Implements and supports
processes, files, devices, etc.
Schedules system resources
Memory, Processor time, disk space, peripherals
Enforce security, protection
Respond to user commands 11
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