Linux Operating System

Falak Naaz Zamindar & Sonali Jomraj

Computer Engineering
Pravin Patil Polytechnic ,Bhayandar(E.)
Naazfalak28@gmail.com , sonali.jomraj@gmail.com
9769028782,7769948325
Abstract: The main intention of this paper is educate the users of the Linux Operating system
and why would you want to use it. The main component of Linuxis the Linux kernel, the
Linux kernel was developed and released by Linus Torvalds on 5 th October 1991 Linux was
originally developed as a free operating system for Intelbased personal computers, but has
since been ported to more computer hardware platforms than any other operating system.
The Linux OS is frequently packaged as a Linux distribution for both desktop and
server use, and includes the Linux kernel (the core of the operating system) as well as
supporting tools and libraries. Popular Linux OS distributions include Debian, Ubuntu,
Fedora, Red Hat and openSUSE. It is the leading operating system on servers and other
big systems such as mainframe computers and supercomputers, but is used on only around
1% of desktops.

Contents:
1. Concept ofLinuxand why should one use it?
2. Components of Linux
3. What is meant by open source?
4. Applications
5. Advantages and disadvantages.
6. Conclusion.
1. Concept of Linux:
The Linux open source operating system, or Linux OS, is a freely distributable, crossplatform operating system based on Unix that can be installed on PCs, laptops, netbooks,
mobile and tablet devices, video game consoles, servers, supercomputers and
more.Linux computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open-source
software development and distribution. The defining component of Linux is the Linux
kernel,an operating system kernel first released on 5 October 1991 by Linus Torvalds.
The development of Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free and opensource software collaboration. The underlying source code may be used, modified, and
distributedcommercially or non-commerciallyby anyone under licenses such as the GNU

General Public License. Typically, Linux is packaged in a form known as a Linuxdistribution,

for both desktop and server use. Some popular mainstream Linux distributions
include Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora, openSUSE, Arch Linux, and the commercial Red Hat
Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. Linux distributions include the Linux
kernel, supporting utilities and libraries and usually a large amount of application software to
fulfil the distribution's intended use.
The operating system (OS) relays instructions from an application to, for instance, the
computer's processor. The processor performs the instructed task, then sends the results back
to the application via the operating system.
But something sets Linux apart from these operating systems. The Linux operating
system represented a $25 billion ecosystem in 2008. Since its inception in 1991, Linux has
grown to become a force in computing, powering everything from the New York Stock
Exchange to mobile phones to supercomputers to consumer devices.

2. Components of Linux:
Components of Linux System Linux Operating System has primarily three
components

Kernel- Kernel is the core part of Linux. It is responsible for all major
activities of this operating system. It consists of various modules and it
interacts directly with the underlying hardware. Kernel provides the
required abstraction to hide low level hardware details to system or
application programs.
System Library System libraries are special functions or programs using
which application programs or system utilities accesses Kernel's features.
These libraries implements most of the functionalities of the operating
system and do not requires kernel modules code access rights.
System Utility - System Utility programs are responsible to do specialized,
individual level tasks.
General boot sequence of Linux system is given below.

3. What is meant by open source?

As an open operating system, Linux is developed collaboratively, meaning no one

company is solely responsible for its development or ongoing support. Companies
participating in the Linux economy share research and development costs with their partners
and competitors. This spreading of development burden amongst individuals and companies
has resulted in a large and efficient ecosystem and unheralded software innovation.
Over 1,000 developers, from at least 100 different companies, contribute to
every kernel release. In the past two years alone, over 3,200 developers from
200 companies have contributed to the kernel--which is just one small piece of a
Linux distribution.

4. Application:

Troubleshoot Other Computers:

You don't even need to install Linux on a box to make it usefulall you need
is a solid live CD. Just boot from the CD and you can grab any files from the hard
drive, even if the computer won't boot or you've forgotten your password. Linux can
even help if you accidentally formatted your entire drive. Of course, not all system
rescue discs are Linuxand there are a lot of good ones out therebut a bit of basic
Linux knowledge can turn you into a troubleshooting expert.

Host a Web Site or WebApp:

You'd be surprised how many web sites you visit every day actually run on
Linuxand if you want to build a web site, you probably will too. Possibly more
interesting, though, is how you can use a Linux-based web hostlike Dreamhost
to host your own personal RSS reader with Tiny Tiny RSS, or your own Dropbox
clone with OwnCloud. You could, of course, host these on a Linux box in your home,
too. It's a bit more complicated, but it gives you complete control over everything
rather than putting your data in someone else's hands.

Work with Hard Drives and Partitions:

If you dual- or triple-boot your system and ever want to move partitions
around, you'll have a much easier time with a Linux live CD and GParted. Heck, even
if you don't dual-boot, you'll still need a bit of help from Linux if you ever migrate to
a solid-state drive, or upgrade to a more spacious drive. And, if you want to securely
wipe it so no one can get at your data...well, Ubuntu can do that too.

Automate Everything In Your Home:

With a little Linux knowledge and a cheap computerlike the Raspberry Pi
you can create all sorts of tiny home automation gadgets. You can control your home
with Siri, mount a Google Calendar tablet on your wall, set up a home surveillance
system, control your blinds and air conditioner, stream music in your living
room, build a digital photo frame, build a sunrise alarm clock, and Pretty much
anything else you can think of. With a cheap board like the Raspberry Pi and a free
OS like Linux, you're more limited by your imagination than your wallet.

Run a Home Server for Backup, Streaming and More:

If you don't want to leave your computer on 24/7 just to share files or
download torrents, a tiny dedicated Linux box might be a better solution. With an old
computer or a cheap new one, you can put together a home server that stores your
backups, streams movies and musics, seeds torrents, or performs any number of other
tasks quietly in the corner. You can put one together with Nas4Free, FreeNAS, or even
Ubuntuthough our favorite solution is the Linux-based Amahi. (Yes, we know
FreeNAS and NAS4Free are technically FreeBSDbut we're going to lump them in
with Linux for practical purposes.)

Hacking and Security:

Some Linux distributions, like Backtrack or Kali, are security-focused distros
for testing security systems. That means you can use them to learn how to, say, hack
WEP or WPA Wi-Fi passwords, which is a great way to learn a bit more about your
own network security and how to protect yourself from similar attacks. Of course, we
don't recommend using these powers for evilbut knowing evil's tricks gives you a
good path to preventing them.

Revive an Old or Slow PC:

And so we come to one of the most obvious and common uses for Linuxand
still one of the best. If you have a PC that's seen better days, Windows is far from the
ideal OS. Install a lightweight Linux distribution on it (like Ubuntu or, if you're a bit
more savvy, Arch bang) and it'll feel like a new machine again. It may not be able to
do everything your powerful Windows machine can do, but it's better than having a
non-functional computer, and works perfectly for basic tasks.

5. Advantages and Disadvantages:

5.1 Advantages:

Linux is less vulnerable to computer malware.

Flexibility

High Hardware Compatibility

Low System Requirements

Linux is very Stable

5.2 Disadvantages:

No standard edition

Many windows programs will not run properly in Linux

Learning curve

There is a smaller selection of peripheral hardware drivers for Linux

6. Conclusion:
Linux takes a lot of practice, but overall it is a good operating system. Very
secure very customizable. Andits open source they do need to work on packaging but
RPM's are pretty easy. The thing that bothers me about Linux is the software support
in particular game support. There are few to no games for Linux and playing windows
games using wine is tuff and usually doesn't perform well. If Linux fixed there
packaging and had better software support i think it could compete with windows.

7. References:

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Technical Conference, Boston, MA, June 1994.

Matt Blaze. A cryptographic file system for UNIX. In ACM Conference on Computer
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Giuseppe Cattaneo, Luigi Catuogno, Aniello Del Sorbo, and PinoPersiano. The design
and implementation of a transparent cryptographic file system for UNIX. In Clem
Cole, editor, USENIX Annual Technical Conference, FREENIX Track, pages 199212. USENIX, 2001.

Mick Bauer. Paranoid penguin: BestCrypt: Cross-platform filesystem encryption.

Linux Journal, 98:117, June 2002.

Roland C. Dowdeswell and John Ioannidis. The cryptographic disk driver. In

USENIX Annual Technical Conference, FREENIX Track, pages 179-186. USENIX,
2003.

Matthew Scott Rimer and M. FransKaashoek. The secure file system under windows
NT, December 19, 1999.