[ Thanks to BeOpen
for this link. ]
“The Linux filesystem is rather confusing to new users.
We’ll try to remove a little of the mystery, showing you the logic
of Linux and help you become more accustomed to accessing files and
mount points. This document will be updated from time to time,
and I will keep a running list of FAQ’s at the bottom of the page
for easy reference.”
“A few conventions before we go on:”
“Everything in Linux is considered either a file or a directory
Linux sees everything as a text file and can be opened as
such–generally, it means you get a screen full of garbage, but
many of the files are human-readable and you can edit them as you
see fit. You can check into a few examples of the file theme in the
/dev (devices) and the /proc (process) directories. The /dev is the
location for devices attached to your system (i.e., hardware) and
/proc is literally what is in your system’s memory, from IRQ’s and
PCI channels, to temp files. It’s never a good idea to edit the
things in /dev or /proc, but looking in those directories will help
with Linux concept that everything is a file in one way or
another.”
“It’s been this way for 30 years. Yep, the Unices (UN*X-like
operating systems, which includes Linux) have a long and deep
history, stretching back to the dawn of computing, and the
filesystem has stayed pretty much intact. Sure, there have been
changes along the way, but as a whole, it’s the same structure. A
working knowledge of the filesystem makes you a good user and a
good administrator, able to circumvent problems by going to the
source every time.”