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linux-unix130.linux.and.unix.ebooks130 linux and unix ebookslinuxLearning Linux - Collection of 12 E

<P>Games for the X Window System     286
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Playing Chess with the xboard Client     286
</P>

<P>Playing X11 Solitaire     287
</P>

<P>Playing Backgammon for X11     287
</P>

<P>Playing Galaga for X11     288
</P>

<P>Breakout the Fun with the X11 Client Xboing     289
</P>

<P>Playing DOOM for X Window     289
</P>
</blockquote></blockquote>

<P><B>
Part V     Administering Your System      291
</B></P>

<P><B>
     Hour 20     Basic System Administration     293
</B></P>
<blockquote>
<P>Running as the Root Operator with the su Command     294
</P>

<P>Getting Disk Space Information     295
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Getting Filesystem Statistics with the df Command     296
</P>

<P>Getting Filesystem Disk Usage with the du Command     297
</P>

<P>Checking Symbolic Links with the stat Command     299
</P>

<P>Saving Disk Space     299
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Getting Memory Information     301
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Memory Reporting with the free Command     301
</P>

<P>Virtual Memory Reporting with the vmstat Command     302
</P>

<P>Viewing Your Shell's &quot;Ulimit&quot;ations     302
</P>

<P>Reclaiming Memory with the kill Command     303
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Getting System Load Information with the top and
xload <BR>
Commands     304
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Determining How Long Linux Has Been Running with the <BR>
uptime and w Commands     306
</P>

<P>Getting Network and Mail Information with the
pppstats and <BR>
mailstat Commands     306
</P>

<P>Monitoring Your Serial Ports with the
statserial Command     307
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Managing User Access     307
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Creating Users with the adduser Command     307
</P>

<P>Changing Passwords in /etc/passwd with the
passwd Command     308
</P>

<P>Restricting Logins     310
</P>

<P>Setting Disk Quotas     311
</P></blockquote></blockquote>
<A NAME="PAGENUM-13"><P>Page 13</P></A>



<P><B>
     21     Handling Files     313
</B></P>
<blockquote>
<P>How Linux Is Organized     314
</P>

<P>Using the mount Command to Access Other Filesystems     315
</P>

<P>Understanding the Filesystem Table, <BR>
/etc/fstab      316
</P>

<P>Formatting a Floppy     318
</P>

<P>The mtools Package     320
</P>

<P>Managing File Ownership and Permissions     322
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Understanding Linux File Types     322
</P>

<P>Reading File Permissions Flags     323
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Changing File Permissions with the chmod Command     324
</P>

<P>Changing File Ownership with the chown Command     326
</P>

<P>Changing Groups and Ownerships with the chgrp and
newgrp <BR>
Commands     327
</P>
</blockquote>

<P><B>
     22     Red Hat Tools     329
</B></P>
<blockquote>
<P>Configuring Your System with the Control-Panel     329
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Creating and Maintaining Users with the usercfg Command     330
</P>

<P>Managing System Services with the tksysv Command     331
</P>

<P>Setting the System Time with the timetool Command     332
</P>

<P>Creating Printers with the printtool Command     332
</P>

<P>Configuring your Network Services with the
netcfg Command     332
</P>

<P>Creating a Symbolic Modem Link with the
modemtool Command     333
</P>

<P>Kernel Configuration with the kernelcfg Command     333
</P>

<P>Using the glint and rpm Commands     334
</P>

<P>Finding Help with the helptool Command     335
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Configuring Your System with the setup Command     336
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Maintaining Your Filesystem with the cabaret Command     337
</P>

<P>Probing Your Mouse with the mouseconfig Command     337
</P>

<P>Installing Sound Service with the sndconfig Command     337
</P>

<P>Setting the System Time with the timeconfig Command     338
</P>

<P>Configuring X11 with Xconfigurator      338
</P>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>

<P><B>
     23     Archiving     339
</B></P>
<blockquote>
<P>Considerations Before Performing Backups and Restores     339
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Backing Up Your System with the tar Command     341
</P>

<P>Using the cpio Command to Backup and Restore     342
</P>

<P>Using the taper Script for Tape Drive Backups and Restores     343
</P>

<P>Configuring the BRU Backup System for Backups and Restores     344
</P>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>

<P><B>
     24     Scheduling     347
</B></P>

<blockquote>
<P>Using the cron Daemon     347
</P>
<blockquote>
<P>Managing User cron Scheduling     348
</P>

<P>Setting Schedules with the crontab Command     349
</P>
</blockquote>

<P>Managing User Scheduling with the atrun Command     350
</P>

<P><B>
          Index     353

</B></P></blockquote>


<A NAME="PAGENUM-16"><P>Page 16</P></A>



<H2>
<A NAME="1623_ 2">
Introduction
</A>
</H2>

<P>Welcome to Linux! You hold in your hands everything you need to install and use one
of the most powerful computer operating systems in the world. This book is designed to
help guide you through the process of learning about Linux.
</P>

<P>Although the title of this book is Sams' Teach Yourself Linux in 24
Hours, you won't be alone while you learn. As you're taken from installation through system administration
to playing games, you'll find advice, tips, and hints to help you along the way. Before you
know it you'll be familiar with the terms, topics, and technical concepts dealing with the
hottest and newest operating system in the world&#151;Linux!
</P>

<P>This book is designed to help you learn quickly. You'll find it an indispensable guide
to installing Linux and getting right to work. This book helps you overcome
technical obstacles, explains complex subjects in simple language, and shows you some neat
tricks to make your computing experience easier.
</P>

<P>Each section of this book gives you an hour's worth of knowledge and examples that
you can run as you learn. By the way, you should know that this book was created,
developed, and edited using the software included on the book's CD-ROM. We hope you
enjoy teaching yourself Linux!
</P>

<p><b>
What is Linux?
</b></p>

<P>Linux (pronounced Lih-nucks) is a UNIX-like operating system that runs on many
different computers. Although many people might refer to Linux as the operating system
and included software, strictly speaking, Linux is the operating system
kernel, which comes with a distribution of software.
</P>

<P>Linux was first released in 1991 by its author Linus Torvalds at the University of
Helsinki. Since then it has grown tremendously in popularity as programmers around the
world embraced his project of building a free operating system, adding features, and
fixing problems.
</P>

<P>Linux is popular with today's generation of computer users for the same reasons
early versions of the UNIX operating system enticed fans more than 20 years ago. Linux
is portable, which means you'll find versions running on name-brand or clone PCs,
Apple Macintoshes, Sun workstations, or Digital Equipment Corporation Alpha-based
computers. Linux also comes with source code, so you can change or customize the software
to adapt to your needs. Finally, Linux is a great operating system, rich in features
adopted from other versions of UNIX. We think you'll become a fan too!
</P>
<A NAME="PAGENUM-17"><P>Page 17</P></A>



<p><b>
Why Teach Yourself Linux?
</b></p>

<P>You should teach yourself Linux for a number of good reasons. You'll expand
your knowledge of your computer's hardware, which can be handy in troubleshooting
problems. You'll also learn the basics of using a UNIX-like operating system loaded with
state-of-the-art features. When you combine this knowledge of hardware and software, you'll be
well on your way to becoming a power computer user.
</P>

<P>You can use this book as a starting point in learning Linux basics. You'll learn all the
skills needed to build and run a powerful and productive Linux workstation. While you
won't learn how to program in Java, administer a network, or manage a Web server, you will
learn that
</P>

<UL>
<LI>          Using Linux is a great way to connect to the Internet for emailing, file
downloading, or World Wide Web browsing.<br><br>
<LI>          You can get to work right away, because this book's Linux distribution (on
CD-ROM) comes with a rich assortment of popular productivity tools, such
as word processors, calendars, emailers, and graphics programs.<br><br>
<LI>          You can have fun with some wacky arcade games.<br><br>
<LI>          In no time at all you can be on your way to joining the world-wide community
of Linux users.
</UL>

<p><b>
Who Should Use This Book?
</b></p>

<P>This book is for someone who wants to quickly master the basics of how to install,
run, and maintain Linux on an Intel-based personal computer. All of the tools you need
are included.
</P>

<P>Your computer should have a monitor, or display, keyboard, mouse, hard drive,
floppy drive, and CD-ROM drive. Although you can jump right in and install Linux onto
your hard drive, you should have some technical information about your computer and
its hardware on hand before you start.
</P>

<p><b>
What's Included on the CD-ROM?
</b></p>

<P>Everything you need! Included with this book is a CD-ROM, from Red Hat Software,
Inc., which contains the latest and one of the most popular distributions of Linux, including
the Linux kernel, utility programs, productivity programs, and even games. As you
read through this book and install or configure software, you'll discover many of the reasons
Red Hat's Linux was chosen to help you learn. Some of these are
</P>

<UL>
<LI>          Red Hat Linux is easy to install.
</ul>

<A NAME="PAGENUM-18"><P>Page 18</P></A>


<UL>
<LI>          Red Hat Linux uses a convenient software-management system based on
&quot;packages.&quot;<br><br>
<LI>          Red Hat Linux uses graphical tools to help you administer and maintain
your system.<br><br>
<LI>          Red Hat Linux software, and upgrades, are available on the Internet.
</UL>

<p><b>
How to Use This Book
</b></p>

<P>This book is designed to teach you topics in one-hour sessions. All the books in the
Sams' Teach Yourself series enable you to start working and become productive with the
product as quickly as possible. This book will do that for you!
</P>

<P>Each hour, or session, starts with an overview of the topic to inform you what to
expect in each lesson. The overview helps you determine the nature of the lesson and whether
the lesson is relevant to your needs.
</P>

<P>Each lesson has a main section that discusses the lesson topic in a clear, concise
manner by breaking the topic down into logical component parts and explaining each
component clearly.
</P>

<P>Interspersed in each lesson are special elements, called Just a Minutes, Time Savers,
and Cautions, that provide additional information.
</P>

<TABLE BGCOLOR=#FFFF99><TR><TD>JUST A MINUTE</TD></TR><TR><TD><P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
A Just a Minute is designed to clarify the concept that is being discussed.
It elaborates on the subject; if you are comfortable with your understanding of
the subject, you can bypass it without danger.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE BGCOLOR=#FFFF99><TR><TD>TIME SAVER</TD></TR><TR><TD><P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
Time Savers inform you of tricks or elements that are easily missed by
most computer users. You can skip them, but often Time Savers show you an
easier way to do a task.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE BGCOLOR=#FFFF99><TR><TD>CAUTION</TD></TR><TR><TD><P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
A Caution deserves the most attention, because a Caution points out a
problematic element of the topic being discussed. Ignoring the information contained in
a Caution could have adverse effects on the task at hand. These are the
most important special elements in the book.<BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</P></TD></TR></TABLE>





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