Josh Harkey
AIU Online
Abstract
This manual has been written to explore the many distributions of Linux. It will define some of the components of the OS as they relate to the shell and kernel. It will also go over some of the more popular distributions of Linux and the shells. Finally, it will give a brief overview of some useful commands that can be used in the bash shell.
Linux: The Kernel and Shell It is important to know some the inner workings of an operating system to help better understand how they and why they are beneficial. This is one of the reasons for this manual. It will also give a better understanding of some of the more popular distributions of Linux.
The Kernel And Shell As They Relate To Linux
Any operating system (OS) has necessary components that perform certain functions. This is no different for Linux-within the OS, there are two components a kernel and a shell.
The kernel is the main component without it the user would not be able to communicate with any of the hardware located on her/his computer. Some of the functions of the kernel include: process scheduling, memory management, and input output scheduling
The shell is the other component of the OS. Some components of the shell include the command line interface (CLI) and the graphical user interface (GUI). The CLI is the text based prompt which is used as a command interpreter or as a programming language. The GUI, on the other hand, is more menus and boxes the user can just point and click on. The function of the shell is to provide the user with a way to access the kernel. Whether it is through a CLI or GUI the shell cannot talk directly to hardware but can ask the kernel to do so.
Now, why these work better in Linux, or how they are more productive in a sense. Linux gives its users total control over the environment they choose to work in. The user has the ability to customize how the whole OS works right down to the kernel if they have the