Linux

For some people, migrating from Windows offers a few roadblocks to the user. Linux runs on a different philosophy then Microsoft's flagship product. One key difference is permissions and privileges for users and files.

Basics

Early in Windows history, mainly the 9x branch, Windows didn't fully separate users into groups or roles. Linux, being a Unix variant has since the beginning. Newer Windows systems, such as Windows NT, XP and Vista have implemented a user/group methodology to managing users. Each system is different and has it's pro's and con's.

The way to describe Linux comes in two flavors. Most people see it as talking about the whole operating system, but while not exactly wrong, but not completely right either.

The Kernel

The Kernel is the "core" of a Linux operating system. Without it you have a box with useless hardware. The purpose of the Linux Kernel is to manage the hardware, memory, system and device drivers, etc..

The way Linux organizes its files on the hard drive is vastly different from how Windows handles this task. New Linux users coming from Windows sometime have a hard time maneuvering though directories or come with notions that Linux should manage its files in the same vain as Windows.