Linux Software - Options for Access and Use

This document describes a variety of options available to students in CGS 2760 Advanced Operating Systems (UNIX/Linux) to gain access to Linux software. None of these options are required for the course. Students may select whichever option is best for them. If you already have access to a distribution of Linux, then you are all set, however you still might be interested in the other options available to you.

WARNING: Do not attempt to install any software for this course on a computer that is critical for other uses! Options are available below that do not require you to install any software to use Linux. Students are advised to review online tutorials about Installing Linux prior to attempting any software installation. Two such places to start are on the Linux Documentation Project web site at

      [http://www.tldp.org/LDP/gs/gs.html]

and a sample chapter (in a Portable Document Format (PDF) file) from an alternative textbook available online at

      [http://vig.pearsoned.com/samplechapter/0130917621.pdf]

The primary considerations effecting your choice will be:

• Do you have a PC that can be used solely for this course? That is not necessary, but you might find it desirable.
• How old is your PC and does it have relatively standard components? Older computers may require and older version of Linux. If you have non-standard (or cutting-edge) components, you might have to wait for a newer (updated) version of Linux for your PC.
• Do you have high-speed access to the Internet? One option involves using a Linux server at IRSC via the Internet. This will work best if you have broadband access such as DSL or cable.
• Do you expect to work on this course from multiple locations? If so, choose an option that is portable or allows remote access.
• Can you devote your entire PC to Linux, or will you still need to keep a copy of Windows installed on that computer? Installation of Linux is easier if it is the only operating system to be used on a PC.
• Do you have an extra hard disk drive or the ability to partition a single disk drive to create a place for Linux software to be installed? Assume that you will need a minimum of 8 MB of space for the Linux installation. You can add Linux to a Windows machine and "dual-boot".

In prior semesters, we used removable hard drive caddies in some of our classrooms to allow us to replace our standard Windows-based student workstation configurations with Linux. But because this course is now offered online some semesters, we are now employing other options.

OPTIONS:

1. Install (on your PC) the Linux distribution that came bundled with your textbook. This option has the advantage of providing a working environment that most closely matches your textbook. This option will require either a dedicated computer or a hard drive partition for this purpose. Linux can be installed in addition to Windows on a PC (creating a "dual-boot" system), but it is less trouble to devote the entire PC to just Linux.
2. Install (on your PC) any Linux distribution acquired on CD or downloaded from the Internet. You might choose the option if you already have a distribution of Linux installed on your PC that you are comfortable with or if the distribution that came on the textbook CD does not work well on your PC. This option may require you to adapt to minor differences between the instructions provided in exercises in your textbook and the workings of your installed distribution. As in Option 1, this option will require either a dedicated computer or a hard drive partition for this purpose. Linux can be installed in addition to Windows on a PC (creating a "dual-boot" system), but it is less trouble to devote the entire PC to just Linux.
3. Install (on your PC) the "made for Windows" Linux emulator named Cygwin. This is a Windows program that emulates (imitates) Linux in a console window. It can be run just like any other Windows program, allowing users to toggle between it and other Windows applications. It is not a true Linux environment, but is suitable for practicing most shell (character-based) commands. I do not expect to assign any graphics-based activities in this course other than viewing web sites, and that can be done using any web browser. Cygwin can be downloaded for free from the web site at [http://www.cygwin.com], which also contains links to the [Cygwin User's Guide] and [Notes about Setting Up Cygwin].
4. Use a "Live CD" distribution that runs from a CD and does not need to be installed. Some distributions of Linux that can run entirely from a CD. Most of them can also be configured to use some available hard disk space to increase its speed. The obvious advantage here is portability and minimal impact on your PC. Such distributions run best on more modern computers, but often will work fine on older machines. If you expect to work on the course from many different locations, this might be a good option for you. Two of the most popular Live CD distributions are [Knoppix] and [Ubuntu] (Note: Ubuntu can also be installed on a fixed disk). Both were developed outside of the United States, but written to work under many languages. Both can be downloaded for free from their web sites. For more information on other "Live CD" distributions, see the [online article by Russ Hunter].
5. Remotely access the account provided for each student in this course on an IRSC server running Linux. These accounts are typically setup within the first week of classes, near the end of the drop/add period. This option will relieve you from having to download or install any distribution of Linux; however you will need to use a secure (SSH/Telnet protocol) remote login client to access our server. You can download and install a popular freeware package named PuTTY. After installing it on your PC, you can use your Blackboard username and password to logon to the IRSC Student Linux server named student.irsc.edu. It is a Linux host. You will have an ordinary user account on this server, but will not have administrative (root user) access. This will restrict some of the activities that you can perform with this option. You will be able to work from anywhere with Internet access (broadband speeds are preferable, but not essential), but the PC must have an SSH/Telnet client installed first. For detailed instructions on using PuTTY to access the IRSC Student Server, retrieve the Adobe® PDF file entitled Using PuTTY to Access the IRSC Student (Linux) Server.

For more information on these options, contact your instructor.