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Although software for Linux is developing daily, the support base for software in Linux is still quite small compared to Windows. However, software for Linux tends to be open-source and free much like the operating system. And although some software may not be as fancy as Windows software, Linux software does the job, and it does it well. This guide will attempt to go over some basic Unix commands that will help you navigate around the Linux, and this guide will also review some of the major software in Linux available for you.
"Help! I'm lost!" you might cry as you stumble around the Unix-based terminal. Without the graphical user interface, you will need to navigate around the Linux terminal, which is similar to MS-DOS. Some commands might be the same, but many others will are different. Here are some of the common commands you will need to use.
ls- list all the files in the directory
cd- change directory
chmod- changes the permission of the file so that certain groups can view it
kill- kills a process
man- brings up the manual pages on a command
more- display files one screenful at a time
shutdown- shuts down Linux
su- change screen name
whereis- locate the binary, source, and manual page files for a specified command/file These commands should help you get around the terminal.
If you require assistance on any of these commands, type man [command name]. This should bring up the manual pages on the command. Whenever you want full access to everything on your Linux box, log on as "root." But be careful, whatever changes you make will affect the entire system and could damage your system if you type in a wrong command. Usually "root" is used for making administrative or system changes.
Running software on Linux can be fun and can be a hassle. There are a ton of programs out for Linux, but the trick is choosing the one right for you. This is a brief overview of some of the more common software.
LILO- If you have one or more other operating systems installed with Linux, LILO (Linux Loader) is a program that allows you to select which one to load at your computer's startup. Be warned, LILO messes with your Master Boot Record and if you mess with LILO, you could mess up your computer. (Trust me, it happened to me!) However, LILO is generally stable and easy to use. Distributions like Red Hat bundle LILO with their installation.
Office Suites- Want something like Microsoft Office, except for Linux? There are two major office suites available for Linux at this time. One is Corel's WordPerfect Suite. The other is a lesser known but equally as powerful Sun Microsystems StarOffice. Both allow users access to most of the features Microsoft Office has to offer. However, WordPerfect for Linux and StarOffice are free to download off the Internet. Corel Linux bundles its WordPerfect with its version.
Text Editors- Emacs Editor is a very popular text editor in the Linux world. There are many benefits to Emacs and it has become a standard for many Linuxers. Emacs is usually loaded with the distribution installation.
Emulators- Miss your favorite DOS or Windows application? Not to worry. There are plenty of emulators for Linux that allow users to run DOS or Windows files directly on the Linux system. Two popular DOS emulators are Dosemu and xdos. For the Windows emulation, the current project is Wine. Wine is still being developed but its promises are breathtaking. The ability to run Windows applications on Linux is definitely worthwhile and programs will run just as faster, maybe even faster with the Linux environment. Wine is the solution for many Linux users who like Linux but still use several important Windows applications.
X Window System- This is the program that allows graphical interface on the Linux system. X Windows makes it easy to configure your system. Most distributions come with X Windows and install it when they install the Linux kernel. X is easy to use and makes Linux a whole lot friendlier.
Gaming- The gaming industry is just gaining speed on Linux. Companies like id are beginning to tailor to Linux gamers. Games like Quake 3 are beginning to have Linux versions in addition to Windows and Macintosh versions. However, many best-selling games like Starcraft have to be emulated on the Linux box using Wine.
There are many other great software programs for Linux that not listed here. To find out more, see what packages your distribution has to offer. To download more off the Internet, check out our links that will help you find the software you need.
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