Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Noob Question Thread: Ask Any Questions About Linux! (lemmy.ml)

submitted 7 months ago by cyclohexane@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

452 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I thought I'll make this thread for all of you out there who have questions but are afraid to ask them. This is your chance!

I'll try my best to answer any questions here, but I hope others in the community will contribute too!

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[–] neidu2@feddit.nl 8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

What's the difference between /bin and /usr/bin and /usr/local/bin from an architectural point of view? And how does sbin relate to this?

[–] bastion@feddit.nl 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

There's a standard. /usr was often a different partition.

/bin - system binaries
/sbin - system binaries that need superuser privileges
/usr/bin - Normal binaries
/usr/sbin - normal binaries that require superuser privileges
/usr/local/bin - for executables that aren't 'packaged' - i.e., installed by you or some other program system-wide

[–] neidu2@feddit.nl 1 points 7 months ago

Former FreeBSD user here. I always kept /usr separate, including /usr/home

[–] KillerWhale@orcas.enjoying.yachts 1 points 7 months ago (2 children)

What is a binary?

[–] bloodfart@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Executable programs! Bin-ary instructions for the computer to perform!

[–] bastion@feddit.nl 3 points 7 months ago

Also, technically these will not just have binaries. I should have said executable, really, because scripts are there, too.

[–] d3Xt3r@lemmy.nz 2 points 7 months ago

Actually binaries can include non-executable files as well! Strictly speaking, a "binary" refers to pretty much any file that's not plain-text (so if you tried to open a binary in a text editor, you'd see gibberish).