5 Advanced Features

This chapter will introduce you to some of the more interesting features of Linux. This assumes that you have at least basic UNIX experience, and understand the information contained in the previous chapters.

The most important aspect of Linux that distinguishes it from other implementations of UNIX is its open design and philosophy. Linux was not developed by a small team of programmers headed by a marketing committee with a single goal in mind. It was developed by an ever-increasing group of hackers, putting what they wanted into a homebrew UNIX system. The types of software and diversity of design in the Linux world is large. Some people dislike this lack of uniformity and conformity---however, some call it one of the strongest qualities of Linux.

• 5.1 The X Window System
  • 5.1.1 Hardware requirements
  • 5.1.2 Installing XFree86
  • 5.1.3 Configuring XFree86
  • 5.1.4 Filling in video card information
  • 5.1.5 Running XFree86
  • 5.1.6 Running into trouble
• 5.2 Accessing MS-DOS Files
• 5.3 Networking with TCP/IP
  • 5.3.1 Hardware Requirements
  • 5.3.2 Configuring TCP/IP on your system
    • 5.3.2.1 Your network configuration
    • 5.3.2.2 The networking rc files
    • 5.3.2.3 /etc/hosts
    • 5.3.2.4 /etc/networks
    • 5.3.2.5 /etc/host.conf
    • 5.3.2.6 /etc/resolv.conf
    • 5.3.2.7 Setting your hostname
    • 5.3.2.8 Trying it out
  • 5.3.3 SLIP Configuration
    • 5.3.3.1 Static IP address SLIP connections using dip
    • 5.3.3.2 Static IP address SLIP connections using slattach
    • 5.3.3.3 Dynamic IP address SLIP connections using dip
  • 5.3.4 Using dip
• 5.4 Networking with UUCP
• 5.5 Electronic Mail
• 5.6 News and USENET