CIS 90, Introduction to UNIX/Linux

 Spring 2008
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Linux and UNIX?

UNIX is a portable, multi-user operating system that has been around since 1970. Linux is an operating system modeled after UNIX that came about when Linus Torvalds joined up with Richard Stallman's GNU project. Linus Torvalds headed a world-wide team of engineers who developed the kernel of the operating system, while GNU was developing utilities and applications for the operating system. They were able to come together because they were both modeling their work after the organization and structure defined by UNIX.

Where can I get a copy of Linux?

Many Linux books come with a free CD of Linux, so when you buy the textbook, you buy the Operating System as well. Most major distribution vendors, like RedHat, do offer free image files of their distributions on an FTP site. The following website allows you access to a variety of Linux Distributions.

Where can I get ssh for my apple computer?

SSH is used to connect to remote computers in a secure way that prevents hackers from spying on the communications going over the wire. SSH comes with Linux as part of the open source project and is included with OS-X. You can get a version of ssh for MacOS computers at this link.

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