Guide to Open Source Software: Linux Section

Introduction to Linux

Linux refers to the hundreds of different versions ("distros") of Operating Systems based on the Linux Kernel, which controls the core computer tasks. A listing and analysis of the most popular distros is found at DistroWatch. Some distros are very challenging, so in this guide we will instruct you in how to download and use Knoppix, a very easy version of linux that most Windows users can learn quickly. It allows you to use Linux booting from CD, so you never even have to install it to your hard drive.

Here is a list of topics in this section:

1. Advantages to Linux: The advantages of this power operating system.
2. Disadvantages of Linux: Reasons why you might not want to use Linux.
3. How to install KnoppixLinux: How to obtain and install Knoppix Linux.
4. How to use Knoppix Linux": A basic introduction to using Knoppix Linux.
5. Screenshot: A picture of a Knoppix desktop.

Advantages to Linux

• Cost: Linux is FREE!!
• Features: Linux contains an extremely powerful command line that no Windows user could hope to replicate.
• Stability: Linux computers have been know to run for months without ever needing to restart, while Windows may crash twice a day.
• compatability: Linux can run on very old 386 computers, but it can also run on supercomputers with hundreds of processors, and everything in between.
• Security: Linux computers are far more secure than Windows computers, which is why they run the majority of the Internet's webservers.

Disadvantages of Linux

• Complexity: For basic use, most distros are as easy to use as Windows. Using advanced features however requires skill and study.
• Number of options: Having hundreds of different distros available can increase flexibility, but it can also make it hard to choose.
• User interface: Most Linux graphical user interfaces are not as user-friendly as Windows.

How to install Knoppix Linux

Download Knoppix

1. Knoppix, like all Linux distros, can be downloaded from many different "mirror sites", which are listed on each distro's main page, or on websites like LinuxQuestions which catalot the mirrors for a large number of distros.
2. For this guide, go to the LinuxQuestions Knoppix page, because it has links to download many versions of linux, not just Knoppix.
3. Make sure you are looking at the "X86" section, which will run on all Windows-compatible computers, and click on one of the links labeled "ISO1" and download the image file to your computer.

Burn Knoppix to a CD

1. Burn the image file you just downloaded (KNOPPIX_V3.6-2004-08-16-EN.iso) to a CD. We will give instructions using the popular Nero Burning Rom 6 burning program.
1. Click "Open" on the new compilation screen, or under the "File" menu at the top of the window, select the file you downloaded.
2. Click the "Burn" button in the burning screen that will come up.
3. Most other CD Burning programs have very similar procedures for burning ISO image files, consult your CD burning software's documentation if it is different.

Note: If for some reason you cannot burn the image file, then you can order a CD from LinuxCentral which sells linux CDs very cheap only for the cost of production and shipping.

2. Insert your Knoppix CD into your CD-ROM drive and turn on, or restart, your computer. The computer may ask you to hit a key to boot from the CD-ROM drive. If it does, hit any key. Knoppix should load automatically after this.
   

   Note: If your computer starts loading Windows instead of Knoppix, then you must configure your computer to boot from the CD-ROM before the hard drive. This is done by pressing a key, usually delete or F-12, while your computer is starting, then configuring your BIOS appropriately. Consult your computer or motherboard's documentation for more details.

How to use Knoppix Linux

Even a cursory glance at the full capabilities of Knoppix could fill pages. However, to get started using the internet and word processing, simply click on the icons for Konqueror the web browser, and Open Office, the Office suite. They are the rightmost two program icons on Knoppix's version of the Start Bar. The leftmost icon contains links to most of the installed programs, such as games and network tools, and system settings. Knoppix has put icons you can use to access your Windows formatted (FAT32 or NTFS) hard drives on the desktop. Users should feel free to explore. Since Knoppix is not installed to your hard drive, there is no way you can hurt your computer.

Screenshot

This is a picture of a Knoppix desktop, which you can see is not all that different from a Windows desktop:

Click here for a full size image