Chapter One

The Essence of UNIX and

Linux

Guide To UNIX Using Linux

Fourth Edition

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 1

Objectives

• Explain operating systems, including PC,

mainframe, and network operating systems
• Describe the UNIX and Linux operating systems
• Explain the purpose of UNIX/Linux shells
• Understand how to select user names and
passwords
• Connect to UNIX/Linux using Telnet or SSH

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 2

 Objectives (continued)

• Use basic UNIX/Linux commands and command-

line editing features
• Explain the role of a system administrator
• Change your password for security
• Use multiple commands to view the contents of
files
• Redirect output to a file

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 3

 Understanding Operating Systems

• Operating System (OS)

– The most fundamental computer
program
– Enables you to store information,
process raw data, use application
software, compile your own programs,
and access attached hardware, such as a
printer or keyboard

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 4

Understanding Operating Systems

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 5

PC Operating Systems

• A personal computer (PC) OS conducts all I/O,

processing, and storage operations on a stand-alone
computer

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 6

Mainframe Operating Systems

• A mainframe OS controls a large computer system

with multiple processors for I/O, processing, and
storage operations for many users

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 7

Network Operating Systems

• A network OS controls the operations of a server

computer (host), which accepts requests from user
programs running on other computers (clients)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 8

Server-based vs. peer-to-peer networks

• Server-based network
– Centralized processing approach
– Data and applications server resident
– If server fails, entire network fails
• Peer-to-peer
– Distributed processing approach
– Data and applications workstation
resident
– Each system is both a server and a client

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 9

Introducing the UNIX and Linux
Operating Systems

UNIX/Linux can be used on systems functioning as:

 Dedicated servers or client workstations in a
server-based network
 Client/server workstations connected to a
peer-to-peer network
 Stand-alone workstations not connected to a
network

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 10

Introducing the UNIX and Linux
Operating Systems (continued)

• UNIX/Linux is a multi-user system

• UNIX/Linux is a multitasking system
– Can execute more than one program at a
time
• UNIX/Linux is a portable operating
system
– Used in many computing environments

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 11

A Brief History of UNIX

• Bell Labs originally developed UNIX in the late

1960s and early 1970s
• Distributed in source code form
• Universities modified the code to work on different
machines

• Two standard versions of UNIX evolved

– System V (Bell Labs)
– Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 12

UNIX Concepts

• Shell
– The interface between user and OS

• Hierarchical Structure
– Directory and subdirectory organization

• Layered components
– Layers of software surround the computer’s
inner core

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 13

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 14
 Linux and UNIX

• Linux is UNIX-like
– Not written from traditional UNIX code

• Linux is original code

– Includes POSIX standards

• Other Linux information

– Created by Linus Torvalds
– Offers all the complexity of UNIX
– Linux can coexist with other OSs

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 15

Introducing UNIX/Linux Shells

A shell is a
UNIX/Linux
program that
interprets the
commands you
enter from the
keyboard

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 16

Choosing Your Shell

• Shells interpret commands and act as first-class

programming languages
• A default shell is associated with your account when
created; Bash is the default shell in Linux
• Some UNIX/Linux shells: Bourne, Korn, C shell, Bash
• Can switch from shell to shell

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 17

Choosing User Names
and Passwords

• To use UNIX/Linux, a user must log in by

providing a unique user name and password
• UNIX/Linux system administrators create
accounts by adding user names and passwords
• Users log in to UNIX or Linux systems as long
as they have accounts on the workstation or
host (server) computer

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 18

Connecting to UNIX/Linux Using Telnet
or SSH

• Remotely through Telnet (Use SSH Mostly Now!)

• Through network client software
• As peer on peer-to-peer network
• On a stand-alone PC
• Through a dumb terminal

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 19

Connecting to UNIX Using Telnet

• Telnet is terminal emulation software

– Connects your PC to a server, or host
▫ PC could be running UNIX, Linux,
Windows OS, or Macintosh OS
▫ Once connected to a UNIX/Linux host,
work with UNIX/Linux may begin

– Uses IP addresses or domain names to access

remote systems

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 20

Secure Shell (SSH)

• Developed for UNIX/Linux systems to provide

authentication security for TCP/IP applications, such
as FTP and Telnet
• Can encrypt communications as they go across a
network or the Internet
• openSSH includes protocols and software for free
distribution on UNIX/Linux systems

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 21

Logging In to UNIX/Linux

• Log in by entering username and password when

UNIX/Linux system booted or connected to
• Enter at prompt (command-line mode) or into login
box (GUI mode)
• Now commands can be issued at the command
prompt

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 22

 Logging In to UNIX/Linux (continued)

With a standalone computer and an X Window desktop

such as GNOME, you must open a terminal window to
access the command prompt

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 23

Using Commands

• To interact with UNIX/Linux, a command is

entered at the command prompt
• UNIX/Linux is case-sensitive and most
commands are typed in lower case
• Two categories of commands
– User-level: perform tasks
– System administration: system management

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 24

Using Commands (continued)

• The date command

– Displays the system date, which the system
administrator maintains
• The cal command
– Shows the system calendar

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 25

Using Commands (continued)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 26

Using Commands (continued)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 27

Using Commands (continued)

• The who Command

– To get information about who is logged in
– Useful for administrators and users
• The clear Command
– Clears the screen
• The whatis command
– Displays a brief description of a command for
help purposes

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 28

Using Commands (continued)
The man
program
displays the
UNIX/Linux
online
reference
manual,
called the
man pages,
for help
purposes

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 29

Using Commands (continued)

• Command-line editing
– Certain keystrokes perform command-line
editing (shell dependent)
• Multiple command entries
– More than one command on one line by
separating with a semicolon(;)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 30

Using Commands (continued)

• Command-line history
– Use up and down arrow keys to scroll through
command history
• Logging out ends your current process and indicates
to UNIX that you are finished
• Logging out is shell dependent
– Bourne, Korn, Bash – exit command
– C shell – logout command

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 31

Understanding the Role of the UNIX/Linux
System Administrator

• System administrator manages the UNIX/Linux

system
– Adds users and deletes old accounts
– Also called the superuser
– Unlimited permission to alter system
– Unique user name: root
– Prompt ends with # (pound) symbol

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 32

Understanding the Role of the UNIX/Linux
System Administrator (continued)

• The System Administrator’s Command Line

– [root@hostname root]#
• The Ordinary User’s Command Line
– [username@hostname username] $

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 33

Changing Passwords

• For security purposes, changing passwords is

necessary
– Use the passwd command
– UNIX/Linux allows new password if:
▫ The new password differs by at least
three characters
▫ It has six or more characters, including
at least two letters and one number
▫ It is different from the user name

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 34

Viewing Files Using the
cat, more, less, head, and tail Commands
• Use cat, more, and less to view an entire file
contents
– cat displays a whole file at one time
– more displays a file one screen at a time,
allowing scroll down
– less displays a file one screen at a time,
allowing scroll down and up

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 35

Viewing Files Using the
cat, more, less, head, and tail Commands
(continued)
• Use head and tail to view the first few or last
few lines of a file
– head displays the first few lines (10 lines)
– tail displays the last few lines (10 lines)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 36

Redirecting Output

• The greater than sign (>) is called a

redirection symbol
• Create a new file or overwrite an existing file
by attaching (>) to a command that produces
output
• To append to an existing file, use two
redirection symbols (>>)

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 37

Chapter Summary

• OS controls all computer resources and provides

the base upon which application programs can be
used or written
• A server-based network is centralized (handled
by the system administrator)
• A peer-to-peer network is decentralized
• UNIX/Linux are multi-user, multitasking

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 38

Chapter Summary (continued)

• UNIX/Linux systems can be configured as

servers, client workstations, client/server
workstations, or stand-alone
• The concept of the layered components that
make up an OS originated with UNIX
• Linux is a UNIX-like OS for a PC
• You communicate with the OS programs through
an interpreter called the shell

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 39

Chapter Summary (continued)

• The system administrator sets up accounts for

users that supply a username and password
• You work with UNIX by typing commands that
you can learn by referring to the online manual
called man pages

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 40

Chapter Summary (continued)

• Most shells provide basic command-line editing

capabilities and keep a history of your most
recently used commands
• You can view the contents of files with view
commands such as cat, less, more, head, and tail

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 41

Chapter 1 Unix Exercises
• Work through Hands-on Projects
at end of chapter 1
• Canvas: Review Questions 1
- (Do not do questions 22,23,24
and 25 on All Unix Chapters!)
• Read chapter 2 before next class
session
• Quiz 1 UNIX…

Chapter 1 Unix (42 slides) CTEC 110 42