What is Linux?

Linux is an operating system for your computer. Like the Mac and Windows systems, it provides the basic computer services needed for someone to do things with a computer. It is the middle layer between the computer hardware and the software applications you run.

Full applications have capabilities like boldface type and picture editing tools. None of this is available through the operating system. Yet all of it is done by communicating with the machinery of the computer through the operating system. You may highlight a word in your wordprocessor and tell it that you want that word in bold type, but the operating system tells the computer which pixels (or part of the screen) to darken.

Linux was developed by Linus Torvalds and a band of programmers who voluntarily developed the core program of the system (aka, the kernel). That program was originally compatible for another operating system called Minix, but later development made it usable with GNU software.

GNU is pronounced like the animal and stands for 'GNU's Not Unix.' It was a project conceived by Richard Stallman in 1983 in response to the increasing tendency of software companies to copyright their software under terms that prohibited sharing. GNU's purpose: to develop a wholly free system. It had achieved significant progress toward this goal by the time that Linus and others had developed their kernel in the 1990s.

While many people refer to the combination of the two as "Linux", this is not wholly correct. The kernel combined with GNU's free software is properly called "GNU/Linux."

Both the kernel and the software are freely available under licencing that is sometimes called "copyleft" (as opposed to copyright). Where traditional copyright was meant to restrict usage and ownership of a copyrighted item to as few people as possible, inhibiting development and growth, GNU/Linux is different. It is released under terms designed to ensure that as many people as possible are allowed to receive, use, share, and modify the software. That licence is called the GPL (GNU Public Licence).

Ubuntu depends on the Linux kernel and includes many GNU applications. So, when someone speaks of the Ubuntu kernel for a computer, they are actually talking about a recent version of the Linux kernel. Most of the applications that are available for Ubuntu are either part of the GNU collection or are released under the GPL.








A Brief History of Linux
The Linux kernel is the basic programming foundation for the entire Ubuntu operating system. Here is how it started and why it is called GNU/Linux.

Ubuntu's African Roots
Ubuntu comes from an African word that suggests humanity and community.

Get Ubuntu Linux: Download, Request, or Order Ubuntu
Ubuntu can be downloaded or ordered and is available in a couple of versions: 6.06 (Dapper Drake) and 7.04 (Feisty Fawn). Which you use depends on the software you need. This page shows you from where you can download, request, or buy Ubuntu.

Ubuntu vs Windows Vista
Ubuntu had many Windows Vista features almost a year before Microsoft released it. Here is how Ubuntu compares to Windows Vista.

Windows Vista vs Mac OS X
Windows Vista looks curiously like Mac OS X. NY Times' David Pogue says there is no connection.

How to Install Ubuntu Linux (6.06 LTS)
Ubuntu is the easiest Linux version to install. Here is a guide to installing Ubuntu Linux painlessly.

Resizing a Windows Installation
Resizing a Windows installation is easy with the Ubuntu installer. Installing Ubuntu in parallel to a Windows installation is called 'dual booting' and is a good idea. Here is how to do it.

A History of Ubuntu
Ubuntu is an African word meaning 'humanity to others.'

Adding Ubuntu Software and Other Linux Software to Ubuntu
Adding Ubuntu software, non-Ubuntu Linux software, or even proprietary software to your new installation is easy with Synaptic. Here's how.

Adding Ubuntu Repositories
Adding Ubuntu repositories to download more Linux software is not very complicated. It is a simple matter of telling Ubuntu where to find more software.

Additional Ubuntu Repositories
Ubuntu software is available in more repositories than the default Ubuntu installation gives you. Here is a listing of more Ubuntu repositories for your software needs.

Ubuntu Root Access
Ubuntu root access is needed for all system-wide tasks. Here is how to gain root access in Ubuntu.

How to Install Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
Ubuntu Feisty was released in April 2007. It is the easiest Ubuntu to install yet. Here is how the installation of Ubuntu Feisty is different from 6.06 LTS.

Booting Windows Instead of Ubuntu by Default
Grub boots Ubuntu by default. But if you want to make Windows your default operating system without losing Ubuntu, all you need do is change a number in Grub's configuration file. Here is how.

Setting Grub Timeout When Dual Booting Ubuntu
Grub's menu is hidden by default. Making it visible at startup is a matter of editing grub's configuration file. Here is how.

Make Grub's Menu Visible At Startup
Grub's menu is hidden by default. Making it visible at startup is a matter of editing grub's configuration file. Here is how.

Parts of the Ubuntu Desktop: Top Left
Ubuntu uses GNOME as a default desktop. Here are the top left parts of the Ubuntu desktop and what each does.

Parts of the Ubuntu Desktop: Top Right
Ubuntu uses GNOME as a default desktop. Here are the top right parts of the Ubuntu desktop and what each does.

Parts of the Ubuntu Desktop: Bottom Components
Ubuntu uses GNOME as a default desktop. Here are the bottom parts of the Ubuntu desktop and what each does.

A Primer for Installing Ubuntu
Installing Ubuntu should be as easy as possible, and the best guides for this are provided here at Easy Ubuntu Linux. But all the online resources in the world do not help you offline. For this reason, we are providing this PDF primer to help you install Ubuntu.

Setup Your E-mail On Ubuntu: Part 1
Sending e-mail under Linux is easy. Here is how to setup your email identity under Ubuntu Linux.

Receiving E-mail
Sending e-mail under Linux is easy. Here is how to receive email under Ubuntu Linux.

Sending E-mail On Ubuntu
Sending e-mail under Linux is simple. Here is how to setup Evolution to send email under Ubuntu Linux.

Office Suites for Ubuntu
Choosing an office suite for your Ubuntu installation is like choosing the first among equals. Here is a comparison of the best office suites available for Ubuntu Linux.

Upgrading Ubuntu
Ubuntu upgrades are easy to affect. As usual with Ubuntu, you get to choose how to upgrade.

Install Ubuntu Upgrades By Updating Your Installation
Ubuntu Upgrades are a choice of two straightforward processes. Here is how to upgrade and update all of your programs at once.

Affect an Ubuntu Upgrade With An Install CD
Ubuntu Upgrades are as easy as the installation. Here is how to upgrade and save your data.

Receiving Email via IMAP
Sending e-mail under Linux is easy. Here is how to receive email under Ubuntu Linux.

Image Handling With Ubuntu
Ubuntu's image handling surpasses those of other operating systems. Whether you just need to look at your pictures or create first-rate graphics, Ubuntu offers a program to meet your needs.

Photo Previewing and Slideshows With GQView
GQView is an additional photo previewing program for Ubuntu. Here is a brief tutorial on how to preview and edit photos with GQView on Ubuntu.

Install Ubuntu
Install Ubuntu with minimal fuss. Some choices in the installation process are better than others, and this section will help you to install Ubuntu with ease.

Configure Ubuntu
The default Ubuntu configuration is good for most users. However, you will inevitably want to configure Ubuntu to suit your tastes better.

How to Use Ubuntu
Once Ubuntu is setup, you may still wonder about how to use Ubuntu. This section will show you how to setup and use software such as email, office suites, and photo editing software.

Apache - Ubuntu - Apache Modules on Ubuntu - Part 1
Ubuntu allows webhosting on your computer. Here is how to configure Apache on Ubuntu.

Apache - Ubuntu - Apache Modules on Ubuntu - Part 2
Ubuntu lets you run many kinds of servers on your computer. Here is how to configure Apache on Ubuntu.

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