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The Unix and Internet Fundamentals HOWTO

by Eric S. Raymond

v1.6, 8 February 2000


This document describes the working basics of PC-class computers, Unix-like operating systems, and the Internet in non-technical language.

1. Introduction

2. What's new

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?

11. How does my computer store things on disk?

12. How do computer languages work?

13. How does the Internet work?


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