XPost: alt.hacker, alt.hackers.malicious   
   From: bucove@telus.net   
      
   bobbbybobbyiii@yahoo.com wrote:   
   > Hello everyone   
   >   
   > I'm a total newbie at this so apologies in advance if this is a really   
   > dumb question. I keep reading loads of hacker's references to Knoppix   
   > (linux), Whax or Auditor CD and I already have the links. There are   
   > several programs I need off them such as Cain, Ethereal etc.   
   >   
   > My question is if I download one of these to a DVD, can I operate the   
   > programs off the disc, or would I need to install the programs to my   
   > harddrive?   
   >   
   > If I have to install them to my harddrive, can I pick and chose what   
   > programs I want to install?   
   >   
   > Please be gentle I know my question is really dumb, but I'm not   
   > intending to venture into hacking generally. Thanks in advance.   
   >   
   > Bobby   
   >   
   If you are running MS these programs won't do yo any good   
   unless you run them under the OS they were written for. I'm   
   not much of a hacker either, but I have to bone up to get to   
   admin level Linux work. 'Tswhy I'm here to answer your question.   
      
   The deal is that you have the hardware level, which although   
   irrelevant, (for Linux) I'm going to assume is X86, which   
   assumption is associated with the premise you are currently   
   running MS operating system. The OS (operating system) is   
   the master program which 'operates' your hardware and asks   
   you what you want to do with your machine. "User interface"   
   these days called a GUI (graphic user interface) is what an   
   OS uses to talk to you. The OS also has an API (application   
   program interface) which runs what you call 'programs' and   
   offers to those programs the services of the computer   
   through the API. Programs are written for running through a   
   given API (and often require a specific hardware too if they   
   aren't completely detached from the physical world like a   
   good program should be) and therefore need the API they were   
   written for. When a programmer writes a program, he uses the   
   API to link it(the program being written) to the OS through   
   'system calls' which are outside the domain of his software   
   architecture but which service the need to talk to the User   
   (the dude who wants to run the program, usually a human   
   somewhere) and/or to the hardware for memory, disk space and   
   such. Each operating system does these things a little   
   differently (some more differently than others) and so when   
   a program is written it is pretty specific to the OS it was   
   intended to run under.   
      
   Pretty big paragraph, I hope I didn't loose you.   
   1) hardware 2) OS 3) API   
      
   The programs need the API. The API is in the OS.   
   You need the OS to run the program.   
      
   I think the OS you are talking about is Linux.   
   Loose the Microsoft. Boot Linux in your machine, TODAY!   
   Lots of flavours to choose from! There is no central   
   corporate headquarters for Linux! There is no megalithic   
   central control! Linux is an organic, living and growing   
   environment unlike anything ever seen before on this planet.   
      
   End commercialism. End central control of your life and your   
   world. End cronyism and dictatorship. End the obfuscation of   
   your energy.   
      
   Promote diversification, cooperation, harmony and growth.   
   Live freely, without the chains of royalties and legal   
   constraints. Share with everyone in a promotive and   
   supportive environment.   
      
   Am I talking about politics? I hope so! I'm talking about   
   computing. maybe.   
      
   ...jumpin j   
   I love superstring theory. It's so uncertain.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)