Linux is a freely-distributable implementation of UNIX for 80386 and 80486 machines. It supports a wide range of software, including X Windows, Emacs, TCP/IP networking (including SLIP), the works. This document assumes that you have heard of and know about Linux, and just want to sit down and install it.
If you have never heard of Linux before, there are several sources
of basic information about the system. One is the Linux
Frequently Asked Questions list (FAQ), available from
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/FAQ. This document
contains many common questions (and answers!) about Linux---it
is a ``must read'' for new users.
In the directory /pub/Linux/docs on sunsite.unc.edu
you'll find a number of other documents about Linux, including the
Linux INFO-SHEET and META-FAQ, both of which you should
read.
Also take a look at the USENET newsgroups
comp.os.linux.help and comp.os.linux.announce.
Another source of online Linux documentation is the Linux HOWTO
archive, on sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO. The
file HOWTO-INDEX in that directory explains what Linux
HOWTOs are available.
The Linux Documentation Project is writing a set of manuals and books
about Linux, all of which are freely distributable on the net.
The directory /pub/Linux/docs/LDP on
sunsite.unc.edu contains the current set of LDP manuals.
The book ``Linux Installation and Getting Started'' is a complete
guide to getting and installing Linux, as well as how to use the
system once you've installed it. It contains a complete tutorial
to using and running the system, and much more information than
is contained here. This HOWTO is simply a condensation of some of
the most important information in that book. You can get
``Linux Installation and Getting Started'' from
sunsite.unc.edu in /pub/Linux/docs/LDP/install-guide.
The README file there describes how you can order a printed
copy of the book (about 180 pages).
New versions of the Linux Installation HOWTO will be periodically
posted to comp.os.linux.announce, comp.os.linux.help,
and news.answers.
They will also be uploaded to various Linux FTP sites, including
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO.
If you have questions or comments about this document, please feel
free to mail Matt Welsh, at mdw@sunsite.unc.edu. I welcome
any suggestions, criticism, or postcards. If you find
a mistake with this document, please let me know so I can correct it
in the next version. Thanks.
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