The Unix and Internet Fundamentals HOWTO
by Eric S. Raymond
v1.4, 25 September 1999
This document describes the working basics of PC-class computers, Unix-like operating systems, and the Internet in non-technical language.
1.
Introduction
1.1 Purpose of this document
2.
What's new
2.1 Related resources
2.2 New versions of this document
2.3 Feedback and corrections
3.
Basic anatomy of your computer
4.
What happens when you switch on a computer?
5.
What happens when you log in?
6.
What happens when you run programs from the shell?
7.
How do input devices and interrupts work?
8.
How does my computer do several things at once?
9.
How does my computer keep processes from stepping on each other?
10.
How does my computer store things in memory?
10.1 Numbers
10.2 Characters
11.
How does my computer store things on disk?
11.1 Low-level disk and file system structure
11.2 File names and directories
11.3 Mount points
11.4 How a file gets looked up
11.5 File ownership, permissions and security
11.6 How things can go wrong
12.
How do computer languages work?
12.1 Compiled languages
12.2 Interpreted languages
12.3 P-code languages
13.
How does the Internet work?
13.1 Names and locations
13.2 Packets and routers
13.3 TCP and IP
13.4 HTTP, an application protocol
