Basics of the Operating System
Heather Russell NT1430 Unit 1 Chapter Exercises
Unit 1
Chapter 1
1. What is free software? List three characteristics of free software.
Free software is software that users have the freedom to distribute and change. The three main characteristics of free software are: The source code has to be distributed with the program, you cannot restrict people from redistributing/modifying/using the software, and users must be allowed to redistribute modified versions under the same terms/licensing.
4. What is the Free Software Foundation/GNU? What is Linux? Which parts of the Linux operating system did each provide? Who else has helped build and refine this operating system?
GNU stands for "GNU'S Not Unix", and it was designed to be a UNIX-like operating system developed by Richard Stallman. Linux is the name of operating system kernel developed by Linus Torvalds. GNU's tools aside the Linux kernel make the operating system known as “Linux” aka “GNU/Linux”. Thousands of people helped refine the operating system online.
Chapter 2
1. Briefly, what does the process of installing an operating system such as Fedora/RHEL involve?
Installing Fedora/RHEL is the process of copying operating system files from a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive to hard disk(s) on a system and setting up configuration files so Linux runs properly on the hardware. Several types of installations are possible, including fresh installations, upgrades from older releases of Fedora/RHEL, and dual-boot installations
Chapter 3
1. What is a live system? What advantages does it have over an installed system?
A live system gives you a chance to preview Fedora without installing it. It does not write to hard disks.
4. Where on the disk should you put your /boot partition or the root(/) partition if you do not use a /boot partition?
Put /boot at the beginning of the drive (partition 1) so that there is no issue of Linux having to boot from a partition too far into the drive.
Unit 1
Chapter 1
1. What is free software? List three characteristics of free software.
Free software is software that users have the freedom to distribute and change. The three main characteristics of free software are: The source code has to be distributed with the program, you cannot restrict people from redistributing/modifying/using the software, and users must be allowed to redistribute modified versions under the same terms/licensing.
4. What is the Free Software Foundation/GNU? What is Linux? Which parts of the Linux operating system did each provide? Who else has helped build and refine this operating system?
GNU stands for "GNU'S Not Unix", and it was designed to be a UNIX-like operating system developed by Richard Stallman. Linux is the name of operating system kernel developed by Linus Torvalds. GNU's tools aside the Linux kernel make the operating system known as “Linux” aka “GNU/Linux”. Thousands of people helped refine the operating system online.
Chapter 2
1. Briefly, what does the process of installing an operating system such as Fedora/RHEL involve?
Installing Fedora/RHEL is the process of copying operating system files from a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive to hard disk(s) on a system and setting up configuration files so Linux runs properly on the hardware. Several types of installations are possible, including fresh installations, upgrades from older releases of Fedora/RHEL, and dual-boot installations
Chapter 3
1. What is a live system? What advantages does it have over an installed system?
A live system gives you a chance to preview Fedora without installing it. It does not write to hard disks.
4. Where on the disk should you put your /boot partition or the root(/) partition if you do not use a /boot partition?
Put /boot at the beginning of the drive (partition 1) so that there is no issue of Linux having to boot from a partition too far into the drive.