Understaning the basics?

Ice Rich

Ice Rich

Ice Rich

Soldato
Joined
3 Dec 2004
Posts
2,625
Hi all,

Although I love computers and working with them, my knowledge of what exactly 'goes on' is limited.

Is my understanding of the following right;

Unix was where things took off, it built the foundations of what the majority of computers were based on thereafter. 'Windows' was mainly a UI of controlling the environment?

The major downside of UNIX is that its source code is protected. Linux sort to change that be making another 'foundation' and letting it become freely available?

'kernels' are like the controllers of the environment. A bit like ubuntu and windows?

^Is any of that right or do I fail miserably :)
 
Thanks for replies guys. I have to admit I'm slightly more confused now though :)

So the most basic level is Binary. How this code is used and interpreted is what defines it as a language?
If that's right, when someone says "they are programming in C++", what they actually mean is in an environment where the rules and interpretations have been set?

I've a lot more questions but they are only valid if the above ^ is true.
 
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dangerstat said:
Your processor executes machine code[1]. Programmers use a compiler [2] which will create CPU executable machine code given high level language code (E.g. C++ / C code)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compiler
Click to expand...

Thanks again guys,

So my assumption that Binary is the most basic form is right? I.e raw data?

So, the CPU controls the binary code based on how it was used by the languge (c++, java or anything else). This then gives 'machine code' which is the processed data?
 
Many thanks for replies guys, and sorry for late reply.
I still very interested in all this but realise it's going to take a lot more reading and researching for me to understand :) I'm going to purchase a few books on the subject.

dangerstat said:
The CPU executes machine code, which can have binary or hexadecimal representations.
Click to expand...

So am i right in saying that computer hardware gives out pure binary as a representation of its current state? It's the CPU's job to turn this into machine code via a language (and presumably something usable/useful)?

BigglesPiP said:
GNU were making (and still are making) a micro-kernel called Herd. But then in 1992 a Finnish student called Linus Torvalds quickly made an open-source monolithic kernel called Linux, and the majority of GNU people went to an OS using GNU tools and a Linux Kernel, hence distros like Debian GNU/Linux (what Ubuntu is based on) arrived.
Click to expand...


I thought though that the unix source code was still protected. How did Linus manage to get round making an open-source project yet still based (and built?) on unix?
 
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BigglesPiP said:
It is, and he didn't; Linus made a kernel from the ground up, it contains no Unix, it simply conforms to POSIX standards.
Click to expand...


Ahh I see. So linux is actually only BASED on unix and not actually BUILT-on it? 'based on' meaning many of the ideas and similarities remain in Linux? That's what it was getting confused with.

Also, when a piece of sofware becomes 'copyrighted' and not open-source. Is it possible for programmers to actually see the coding that was used? I.e can the public see for example the coding used in vista or is it physically heavy protected?
 
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memyselfandi said:
Erm if your book is on C then you really need to use that not Visual Basic.

If you are running linux then you can install (or may have already installed) the gcc C compiler.
Click to expand...

:) Ahh right. I was always under the impression VB was an environment and not an actual language?

I'm using XP.
 
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