The Unix and Internet Fundamentals HOWTO
by Eric S. Raymond
v1.1, 3 December 1998
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
1.2 Related resources
1.3 New versions of this document
1.4 Feedback and corrections
2.
Basic anatomy of your computer
3.
What happens when you switch on a computer?
4.
What happens when you run programs from the shell?
5.
How do input devices and interrupts work?
6.
How does my computer do several things at once?
7.
How does my computer keep processes from stepping on each other?
8.
How does my computer store things on disk?
8.1 Low-level disk and file system structure
8.2 File names and directories
8.3 Mount points
8.4 How a file gets looked up
8.5 How things can go wrong
9.
How do computer languages work?
9.1 Compiled languages
9.2 Interpreted languages
9.3 P-code languages
10.
How does the Internet work?
10.1 Names and locations
10.2 Packets and routers
10.3 TCP and IP
10.4 HTTP, an application protocol
