Motivation

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The major predecessor to Linux, UNIX, was one of the first operating systems to provide access to widely distributed local networks as well as the large Internet network that spans the globe. Today, millions of users and programs share information on these networks for a myriad of reasons, from distributing large computational tasks to exchanging a good recipe for lasagna. Linux has inherited this expectation that the network is a fundamental part of any computer system. To make the best use of these network resources, you should understand the utilities that manage the exchange of information. This chapter describes the most useful network utilities and provides an overview of the worldwide network known as the Internet.