Basic knowledge of Linux distributions and installations

First, the basics of Linux distribution
Although the foundation of Linux is its kernel, but the kernel is far from a complete operating system environment. Here we are going to talk about some of the basic elements of a Linux distribution.
Boot manager : The boot manager is a program that exists in the aster boot record (MBR) of the hard disk. The program is loaded into the BIOS of the computer to complete the startup work. If you install Linux on a machine that already has Windows or other systems installed, the boot manager will let you choose which operating system to boot. The boot manager is a general term for such programs. For example, System Commander is a third-party boot manager. Usually the boot manager included with Linux is LILO (LInux LOader). LILO is usually installed with the Linux system.
User Interface: At the core, Linux is derived from Unix, so its basic interface is a command-line interface like DOS. To make Linux easier to use, there are several graphical interfaces for Linux that make it similar to Windows or Mac OS. For example, CDE (Common Desktop Environment), KDE (Kool Desktop Environment), and GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment).
X Window System: Like Windows GDI (Graphics Device Interface), X Window is a graphics subsystem that supports a graphical user interface. The most common X server is Xfree86 (www.xfree86.org). At the time of installation, you can choose whether to install the X Window System.
Internet Services: Linux itself supports TCP/IP and all common Internet protocols, including DNS, HTTP, SMTP, FTP, NNTP, and PPP/SLIP. Most Linux distributions come with Apache, the most popular open source Web Server, and usually Linux distributions come with web browsers, e-mail client software, news readers, and other Internet applications.
File and Print Services: These services enable systems to share file and printer resources with other computers on the network. Typical services include: NFS (Network File System) supports sharing resources with other Unix-based systems; Samba enables Linux to play the role of Windows NT Server on the network; and AppleTalk.
Application: The application support that Linux now gets is not comparable to Windows. However, most Linux distributions come with many applications, and if you are willing to find them, you can find some useful applications elsewhere. In addition to text editors like Crisp and XEmacs, you can find some commercial application suites and image editing programs like Adobe PhotoShop like GIMP.
Package manager: Package manager is a tool for installing, uninstalling, and upgrading applications in a Linux system. Debian Package Manager and Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) are the most famous Package managers.
Development Tools: Since Linux is very popular among programmers, it is not surprising that there are many development tools in the Linux distribution. These tools include compilers egcs and gcc, gdb for debugging, development management tools, programming languages, and scripting languages ​​like Python and TCL.
Libraries: Linux contains a set of library programs (libc). Like Windows DLLs, libc includes executable modules to perform functions in the background or to support other applications. Most distributions contain many libraries; common types include GNU Libc (glibc) and Libc5.

two, Linux installation basics
Linux has developed for a long time, but do not expect that the installation process can be as easy as upgrading to Windows 98. In order for everything to work, you need to do some preparatory work to make your system run multiple operating systems. If you want to know more, visit the Linux Documentation Project at http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP.
1. Before you start
? Collecting system information: Although Linux can automatically identify many hardware devices, it is still too simple in this regard. In order to complete the installation, you may need to enter some information manually, so the first step is to collect information about all your hardware (manufacturer and model) and its configuration information. If you are using Windows 95, 98 or NT, the easiest is to print out the information in the Device Manager (Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager). Making a boot disk: In fact, the easiest way to install Linux is to boot the system from the Linux installation CD, but only the latest computer can boot from the CD (you can see if your computer can be set to boot from the CD in the BIOS setup). Many users still need to boot from a floppy disk. Both Caldera OpenLinux 1.3 and RedHat 5.2 come with a bootable disk, but many other distributions require you to make your own boot disk using the tools on the linux CD.
3. Preparing hard disk space for Linux: Due to the different bundled applications, various Linux distributions require different hard disk space, from 100MB to 500MB or more. Linux must be installed in its own unique partition. If you only have one partition and are used by Windows, then you need to back up all your data and create new partitions. You can use some third-party tools to change the size of an existing partition, such as PowerQuest's PartitionMagic 4.0 or V Communications' Partition Commander.
2. Installation
1. Installation method: Linux has a variety of installation methods, including installation from hard disk, network drive, or CD-ROM. But installing from a CD-ROM is probably the most convenient. After you start the machine, Linux will try to probe your hardware. If it can't accurately identify your hardware device, you must manually enter the appropriate information. The actual installation step is a step-by-step interaction process, similar to installing Windows, although not as graphical as the Windows installation interface.
2. Create and edit partitioned tables: During the installation process, you need to allocate the hard disk space you prepared for Linux. In order to accomplish this task, you usually need to use fdisk (not the same as DOS fdisk), cfdisk, or RedHat Disk Druid. You need to create at least two partitions: one is the root partition, which is used to store the Linux kernel, and the other is the swap partition, which is used by Linux for virtual memory. Most users will also create a partition to hold the application and user directory.
3. Configuring the GUI: Although Unix experts feel good in the world of command lines, I am afraid most people still want a graphical interface to make Linux more friendly. There are many different graphical environments to choose from, but all of these graphical environments require a basic platform ——X Server. The most common X Server is Xfree86. When installing Linux, choose to install an X Server. When configuring X Server, you may need to enter some information about the relevant hardware, such as mouse, graphics card, display information, and even the scan interval and refresh rate of the display. Be careful when entering this information. Wrong settings can damage your hardware.
4. The final step: this is, Linux really starts to install. After the installation is complete, the installer will guide you through the system setup. Because you need to use both Linux and Windows, you must install LILO, a tool that supports multiple boot.
Running Linux for the first time
1. Login: After the Linux system starts, ask for the log-on ID. You may want to log in as root. If you have LILO installed, you also have to choose which system to enter at startup.
2. System configuration: After the installation is complete and logged in, you may also need to adjust some system settings, such as the host name, reset the X Server to use your needs, or configure LILO to properly handle all your operating systems.