ABSTRACT
This chapter details a history of the development of Unix and Linux and provides a look at the most significant Linux distributions, including differences. Linux and files are covered: file types, inodes, partitioning, top-level directory structure, and hard and symbolic links. Linux user accounts, processes and services are also explored. Specific services include syslog, cron and atd, controlling services through runlevels and targets, and configuring services through configuration files. The chapter concludes with a look at some facts about Linux usage and a more detailed examination of the open source movement.
