2 Introduction

This module is a rather long and complex. However, it is critical to the understanding of Linux, and how different portions of the operating system are ``glued'' together.

First, let us review the purposes of an operating system. The main purpose of any operating system is to manage resources, and to maintain ``law and order'' in the system. In a basic operating system, such as DOS, ``law and order'' is relatively simple. However, in more advanced operating systems, such as Linux and Windows NT, ``law and order'' can be quite complex. The following is a list of managed resources and also ``law and order''.