Frequently Asked Questions

This FAQ is a work in progress. You may also find your question answered in the official Linux FAQ. If you have a question you would like answered, send it to feedback@control-escape.com

1. Does Linux run on Windows?
2. Will my Windows programs run on Linux?
3. Will Linux run on my hardware?
4. Can I have Windows and Linux on the same computer?
5. Where Can I Get Linux?
6. How do I set up hard drive partitions for Linux without deleting Windows?
7. How do I edit text files in Linux?

Does Linux run on Windows?

NO. Linux and Windows are both operating systems. An operating system is a group of programs that control your computer and allow you (and other programs) to interact with it. You can only run one operating system at a time (although more than one operating system can be installed on the same computer). You either interact with your computer through Linux, or you interact with it through Windows. If this is unclear, try reading the article What is an Operating System?

Will my Windows programs run on Linux?

The bad news: Probably not. Linux was designed to be compatible with Unix, a powerful operating system designed for multi-user, multi-tasking environments. Windows is not designed to be compatible with Unix. In general, a program designed for Linux or another Unix-like operating system will run on Linux just fine. Because the internal structure of Windows is so different, it takes considerable effort to "port" applications from Windows to Unix-like systems.

The good news: There are many applications available that are designed for Linux, so whatever applications you used under Windows, you can probably find something similar that runs on Linux, and chances are you will be able to download it for free. Many companies publish software that runs on both Windows and Linux, (see the Linux Applications page for some examples). There is also a project called WINE whose goal is to build Windows application support on top of Linux. The project is still under development and may not be suitable for all uses, but they report many successes running Windows programs on Linux using their software. Learn more at WINE Headquarters.

Will Linux run on my hardware?

If you have an off-the-shelf PC, the answer is probably yes. You can check the Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO to find out for certain. If you need help determining exactly what hardware you have, read Determining Linux Hardware Compatibility.

Can I have Windows and Linux on the same computer?

Yes, in fact this is very common. It is referred to as a dual boot configuration. It's not difficult to set up a PC this way, but you must be careful not to lose any data in the process. Instructions for setting this up are included in this Installation Tutorial.

Where Can I Get Linux?

Linux can be purchased on CD-ROM in retail computer stores or from online vendors, or you can download the whole operating system directly from the Internet. You can get a list of Linux distributors and links to their web sites by reading the Linux Weekly News Distributions Page or Obtaining Your Copy of Linux.

How do I set up hard drive partitions for Linux without deleting Windows??

Normally, you will need to resize your existing Windows partition in order to make room for Linux partitions. Each Linux distribution comes with a utility called FIPS that can do this job. Details on using FIPS can be found at the FIPS home page (which seems to have gone missing from the Internet, though this is its last known location), or in this article: Partitions: Making Room for Linux. Details about how many and what kind of partitions you will need can be found in the article Partitions: Planning Your Linux Installation, or for more detailed information see the Partition Mini-HOWTO.

How do I edit text files?

Like so many Linux questions, this one has many answers. The two classic Linux text editors are emacs and vi. Both are available on virtually any Linux installation, though if one is missing it is more likely to be emacs due to its larger size. Both are well documented, which is good because neither of them is very intuitive in my opinion. For users coming from a Windows world, I would recommend a program called joe, a clone of the old Wordstar program. It's not as simple as DOS Edit or Notepad, but it has the advantage that you can display the help hints while you type, which makes it extremely easy for beginners. There is also an editor called pico that is similarly easy to use and is available on most Unix systems since it is included in the pine email package. If you have KDE installed, kedit is by far the easiest text editor to use. It is basically an incarnation of Notepad, with all the limitations and ease thereof (with a few extensions). If you are running the X Window System and are interested in learning emacs, check out this article, Introduction to XEmacs.