--------- Received message begins Here ---------
Admin Mailing Lists <mlist@intergrafix.net>:
>
[snip]
>> There are dozens of similarly different (or differently similar - as your
>> prefer) Linux based O/Ses distributions around the world and some have had
>> 6.x versionning when RedHat was also 6.x (SuSe for example).
>>
>
> Is linux in whole though just represented by the kernel?
> Or is it represented by the kernel AND a subset of applications?
As a distribution, Linux only includes the Kernel source tarball. This kernel
does depend on a number of applications - initialization of networks, raid,
system logging, login, make, compilers, etc.
The "subset of applications" are available separately. The nice thing the
various vendors (ie RedHat/Caldera/Walnut Creek...) provide is a single
integrated Unix environment that is easily installed, with all subsets of
applications integrated as a single unit, and compiled for a target
environment (I386/PPC/Alpha...).
That is also why kernel upgrades also require the replacement of some
subsets of the applications. When the kernel API changes (or kernel-user API)
the required support tools must also change. Sometimes this only requires
a recompile, other times the code itself must be changed (mount system
call is working differently now, so the mount utility must change). This
also happens when a new API becomes available (such as capabilities). New
utilities become available to make the API effective.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jesse I Pollard, II
Email: pollard@navo.hpc.mil
Any opinions expressed are solely my own.
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Sep 30 2000 - 21:00:22 EST