Linux Unleashed, Third Edition:Introduction to Linux
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Copyrights
Just because Linux is distributed free, it doesn’t mean the software is not copyrighted. Linux is copyrighted under the GNU General Public License (GPL) which is known in the programming community as a “copyleft” instead of “copyright” because it allows you to redistribute the Linux software to anyone who wants it, along with the complete source code. However, the original owner of the components retains the copyrights to the software.
There is no warranty of any kind with Linux. Even if you buy the Linux software from someone and pay them for maintenance, you cannot ever deal with the Linux programmers themselves. They make no statement of functionality at all. If Linux destroys all your accounting data, for example, it’s tough luck. You assume the risk. However, it’s also true that Linux has proven itself very stable and there are no incidents of serious data damage that were not caused by user error! Another way of looking at the issue is that if you are going to trust your business to Linux, you may be better off buying a commercial UNIX system that does have a warranty.
According to the GNU GPL, you can even sell Linux, if someone is willing to pay for it. You can modify any of the code and repackage it as you want. However, you do not own the software and cannot claim copyright, even if you have modified the source code. One condition imposed by the GNU GPL is that you must provide all source code with the system if you sell it for profit, so others can further modify and sell it, too.
There are no royalties of shareware fees paid to the authors and developers of Linux. For the most part, they provide the software to end users simply for the true love of programming and to share their code with other programmers who appreciate it.
Getting Help
Linux does not have a telephone support line. In one sense, you are on your own when you install Linux. On the other hand, there are many thousands of Linux users who are willing to help everyone from neophyte to experienced programmer. All you have to know is where to look for help. There are two sources: written documentation and the user community.
The first exposure most people get to Linux is the Linux INFO-SHEET, a relatively short ASCII document that is available from Usenet, BBSs, and many user groups. The INFO-SHEET is a quick summary of Linux and is posted at regular intervals to the Linux newsgroups on Usenet.
The Linux Documentation Project was created to provide a complete set of public domain documentation for Linux. From a few rough installation notes a couple of years ago, the documentation has expanded to include almost a thousand pages, some very good, some not. The following primary documents are currently available or soon to be released:
• Linux Installation—how to install and configure Linux
• Linux User’s Guide—a guide for first-time users
• Linux System Administrator’s Guide—a guide to various aspects of system administration
• Linux Network Administration Guide—setting up and using networks
• Linux Kernel Hacker’s Guide—a guide to modifying the Linux kernel
As well as these primary documents, there are about a dozen smaller guides to specific or esoteric aspects of Linux. These smaller guides are called “How to” documents. Together, they form a growing document suite that covers practically every aspect of Linux. Not all the documents are up-to-date, as changes to the operating system have occurred since they were first written.
The Linux documents have been written by several different people, so the styles and layout are not consistent. However, these documents are available with most distributions of the software. A bound printed copy of the documentation set of the Linux Documentation Project is available, published by Linux Systems Labs.
A number of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) files are available through the Linux newsgroups on Usenet and as part of the distribution set. The FAQs tend to be quick problem-solving items, designed to save you from thumbing through many pages of online documentation. One FAQ called the META-FAQ is available and provides basic information about Linux, where to get it, and the documentation that goes with it. It, too, is regularly posted to newsgroups.
There is a file called the Linux Software Map (LSM) that contains a list of many of the components in Linux. Unfortunately, the LSM is incomplete and lacks considerable chunks of data. However, it is a good starting point if you want to see what is included with Linux. The LSM is updated at intervals and can be obtained from Usenet, from a Linux FTP site, or with many distribution sets.
Finally, there are the Linux mailing lists, available to anyone with email to the Internet (or forwarded by someone with access). Information on the Linux mailing lists (there are quite a few) is available from Usenet newsgroups or BBSs.
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