Linux

Student: Jun Li

Instructor: Morteza Anvari

Course: COSC513

Id#: 105441

Contents

• Introduction

• Problems with existing systems

• Technical merits of Linux

• Deficiencies of Linux

• Conclusion

Introduction

• What is Linux? Unix-like computer operating system created by Linus Torvalds in 1991

• How familiar are you with Linux? the only non-Microsoft OS that is gaining market share U.S. Postal office’s handwriting recognition system the graphics rendering special effects of the movie Titanic

Problems with existing systems

• Costs money

• Source code not available

• Strict limits as to how the system may be copied

• Problems particular to Windows

planned obsolescence of hardware

crash-prone

Technical merits of Linux• Linux is Network-friendly• Linux is Multi-user, Multi-tasking• Linux is multi-platform• Linux is open the ability to write kernel extensions and drivers• Linux is “free” free to modify the system costs no money, at most a couple of $

Technical merits of Linux

• Linux has memory protection between processes

• Demand loads excutable linux only reads from disk those parts of program that are actually used • Supports several common file systems,

including minix, Xenix, and all the common V file systems

Technical merits of Linux

• Linux is reliable

when to turn off a Linux system?

add hardware or boot from different kernel

• Linux is backwards-compatible

has support for older hardware

user can protect their investment in

hardware

Deficiencies of Linux

• Inconsistent user interface it is not easy to learn how to use Linux especially for non-unix users• Replication of packages ex. Mail transfer agents include sendmail, smail, qmail, and exim• Wrong amount of info in install process some provide too little information, some too much

Deficiencies of Linux

• Most installations presume full-time network and ethernet

• Locations of help not obvious• System administration difficult for non-

UNIX users• Lack of commercial applications• Lack of hardware vendor support• Lack of traditional customer support

Conclusion

• Linux is a multi-tasking and reliable operating system. Linux increased its market share 212% in 1998 and then increased its share 156% in 1999( this number only reflects measurable copies)

• Can a world-class free end-user operating system be put together right now?

• Of course, it can.