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edits
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→Using Linux/Unix at Seneca
== What is an Operating System? ==
A computer can’t do anything useful without a program — a program is defined as data and a list set of instructions to follow.
An operating system (OS) is a collection of programs which that manage hardware and control the basic operation interact with users, some of the computer, includingthese tasks include:
* Allocating Allocate resources (memory, disk space, network bandwidth, access to devices)* Managing Manage files* StartingStart, stoppingstop, and controlling control other programs* Enforcing basic system Enforce security
== Evolution of Unix and Linux ==
* interactive - i.e. users can use the computer directly, and immediately see the results of their actions
* a multitasking environment - the operating system creates the illusion of performing multiple tasks at the same time by rapidly switching between them
* a Multimulti-user environment - it provides features necessary to support multiple users, including file security and the ability to interact with several people at once.* Unix became very popular because Bell Labs (AT&T) distributed it at almost no cost to colleges and universities, which who then taught students operating system systems programming using the Unix source code; these students later entered the industry and wanted to continue to use this powerful, familiar operating system.
* Hardware vendors appreciated an operating system which could easily be configured for new hardware, rather than reinventing the wheel each time a new family of computers was introduced. In fact, Unix/Linux now runs on system ranging from watches to huge mainframes.
* Unix and the Internet grew up hand-in-hand (the DARPANET project, precursor to the Internet, was approved in April 1969 — the same month that Bell pulled out of the Multics project and began the development of Unix; throughout the history of the Internet, the Unix OS has provided its platform.
* MATRIX - Practice & perform Linux commands
* SCS - main Computer Studies web server
* MY.SENECACOLLEGE.CA (Blackboard) - College LMSLearning Management System
* With rare exceptions (notably my.senecacollege.ca), most college servers are available under servername.senecac.on.ca
