There are many different types of operating systems, and one of them is Linux. What is and where is it used? How is it arranged? What are the differences from the familiar to most people, "Windows" is there? What are Linux distributions ? All of these questions will be answered within the framework of the article.
What is "Linux"
It's an operating system, relative to which you have a wide selection of software that will be installed. In it, you can choose between several types of desktops and somewhere a dozen shells for the command line. The latter, by the way, is called a terminal and plays a very important role. Due to the orientation towards the execution of several programs, the operating system is relatively unaffected by crashes at once. Due to the fact that no default program can start without the user's knowledge, it is very difficult to meet a virus written under Linux (though it is possible). But if they infect computers, it is solely because the user launched a suspicious application. Some samples of this system can safely be placed and operated via optical drives or USB.
History of development
Linux in Russian sounds like "Linux", that is, it does not translate. Do you know why this is so? All due to the fact that it is named after its pioneer founder, Linus Torvalds. He introduced his creation to society in 1994 (although the development began as early as 1991). Due to the fact that the operating system had open source, and everyone could modify it, he had followers around the world. It starts to be interested in various companies that produce paid distributions. At the same time there are communities of developers who create and distribute their assemblies on a volunteer basis. And for 2016 there are about ten popular versions of Linux operating systems. What does the state of affairs tell us? This means that there is a strong competition, mutual assistance (no matter how strange this may sound) and diversity. In addition to popular versions, widely used and less common, which are often aimed at performing a certain range of tasks. And now, if you are interested in the Russian "Linux", know that downloading it is not a problem. And for others there are crackers that translate at least part of the notation.
"Linux" and "Winds": what are the differences
At first glance, these operating systems do not look very different. But this is not so. There are differences, but to see them, it is necessary to look "deeper". The main focus will be on Linux, but so that you can imagine what and how, and compare with Windows. We will consider:
- File system.
- Graphical shell.
- System configuration.
- Scope of application.
And in the end, a little attention will be paid to distributions.
File system
Initially, it should be noted that there are no hard disks in the usual sense in Linux. What does the state of affairs tell you in the first place? Complicated? By no means! Logical partitions and physical disks are preserved, only here they will be represented by directories. The operating system connects to a folder, and everything that is created gets into it. Vesti work can only with the files that are in it. The most important folder is the root folder. It is denoted by the symbol /. For example, user files are usually stored in / home / username /. But at will, you can change the layout of almost anything, anything. Is it difficult to navigate through such a design?
Graphic shell
At first, after Windows, it may seem that the move is inconvenient. But this is only when using the terminal. There are also graphical shells with which you can work with the familiar interface. The terminal, by the way, is used either on servers, or very advanced people with good memory. Graphically designed shell is suitable for everyone else, as well as those who just do not want to remember the exact catalogs of information. The Linux system can appear in a variety of ways. Several variants of the desktop can be customized, and already the graphic design for them - is calculated in hundreds of variations.
Configuration
In Windows, this information is in the system registry, which is a specific database. It is necessary that the programs run in the operating system are correctly configured when loaded and at the beginning of the work. In it, if the registry is damaged, then only a full reinstallation will help. Although this is an advantage - everything is in one place. But Linux went the other way. In it, each program is the owner of a separate configuration file (and sometimes even several). They can be viewed or edited with an arbitrary text editor. If there are several files, then this has its advantages - so if one of them is damaged, only a part of the work will be lost. And reinstall in the worst case will only have a separate program. When the user decides to change the used computer, then he does not have to start everything from the beginning. The required files can simply be copied between machines (directly or using a medium). And what if the operating system is damaged? This is the important advantage that "Linux" has. The operating system needs to be reinstalled, and you need to perform it. But the file settings after this process will be preserved and will not be lost. Although there is one small drawback - each program has its own configuration file format, and it will be necessary to understand well what and how before editing.
Applications
We talked about Linux, what it is and how it differs from the customary for most users of the Windows system. And now let's pay attention to the areas of its use. The application, alas, it will not find everywhere. So, "Linux" -server or home / office workstation - here it is close to the ideal. The fact is that for this operating system there are not many ported or created games. There are also separate programs with the launch of Adobe graphics packages and complex engineering programs (like AutoCAD, MatLAB and others like them). But with the help of emulation, this problem can be solved in most cases. Not always people need a computer that solves specific problems. Therefore, I propose to get acquainted with a brief list of the system's capabilities, and if it does what it takes, you can try it in practice and not be disappointed:
- The system can make office documents, spreadsheets, various documentation and process texts.
- It is possible to view and edit images and photos.
- You can listen to music and watch video.
- In the system you can play games - but, as a rule, in very simple.
- To carry out communication processes through the Internet (in this respect, "Linux" is a headache higher for Windows).
- It is convenient to program.
- You can explore the vastness of the Internet.
- It is convenient to remotely control operating systems (any).
- Various messaging programs and e-mail are available.
- Conveniently implemented file exchange.
- Free Operating System
- And in the end - the viruses exist here as a myth. At least, the author has not met a single one in his entire life.
About distributions
Already want a Russian "Linux"? Then you need to say a little bit about distributions. On the one hand, it's hard to say that we have different operating systems. But on the other - no one will prove otherwise. You can choose the desired language and geographic focus, which will help make Linux more convenient. The Russian version, French, Brazilian - the choice is yours. With the help of the operating system, you can seriously study foreign languages. But let's talk about distributions. The main difference is the location of the programs in the file system. It can not be said that one distribution is more convenient than another. Everything depends on the tasks that are before you. So, you can install one version in which you can only program, and there is weak Internet support (only text components are loaded). This option is suitable for those who can not concentrate on work and are constantly distracted. There are also those that will best adjust the power to get the optimal performance of the machine. Choosing a lot, and only you stop at one of them.