Tux was created by Larry Ewing. Find out more about Tux from the Linux Online Logos and
Mascots page (
www·linux·org/info/logos.html
). Refer to the Why Linux Chose a Penguin
page (
www·linux·org/info/penguin.html
) if you would like Linus's take on the penguin
mascot.
Getting Started with Linux
Although I've gone on a bit about Linux history and what Linux does, the primary goal of this
book is to get you using it. To that end, I'd like to describe some things that might help you get
started with Linux.
While Linux will run great on many low-end computers (even some old 486s and early Pentiums),
if you are completely new to Linux, I recommend that you start with a PC that has a little more
muscle. Here's why:
Full-blown Linux operating systems with complete GNOME or KDE desktop environ-
ments perform poorly on slow CPUs and less than the recommended amount of RAM.
The bells and whistles come at the price of processing power. Lighter-weight options do
exist if you have limited resources.
You can use streamlined graphical Linux installations that will fit on small hard disks
(as small as 100MB) and run fairly well on slow processors. Also, there are small live CD
Linux distributions, such as Damn Small Linux (DSL), that can be copied to hard disk
and run from there. The 50MB DSL desktop system will run fine on old Pentium machines
with little RAM. But if you want to add some of the more demanding applications to DSL,
such as OpenOffice·org office applications, you will find you need more than minimal
computer hardware.
If you are starting with a Pentium II, 400 MHz, your desktop will run slowly in default KDE or
GNOME configurations with less than 128MB of RAM. A simpler desktop system, with just X and
a window manager, will work, but won't give you the full flavor of a Linux desktop. (See Chapter 3
for information about different desktop choices and features.)
The good news is that cheap computers that you can buy from Wal-Mart or other retailers start at
less than $300. Those systems will perform better than most PCs you have laying around that are
more than a few years old and will come with Linux (usually Linspire) pre-installed. The bottom
line is that the less you know about Linux, the more you should try to have computer hardware
that is up to spec to have a pleasant experience.
If you already have a Linux system sitting in front of you, Chapters 2 through 6 will walk you
through the Linux shell, desktop usage, and some basic system administration. If you don't
have a Linux system running on your computer yet, you have a couple of choices:
Try a bootable Linux -- If you have another OS on your machine and are reluctant to
disturb the contents of your computer, a bootable Linux enables you to run Linux
32
Linux First Steps
Part I
