Overview
Linux started in 1991 as a college project by Linus Torvalds, a student at Helsinki University. He called his new OS Linux because much of his work was based on a UNIX clone called Minux. Based on publicly available software, Linux isn't owned by one company but is freely distributable, the product of work by thousands of contributors.With libraries and utilities that can be custom-configured for different end-user tasks (depending on, say, whether you intend to use your Linux box for C++ development or as a Web server), Linux has a lot of horsepower under the hood; DISCOVER LINUX will show you how to tap it. Using real-world examples and step-by-step instructions, Steve Oualline shows you how to quickly and easily install Linux, set up a network, and troubleshoot your system.
The enclosed CD-ROM contains various handy programs and development tools, as well as the Red Hat 4.2 version of Linux, chosen by the author for its robustness and easy installation procedure. Included in the Red Hat distribution are the X Window System (a graphical user interface for Linux) and a collection of utilities and games.