Phat Linux V 3.0 (Igloo) User Manual
Version 1.01 July 1999
Linux is a completely free Unix like Operating System created by Linus Torvalds at the University of Helsinki in Finlandwhich. He had an interest in Minix, a small Unix like filesystem, and in 1991 decided to create a system that exceeded it's standards. Today Linux is maintained and improved upon by thousands of computer enthusiasts around the world. The current stable kernel at this time of print is 2.2.10. Linux is a complete Operating System with a large list of features including true multitasking, virtual memory, shared libraries and many protocols including TCP/IP. Linux is distributed under the GNU General Public License meaning that the source code of Linux is freely distributed. Any product which uses the code must make the source code to their product available.
Linux has many applications. Some use it exclusively while others choose to dual boot between Linux and another OS. The majority of companies use it on their server for their public internet site or their private intranet. However, many users also have installed Linux on an old 386/486 and have it serve as a gateway and firewall to the rest of the internet.
If you would like to learn more about Linux, visit Linux Online. Also look at this page for many links about why linux is so great.
Phat Linux is a distribution of Linux. Because the Linux source code is free, many companies and individuals such as ourselves, have created their own distribution or version of Linux. Each distribution has it's own set of features and software which makes it unique. Phat Linux has many features which are listed in the next section.
Phat Linux is different than other Linux distributions because it does not require you to create an ext2 partition for it to run. Other Linux distributions require you to 're-partition' your harddrive. A partition is a way of dividing a harddrive so different Operating System's can live together on the same harddrive. If you have a PC with Microsoft Windows pre-installed, most-likely your entire harddrive is on either one or multiple MS-DOS partitions. For you to create an ext2 or Linux partition you would need to either delete this partition (resulting in losing all your data) or attempt to resize your partitions which is a dangerous procedure with many risks.
However, with Phat Linux, you don't need to do any of this. We realized that the partitioning of the harddrive is one of the more consufing and complicated steps of installing Linux to a 'newbie'. And thus, Phat Linux was born. Phat Linux will run off your MS-DOS/FAT 16 or 32 parition without the need to edit your partition table. All you need to do is run the install file, and reboot and you are running Linux!
Many other Linux distributions allow you to run Linux off your 'C:\' drive, however, they use an emulator called UMSDOS which is slow and requires you to use large and clumsy --linux-- files. However, Phat Linux allows you to run Linux on a ture ext2 filesystem on your 'C:/' drive by mounting it on a loop device. If you wish to learn more about this, there is more information on our website and information on Metalab.
Phat Linux is:
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Phat Linux V. 3.0 (Igloo) Manual
Version 1.01 July 1999