Welcome, and thank you for using Mandrake Linux! This on-line manual is aimed at people wishing to diveinto the depths of their GNU/Linux system, and who wish to exploit its huge capabilities. This manual is madeup of three parts: • In The Linux System, we introduce you to the command line and its various uses. We also discuss text-editingbasics, which are essential under GNU/Linux . “Basic UNIX System Concepts”, page 1 presents the UNIX and, more specifically, GNU/Linux worlds. It ex-poses the standard file-manipulation utilities as well as some useful features provided by the shell . It ismandatory to fully understand the concepts discussed in this chapter before going on to “Introduction to theCommand Line”, page 13. There is then a complementary chapter, “Disks and Partitions”, page 9, discussingthe way hard disks are managed under GNU/Linux , as well as the concept of partition. Next, we cover “Text Editing: Emacs and VI”, page 21. As most UNIX configuration files are text files, you willeventually want to edit them in a text editor. You will learn how to use two of the most famous text editorsin the UNIX and GNU/Linux worlds: the mighty Emacs and the modern (!) Vi .