Really dumb newbie question

Printable View

July 27th, 2002, 08:34 PM
neutral

Really dumb newbie question

I know what DOS is, is Unix an operating system too? And what is Linux?
Sorry for being so ignorant. I am just a super newbie.
-neutral
July 27th, 2002, 08:40 PM
Joey_Batch_File

Yes, Unix is an OS, and Linux is also a OS...

Are you looking for information on the OS's?
July 27th, 2002, 08:41 PM
rcgreen

Yes, DOS, UNIX, LINUX, and Windows are all operating systems.
The OS supervises the computer and enables the other programs
you run.
:cool:
July 27th, 2002, 08:43 PM
neutral

Thanks. What is the difference between Linux and Unix? And: Can I still have DOS if I have Linux?
July 27th, 2002, 08:47 PM
Syini666

yeah, it depends, you can have ZipSlack Linux on the same partition as windows/dos. For other versions of linux such as SuSE or Red Hat, you have to make another partition on your hard drive, and use a program like lilo to let you choose which one you want to use.
July 27th, 2002, 09:05 PM
er0k

Unix is what linux is run on basically, but unix by itself is just a command line OS like DOS. And no, you cant run 2'OS's at once on the same computer. you could partition your harddrive to have DOS and UNIX but you cant run them at the same time.
July 27th, 2002, 09:11 PM
Sudo

Quote:

Originally posted here by er0k
And no, you cant run 2'OS's at once on the same computer. you could partition your harddrive to have DOS and UNIX but you cant run them at the same time.

Actually, yes you can if you use an emulator such as VMware or Win4Lin. Vmware can emulate any X86 OS.

--Sudo
August 29th, 2002, 04:02 PM
Later_Gator

those were some great questions.. im a newbie here too.. and didnt know the answer to those either...

i guess the only dumb question is the one not asked...

melissa
August 29th, 2002, 05:20 PM
Quad

Quote:

Originally posted here by er0k
Unix is what linux is run on basically, but unix by itself is just a command line OS like DOS. And no, you cant run 2'OS's at once on the same computer. you could partition your harddrive to have DOS and UNIX but you cant run them at the same time.

Unix is what linux is run on basically, but unix by itself is just a command line OS like DOS.

Linux doesn't run on Unix. Linux runs on it's own. linux was modeled after the Unix OS's. Linux is similar in functionallity, but it's not UNIX.

Also XFree86 projects X server will also run on UNIX. Then you can run KDE, GNOME, or Another window manager of your choice to give it a "window-like" interface.
August 29th, 2002, 05:25 PM
Ennis

Operating Systems Explained
______________________________________________

This might help dude, probably not but oh well.

One of the greatest technological advances of the modern age was the development of the OS or Operating System. They allocate storage for programs and carryout various tasks. They act as an interface between user and computer.
They must interpet the users commands to the appropiate hardware/software. The OS provides a vital link between us and our hardware, in the first development of microcomputers the OS was contained entirely on ROM [Read Only Memory], however it is too hard to alter whereas modern OS systems can be easily configured by a fairly experianced user.
Today the most widely used OS is MS-DOS, if you dont know it, well you should as its the OS for the GUI [graphical user interface] many of you are now using Windows.
Perhaps the more respected Operating System is Unix, developed in 1971 and is the internets main OS.

As you can guess from the name the OS is the software that operates your PC. However it is not the most basic element of the PC. It is the most basic system many users tend to notice. The OS gives users the ability to give commands. Early OS systems such as MS-DOS, APPLE-DOS and PC-DOS contain the three letters DOS. Why you may ask well, DOS stands for Disc Operating System which is what the OS most basic task is, to control disc access and storage.

Lets take a look at what is between the general user and the hardware of his/her PC.

YOU the user
..................
Applications
....................
The Operating System
......................
BIOS
........................
The Hardware
...........................

What can we do with the Operating System
a. Obtain a list of files on the discs
b. Find out how much free space is available
c. Copy files from one device to another
d. Join together different files
e. Delete obselete files
f. Create new files
g. Select different input/output devices

So thats the basic introduction the Operating System. Next I hope to post tutorials on the following OS.
-Windows
-Unix