Linux Software - Options for Access and Use

This document describes a variety of options available to students in CTS 2106 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. If you plan to use the Fedora 15 distribution that came with our class textbook, you should view the The Official Fedora 15 Installation Guide at

[http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fedora/15/html/Installation_Guide/index.html]

The primary considerations effecting your choice will be:

• Do you have a computer that can be used solely for this course? That is not necessary, but you might find it desirable.
• How old is your computer 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 computer.
• 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 computer 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 computer.
• 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 9 GB of space for a useful Linux installation, although you can easily run lean versions in half that space. 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. Use a "Live CD" (or "Live USB") distribution that runs from a CD (or USB memory stick)and does not need to be installed. Most modern distributions of Linux can run entirely from a CD or memory stick. Most of them can also be configured to use some available disk space as a "swap partition" (virtual memory) to increase operational speed. Although most Live versions of Linux are read-only (meaning that changes made during a working session cannot be saved), some include optional software to allow "persistence" (retention of data between sessions). There are even some "virtual machine" programs that can allow you to run a Linux session from a Live CD or memory stick from within a Windows session. In other words, you can run Linux inside Windows as if it is another Windows application. The advantages of the Live option is portability and minimal impact on your PC. Such distributions run best on more modern computers, but often will work fine on older machines. In order to use a Live USB version, your PC will have to be capable of booting from a USB device (as opposed to a fixed disk) and you will have to know how to select the boot device for your computer at the time of start-up. If you expect to work on the course from many different locations, this might be a good option for you. For a list of Live CD/USB distributions, see the [LiveCDList.Com Site]. To learn more about issues and resources related to this option, read the web page Fedora "Live" Installation Resources.
2. Install (on your computer) 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 computer (creating a "dual-boot" system), but it is less trouble to devote the entire computer to just Linux. Note that the textbook is bundled with a DVD. So if your computer has only a CD player, you will have to download a CD sized (700 MB maximum) ISO file and burn it as a bootable CD.
3. Install (on your computer) any Linux distribution acquired on disc or downloaded from the Internet. You might choose this option if you already have a distribution of Linux installed on your computer that you are comfortable with or if the distribution that came on the textbook disc does not work well on your computer. 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 with the prior option, 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 computer (creating a "dual-boot" system), but it is less trouble to devote the entire computer to just Linux.
4. 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 computer, you can use your Angel 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.