SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD

BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM

Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System

1. History of Unix Operating System

2. Definition of Kernel, Shell, File, Process
3. System Calls, Linux Operating System
4. Features of Unix and Linux Operating System
5. Application area of Linux Operating System
6. Various Linux Flavors
7. Desktop Environment : (a) X Window Basics (b) KDE
Basics (c) GNOME Basics
8. Advantages and Disadvantages of Linux

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
Introduction
UNIX is an operating system which was first developed in the 1960s, and has been under
constant development ever since. By operating system, we mean the suite of programs which
make the computer work. It is a stable, multi-user, multi-tasking system for servers, desktops
and laptops.

UNIX and Linux systems also have a graphical user interface (GUI) similar to Microsoft
Windows which provides an easy to use environment.

History of UNIX Operating System

1957 - Bell Labs found they needed an operating system for their computer center that at the
time was running various batch jobs. The BESYS operating system was created at Bell Labs
to deal with these needs.

The history of UNIX dates back to the mid-1960s when the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, AT&T Bell Labs, and General Electric were jointly developing an experimental
time sharing operating system called Multics for the GE-645 mainframe.

 UNIX development was started in 1969 at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey.

 Bell Laboratories was (1964–1968) involved on the development of a multi-user,
time-sharing operating system called Multics (Multiplexed Information and
Computing System).
 Multics was a failure. In early 1969, Bell Labs withdrew from the Multics project.
 Bell Labs researchers who had worked on Multics (Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie,
Douglas McIlroy, Joseph Ossanna, and others) still wanted to develop an operating
system for their own and Bell Labs’ programming, job control, and resource usage
needs.
 When Multics was withdrawn Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie needed to rewrite
an operating system in order to play space travel on another smaller machine (a DEC
PDP-7 [Programmed Data Processor 4K memory for user programs).
 The result was a system called UNICS (UNiplexed Information and Computing
Service) which was an 'emasculated Multics'.
 The first version of UNIX was written in the low-level PDP-7 assembler language.
 1972 Ritchie rewrote B and called the new language C.
 In 1973 Dennis Ritchie collaborated with Ken Thompson to rewrite the programming
code for the Unix system in the C programming language.

 In 1975 Berkeley released its own version of Unix known by its distribution arm
Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). This BSD version of Unix became a major
contender to the AT&T Bell Labs version.

 It went through many revisions and gained in popularity until 1977, when it was first
made commercially available by Interactive Systems Corporation.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 At the same time a team from the University of California at Berkeley was working to
improve UNIX. In 1977 it released the first Berkeley Software Distribution, which
became known as BSD. Over time this won favor through innovations such as the C
shell.

 Meanwhile the AT&T version was developing in different ways. The 1978 release of
Version 7 included the Bourne Shell for the first time.

 By 1983 commercial interest was growing and Sun Microsystems produced a UNIX
workstation. System V appeared directly descended from the original AT&T UNIX
and the prototype of the more widely used variant today.

Definition of Kernel, Shell, File, Process

The kernel
 The kernel of UNIX is the hub of the operating system: it allocates time and memory to
programs and handles the file store and communications in response to system calls.
 Kernel is the central core component of a Unix operating system (OS).
 A Kernel is the main component that can control everything within Unix OS.
 It is the first program that is loaded on startup of Unix OS. Once it is loaded it will manage
the rest of the startup process.
 Kernel manages memory, scheduling as well as communication with peripherals like
printers, keyboards etc.
 But Kernel does not directly interact with a user. For a new task, Kernel will spawn a shell
and user will work in a shell.
 Kernel provides many system calls. A software program interacts with Kernel by using
system calls.
 Kernel has a protected memory area that cannot be overwritten accidentally by any
process.

The shell
 The shell acts as an interface between the user and the kernel. When a user logs in, the
login program checks the username and password, and then starts another program called
the shell. The shell is a command line interpreter (CLI). It interprets the commands the
user types in and arranges for them to be carried out. The commands are themselves
programs: when they terminate, the shell gives the user another prompt (% on our
systems).

 The adept user can customize his/her own shell, and users can use different shells on the
same machine.
 The term shell derives its name from the fact that it is an outer layer of an operating
system. A shell is an interface between the user and the internal parts of the operating
system (at the very core of which is the kernel).

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 If the shell finds more than one name beginning with those letters you have typed, it will
beep, prompting you to type a few more letters before pressing the tab key again.

Files and processes

 Everything in UNIX is either a file or a process.
 A file is a collection of data. They are created by users using text editors, running
compilers etc.
 Another way to look at it is that file is a collection of data that can be referred to by
name.
 In UNIX a file is just a destination for or a source of a stream of data.
Examples of files:

 a text document;
 a program written in a programming language such as C++ or Java;
 a jpeg image;
 a directory: directories can be thought of as the analogue of Windows’ folders.
Directories are files that contain links to other files.

Processes
 A process is an executing or a program that is currently running program. Processes
are also frequently referred to as tasks.
 So a process may be associated with a file. The file stores the instructions that are
executed for that process to run. A process is an executing program identified by a
unique PID (process identifier).

 Processes are dynamic entities in that they are constantly changing as their machine
code instructions are executed by the CPU.
 Each process consists of (1) system resources that are allocated to it, (2) a section of
memory, (3) security attributes (such as its owner and its set of permissions) and (4)
the processor state.
 This means that the maximum number of processes in the system is limited by the
size of the task vector; by default it has 512 entries.
 As processes are created, a new task_struct is allocated from system memory and
added into the task vector. To make it easy to find, the current, running, process is
pointed to by the current pointer.
 Although the task_struct data structure is quite large and complex, but its fields can be
divided into a number of functional areas:
State
 As a process executes it changes state according to its circumstances. Linux
processes have the following states:
1) Running:
 The process is either running (it is the current process in the system) or it is ready
to run (it is waiting to be assigned to one of the system's CPUs).

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
2) Waiting:
 The process is waiting for an event or for a resource. Linux differentiates between
two types of waiting process; interruptible and uninterruptible. Interruptible
waiting processes can be interrupted by signals whereas uninterruptible waiting
processes are waiting directly on hardware conditions and cannot be interrupted
under any circumstances.
3) Stopped:
 The process has been stopped, usually by receiving a signal. A process that is
being debugged can be in a stopped state.

System Calls. , Linux Operating System

System Calls.
 A system call (also called a "syscall") is an instruction, similar to the "add" instruction or
the "jump" instruction. At a higher level, a system call is the way a user level program
asks the operating system to do something for it. If you're writing a program, and you need
to read from a file, you use a system call to ask the operating system to read the file for
you.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System

 A system call is just a user space request of a kernel service.

 The operating system kernel provides many services.
 When your program wants to write or read from a file, start to listen for connections
on a socket, delete or create directory, or even to finish its work, a program uses a
system call.
 In other words, a system call is just a C kernel space function that user space
programs call to handle some request.
 The Linux kernel provides a set of these functions and each architecture provides its
own set.
 For example: the x86_64 provides 322 system calls and the x86 provides 358
different system calls.
 System calls can also be viewed as clearly-defined, direct entry points into the kernel
through which programs request services from the kernel.
 They allow programs to perform tasks that would not normally be permitted.
 System calls can be classified into six groups: process management, inter process
communication, memory management, file system, initialization and other.
 The kernel maintains a list of all registered system calls in the system call table.
 This table assigns each valid system call a unique system call number which cannot
be changed or recycled.
 Processes do not refer to system calls by name, but rather by their system call number.

Introduction to the Linux Operating System

 Linux is an operating system or a kernel which is distributed under an open source license.
It is an idea in the mind of young and bright Linus Torvalds when he was a computer
science student. He used to work on the UNIX OS (proprietary software) and thought that
it needed improvements.

What is Linux?
Just like Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X, Linux is an open source
operating system. An operating system is software that manages all of the hardware

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
resources associated with your desktop or laptop. To put it simply – the operating system
manages the communication between your software and your hardware.
 In 1991, hardware was expanding rapidly, and DOS was the king of operating
systems.
 Software development was slower, and Macs, while better, were also much pricier
than PCs.
 Linus Torvalds was a Helsinki university student who liked playing around with
software and computers, and in 1991 he announced the creation of a new core
operating system that he had named Linux.
 It is now one of the most used systems for the PC, and is particularly suitable for
businesses with small IT budgets.
 Linux is free to use and install, and is more reliable than almost all other systems,
running for many months and even years without a reboot being necessary.
 Linux is free to download, edit and distribute. Linux is a very powerful operating
system and it is gradually becoming popular throughout the world.

 Linux is a free Unix-type computer operating system, Linux is introduce in 1991

created by Linus Torvalds. The source code is freely available to everyone so that it is
also called Open Source operating system.
 LINUX is a multi-user and multi-tasking operating system.
 Thus the system can be used by more than one user in the same time and can perform
multiple operations simultaneously.
 The users of the system have limited rights to use the system and these rights are
given by the system administrator who has access to the root account.
 Each user has a private directory called home, in the system.
 This is the main working directory of the user.
 The users cannot reach and modify the other directories and files except for the shared
ones.
 On the other hand the root has unlimited rights; it can reach and modify all the
directories and files. To avoid such troubles it is better to login to the system as an
ordinary user for everyday use.

Linux Vs Windows
S.NO Linux Windows

1. Linux is a open source operating While windows are the not the open
system. source operating system.

2. Linux is free of cost. While it is costly.

3. It’s file name case-sensitive. While it’s file name is case-insensitive.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
S.NO Linux Windows

4. In linux, monolithic kernel is used. While in this, micro kernel is used.

5. Linux is more efficient in comparison While windows are less efficient.

of windows.

6. There is forward slash is used for While there is back slash is used for
Separating the directories. Separating the directories.

7. Linux provides more security than While it provides less security than
windows. linux.

8. Linux is widely used in hacking While windows does not provide much
purpose based systems. efficiency in hacking.

9. Linux file naming convention in case In Windows, you cannot have 2 files
sensitive. Thus, sample and SAMPLE with the same name in the same folder.
are 2 different files in Linux/Unix
operating system.

Features of UNIX and Linux Operating System

The UNIX operating system supports the following features and capabilities:
1) Portability:
 The system is written in high-level language making it easier to read, understand, change
and, therefore move to other machines. The code can be changed and complied on a new
machine.

2) Machine-independence:
 The System hides the machine architecture from the user, making it easier to write
applications that can run on micros, mins and mainframes.

3) Multi-Tasking:
 Unix is a powerful multi-tasking operating system; it means when a active task in process,
there can be a simultaneous background process working too. Unix handles these active
and background threads efficiently and manages the system resources in a fair-share
manner.

4) Multi-User Operations:

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 UNIX is a multi-user system designed to support a group of users simultaneously. The
system allows for the sharing of processing power and peripheral resources, white at the
same time providing excellent security features.

5) Hierarchical File System:

 UNIX uses a hierarchile file structure to store information. This structure has the
maximum flexibility in grouping information in a way that reflects its natural state. It
allows for easy maintenance and efficient implementation.

6) UNIX shell:
 UNIX has a simple user interface called the shell that has the power to provide the
services that the user wants.

7) Pipes and Filters:

 UNIX has facilities called Pipes and Filters which permit the user to create complex
programs from simple programs.

8) Utilities:
 UNIX has over 200 utility programs for various functions. New utilities can be built
effortlessly by combining existing utilities.

Following are some of the important features of Linux Operating System.

 Portable – Portability means softwares can works on different types of hardwares in
same way. Linux kernel and application programs supports their installation on any
kind of hardware platform.
 Open Source – Linux source code is freely available and it is community based
development project. Multiple teams’ works in collaboration to enhance the
capability of Linux operating system and it is continuously evolving.
 Multi-User – Linux is a multiuser system means multiple users can access system
resources like memory/ ram/ application programs at same time.
 Multiprogramming – Linux is a multiprogramming system means multiple
applications can run at same time.
 Hierarchical File System – Linux provides a standard file structure in which system
files/ user files are arranged.
 Shell – Linux provides a special interpreter program which can be used to execute
commands of the operating system. It can be used to do various types of operations,
call application programs etc.
 Security – Linux provides user security using authentication features like password
protection/ controlled access to specific files/ encryption of data.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
Application area of Linux Operating System
1) Servers:
 Linux has occupied the server market. Apache is a powerful web server. Postfix,
Sendmail are all powerful e-mail server applications that are built to run on Linux.
 Spam and anti-spam server software was built originally for Linux and then ported to
Windows
 Linux has what every server wants: stability, reliability and a high uptime rate.
 Server security is one reason why many companies prefer to run Linux.

2) Desktops, Laptops, Netbooks:

 Linux had a bad reputation of being hard to install at first.
 But the open source developers quickly addressed the situation to improve installation
and hardware detection.
 Linux has carried its stability, reliability, and uptime features to consumers in the
desktop, laptop, and netbook markets.
 Linux is designed to work with very low hardware and memory requirements and it
performs outstandingly on the high performance computers.

3) Cell Phones:
 Is that a Motorola RAZR you are using? Or is it a ROCKR? Maybe it’s a T-Mobile
G1? But you are already using Linux in your cell phone.
 While you have to close all your programs to free up memory on your cell phone in
Windows devices, your Linux handset takes care of it automatically, and brings that
famous server reliability to your handset.
4) Mobile Internet Devices:
 Yet another area Linux has conquered are the mobile Internet devices or MIDs, such
as the Nokia’s N800 and N810, in which Intel sees a lot of prospects for the future.
 They actually run Ubuntu. So instead of getting a MID on which you can only use
what you are given, you can install a program from the Ubuntu repositories and
customize it as you want.

Various Linux Flavors

1) Debian
 Debian is regarded as the largest Linux distribution to date in terms of users.
 It is renowned for its stability and quality and its interoperability with other software.
 It has a very large following and over 59,000 packages you can add to it.
 It is very stable and friendly.
 Currently on Debian Version 10.5, Debian Buster.

2) Ubuntu
 Created and maintained by Canonical, Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux
distros enjoyed across the globe by beginners, intermediate users, and professionals

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
alike. Ubuntu was specifically designed for beginners in Linux or those transitioning
from mac and Windows.
 Ubuntu ships with GNOME desktop environment with every day out-of-the-box
applications such as Firefox, LibreOffice, and image editing applications such
as GIMP, music players, and video players such as Audacious and Rhythmbox.
 The latest version is Ubuntu 20.04 LTS codenamed Focal Fossa.

3) Fedora
 Fedora has for a while now used the DNF package manager ( and still uses it as its
default package manager) and offers the latest and the very best in RPM software
packages.
 The latest Fedora is Fedora 32.

4) OpenSUSE
 It is a comprehensive package with some good documentation.
 The following is helpful and informative and there are lots of packages available for
it.
 There is however some controversy over a deal it has with Microsoft, something
about use of patents.
 The OpenSUSE project is a modern and comprehensive community project that
provides 2 main SUSE branches: SUSE Leap which is a point release that targets
desktop users as well as enterprise development and for testing purposesIt does have
graphical tools for an administrator.
 Current release is 11.1

5) Mandriva
 It is one of the distributions that offer both free and commercial versions of the
software.
 The first release was named Mandrake Linux and based on Red Hat Linux (version
5.1) and KDE 1 in July 1998.
 The commercial version is regarded as one of the best distros for newbies.
 Current version is Mandriva 2009.1.

6) Slackware
 This is allegedly the oldest Linux distribution still around today.
 It is supposed to be the cleanest and most bug free edition available, but seems quite
hard core.
 You definitely need skills to get into Slackware.
 It lags a little behind other distributions and doesn’t have all the cool bits to make
your desktop smart.
 Current version 12.2

7) FreeBSD

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 It is primarily directed a server applications and is rated as one of the most stable.
 It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that some of the more popular distros have
but if you need something to run a server, you can’t go wrong with this.
 Current version 7.2.

8) Mint
 It is based on Ubuntu, but is developed mainly ‘on demand’.
 The programmers have forums and feedback loops which they subscribe to.
 They listen and try to implement the best suggestions into the distribution.
 It has many specific tools, and to my mind is the most useable out of the box.
 Current version is Mint 6 Felicia.

9) PCLinuxOS

 Despite the not so catchy name this distribution is supposed to be very good for the
Linux newcomer.
 Another distro that works out of the box, natively supporting lots of hardware.
 The documentation and website are pretty good if a little disorganized.
 This one also seems to be English only, so if you speak something other, then you had
best look elsewhere.
 Current version is PCLinuxOS 2009.1

10) Redhat
 Red Hat Enterprise commercializes its Linux distribution intended for Servers and
workstations.
 It is the most favored version of Linux OS and relies on open source Fedora version.
 This version caters to long releases to ensure stability among its features.
 The core software is free and open-source.

11) CentOS
 CentOS is a community version of Redhat.
 It is a community project that takes the Red Hat Enterprise Linux code, removes all
Red Hat’s trademarks, and makes it available for free use and distribution.
 It is available free, and support comes from the community as opposed to Redhat
itself.

12) TinyCore:-
 Very small footprint (10Mb once installed) Linux, suitable for old hardware or low
specification machines / embedded devices.
 It ships with a minimal desktop but no applications: the user is left to install what they
require. Ideal for ancient hardware or occasional use.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
13) Zorin OS
 Zorin OS is another Linux distro based on Ubuntu binaries. It's is easing the move
from Windows to Linux.
 Zorin adds various tools to the standard Ubuntu ones to aid this transition. It comes
with a full-set of applications pre-installed, so it is ready to use out of the box.

Desktop Environment: (a) X Window Basics (b) KDE Basics (c) GNOME
Basics
Overview:
 A desktop environment bundles together a variety of components to provide common
graphical user interface elements such as icons, toolbars, wallpapers, and desktop widgets.
Additionally, most desktop environments include a set of integrated applications and
utilities.

 The user is free to configure their GUI environment in any number of ways. Desktop
environments simply provide a complete and convenient means of accomplishing this
task.

X Window Basics
 X window was designed with a client-server architecture. The applications themselves are
the clients; they communicate with the server and issue requests, also receiving
information from the server.
 The X Window System (sometimes referred to as "X" or as "XWindows") is an open,
cross-platform, client/server system for managing a windowed graphical user interface in
a distributed network.
 X Window, the client-server relationship is reversed from the usual.
 Remote computers contain applications that make client requests for display management
services in each PC or workstation.
 X Window is primarily used in networks of interconnected mainframes, minicomputers,
and workstations.
 The X Window System was the result of research efforts in the early 1980s at Stanford
University and MIT, aided by IBM, to develop a platform-independent graphics protocol.
 The X Window System is an open standard that is managed by the X.Org consortium.
 The X server maintains exclusive control of the display and services requests from the
clients. At this point, the advantages of using this model are pretty clear.
 Applications (clients) only need to know how to communicate with the server, and
need not be concerned with the details of talking to the actual graphics display device.
 At the most basic level, a client tells the server stuff like "draw a line from here to
here", or "render this string of text, using this font, at this position on-screen".

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System

 X model goes a step further. It doesn't constrain the client being in the same computer
as the server.
 The protocol used to communicate between clients and server can work over a
network, or actually, any "inter-process communication mechanism that provides a
reliable octet stream".
 Of course, the preferred way to do this is by using the TCP/IP protocols.
 As we can see, the X model is really powerful; the classical example of this is running
a processor-intensive application on a Cray computer, a database monitor on a Solaris
server, an e-mail application on a small BSD mail server, and a visualization program
on an SGI server, and then displaying all those on my Linux workstation's screen.
 X provides a library called Xlib, which handles all low-level client-server
communication tasks.
 It sounds obvious that, then, the client has to invoke functions contained within Xlib
to get work done.

X Windows history and licensing

 X Windows was developed in 1984 by DEC and MIT
 X11R6 (version 11, release 6) was released by The Open Group in 1995
 X Windows has been maintained as Open Source Software by the X.org Foundation
since 2004.
 X Windows was governed by a license that restricted usage
 XFree86, released in the 1990s, is an Open Source and freely available
 Today, Linux distributions offer X Windows or XFree86 since they are now both
Open Source.
 Fedora Core 6 uses the X Windows (X11) implementation and not the XFree86

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
KDE Basics
 KDE stands for K Desktop Environment. KDE is a desktop environment that aims to be
the best graphical interface between humans and the information they have stored in
computer systems.
 It aims to not only provide the framework but also the applications. The framework draws
on the screen, accepts user input, the applications apply such input to modify the
information, and passes the results back to the framework where they are displayed.
However, it takes time for a computer to do this work. The time between user input and
computer output is called "latency". The longer this time, the less pleasing the experience
is for the user.
 KDE has proved Linux users to make it use as easy as they use windows.
 KDE provides Linux users a graphical interface to choose their own customized desktop
environment.
 You can choose your Graphical Interface among various available GUI interfaces that
have their own look. KDE uses different ways in the Linux operating system

 The Qt Library
 KDE uses as its library of GUI tools the Qt library developed and supported by
Trolltech.
 It is considered one of the best GUI libraries available for Unix/Linux systems.
 Using it, the advantage of relying on a commercially developed and supported GUI
library.
 Trolltech provides the Qt libraries as open source software that is freely distributable.

 Configuration and Administration Access with KDE

 KDE uses a different set of menus and access points than GNOME for accessing
system administration tools.
 There are also different ways to access KDE configuration tasks as well as KDE
system administration tools not available through GNOME is like Control Center,
System, Settings and Utilites.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System

 The KDE Desktop

 KDE provides its own window manager, file manager, program manager and desktop
panel.
 You can run any other X window system compliant application such as firefox, in
KDE as well as any GNOME application.

 The KDE Menus

 KDE panel is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Located on the panel are icons for
menus and programs as well as buttons for different desktop screens.
 The standard KDE applications installed with the KDE can be accessed through this
menu.
 The main menu has most of the same entries as those found on GNOME.

 The KDE Windows

 The KDE windows have the same functionality you find in other window managers
and desktops.
 You can resize the window by clicking and dragging any of its corners or sides.
 The KDE Help Center
 The KDE Help Center provides a browser like interface for accessing and displaying
both KDE help files and Linux info files.
 You can start the Help Center by selecting its entry in the main menu or by right
clicking the desktop and selecting the help entry.
 The KDE Directories and Files
 When KDE is installed on your system its system wise application, configuration and
support files may be installed in the same system directories as other GUIs and user
applications.
 The KDE desktop is developed and distributed by the KDE project, which is a large
open group of hundreds of programmers around the world. KDE is entirely free and
open source code.
 KDE development is managed by a core group.

 Koffice Software
 Like Microsoft office in windows KDE comes with Kword, kpresenter, Kcalc and
Kcontact.
 Moreover, KDE comes with editor like KWrite which is a default text editor of KDE
and better than Notepad of Windows.

 KDE was created in 1996 and uses the K Window Manager (kwin) and Qt toolkit
 The Qt toolkit was not released as Open Source until 1998
 Qt toolkit uses C++

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BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 Since Qt toolkit was not Open Source and uses C++, a new desktop project was created
called GNOME.

GNOME Basics
 As with other common desktop products, the main components of the GNOME desktop
are icons that link to files, folders, or programs, as well as the panel at the bottom of the
screen (similar to the Task Bar in Windows).
 Double-click an icon to start its associated program. Right-click an icon to access
additional menus and options. You can also right-click any empty space on the desktop to
access additional menus for configuring or managing the desktop itself.
 The GNOME desktop is a free, user-friendly desktop environment for UNIX and Linux
operating systems. It also provides a platform for development of new applications. The
version, GNOME 2.10, is available for Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, BSD, and Darwin
platforms.
• GNOME, started in 1997, used Metacity Window Manager and GTK+ toolkit for C
programming language
• GTK+ toolkit was originally developed for the GIMP, Open Source graphics program
• GTK+ is also Open Source
• GNOME is the default desktop of Fedora Core 6, even though KDE is also available

About GNOME:-
 GNOME (GNU Network Object Model Environment) is a graphical user interface
(GUI) and set of computer desktop applications for users of the Linux computer
operating system.
 It's intended to make a Linux operating system easy to use for non-programmers and
generally corresponds to the Windows desktop interface and its most common set of
applications.
 In fact, it allows the user to select one of several desktop appearances, for example, be
made to look like Windows 98 or like Mac OS.

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 SHREE ADARSH BCA COLLEGE - BOTAD
BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 In addition, it includes a set of the same type of applications found in the Windows
Office 97 product: a word processor, a spreadsheet program, a database manager, a
presentation developer, a Web browser, and an e-mail program.
 It is derived from a long-running volunteer effort under the auspices of the Free
Software Foundation(FSF), the organization founded by Richard Stallman.
 Stallman and fellow members of the Free Software Foundation believe that software
source code should always be public and open to change so that it can continually be
improved by others.
 GNU is the Free Software Foundations's own operating system and set of
applications. Linux, the operating system, was developed by Linus Torvalds who,
assisted by contributors, added a kernel to additional operating system components
from GNU.
 GNOME also includes a widget library that programmers can use to develop
applications that use the GNOME user interface.
 In addition to a desktop version, GNOME also comes as a user interface and set of
applications for the handheld PalmPilot.

GNOME uses different ways in the linux operating system.

The GNOME Interface
 The GNOME interface consists of the panel and a desktop.
 The panel appears as a long bar across the bottom of the screen.
 It holds menus, programs and applets.

The GNOME Desktop

 The GNOME desktop provides you with all the capabilities of GUI based operating
systems.
 You can drag files, applications and directories to the desktop and then back to
GNOME compliant applications.

The GNOME Components

 GNOME interface as having four components like the desktop, the panels, the main
menus and the file manager.

The GNOME Volume manager

 Managing DVD/CD-ROMs, readers, floppy disks, digital cameras and other
removable media is the task of the GNOME Volume Manager.

The GNOME Panel

 The panel is the center of the GNOME interface. Through it you can start your
applications, run applets and access desktop areas.

The GNOME Applets

 Applets are small programs that perform tasks within the panel.
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BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 To add an applet, right click the panel and select add to panel from the pop up menu.
 GNOME features a number of helpful applets.
 Some applets monitor your system such as the battery charge monitors which checks
the battery in laptops and system monitors.

The GNOME Window List

 The window list shows currently opened windows.
 The window list arranges opened windows in a series of buttons, one for each
window.
 You can move from one window to another by clicking its button.

The GNOME Directories and Files

 GNOME binaries are usually installed in the /User/bin directory on your system.
 GNOME libraries are located in the /user/lib directory.
 GNOME also has its own include directories with header files for use in compiling
and developing GNOME application.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Linux

Advantages of Linux
 Low cost: There is no need to spend time and huge amount money to obtain licenses
since Linux and much of it's software come with the GNU General Public License.

 Stability: Linux has high stability compared with other operating systems. There is
no need to reboot the Linux system to maintain performance levels. Rarely it freeze
up or slow down.

 Performance: Linux provides high performance on various networks. It has the

ability to handle large numbers of users simultaneously.
 Networking: Linux provides a strong support for network functionality; client and
server systems can be easily set up on any computer running Linux
 Flexibility: Linux is very flexible. Linux can be used for high performance server
applications, desktop applications, and embedded systems. You can install only the
needed components for a particular use. You can also restrict the use of specific
computers.
 Compatibility: It runs all common Unix software packages and can process all
common file formats.
 Wider Choice: There is a large number of Linux distributions which gives you a
wider choice.
 Fast and easy installation: Linux distributions come with user-friendly installation.

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BCA SEM – 4 SUB - ADVANCE OPERATING SYSTEM
Unit-3: Introduction to UNIX and Linux Operating System
 Better use of hard disk: Linux uses its resources well enough even when the hard
disk is almost full.
 Multitasking: Linux is a multitasking operating system. It can handle many things at
the same time.
 Security: Linux is one of the most secure operating systems. File ownership and
permissions make Linux more secure.
 Open source: Linux is an Open source operating systems. You can easily get the
source code for Linux and edit it to develop your personal operating system.

Disadvantages of Linux:
 Understanding – Becoming familiar with the Linux operating system requires
patience as well as a strong learning curve. You must have the desire to read and
figure things out on your own, rather than having everything done for you. Check out
the 20 must read howto’s and guides for Linux.
 Compatibility – Because of its free nature, Linux is sometimes behind the curve
when it comes to brand new hardware compatibility. Sometimes you can find third
party applications, sometimes you can’t.

 Alternative Programs – Though Linux developers have done a great job at creating
alternatives to popular Windows applications, there are still some applications that
exist on Windows that have no equivalent Linux application.
 Easy to change options. Ubuntu comes with a control panel but also comes with a
menu next to the Applications menu where you simply select the thing you want to
change, be it the Desktop background or the network settings. Everything on the
windows that appear is simple and there are just the options you need so it is easy to
change the options.

Assignment
1. Define the following terms.
1. Kernel 2. Shell
2. Write a detail note on Linux. Also Explain Linux flavor and feature.
3. What is UNIX os? Explain history of UNIX operating system.
4. Write a short note on KDE and GNOME in detail.

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