Ancient Web: LINFO Explained cat and Linux Without Pop-Ups or Accounts

Part of the Ancient Web Collection.

The cat command has a short name and a longer story. In 2005, somebody thought that story was worth a whole webpage, examples and all.

Read LINFO's cat command article.

The Linux Information Project, or LINFO, was launched in early 2004 by the Bellevue Linux Users Group. Its mission was broader than teaching syntax: make free software understandable to people who could not be expected to have expensive manuals, fast computers, or the patience to fight intrusive advertising.

Its about page specifically mentions users with slow Internet connections, limited English, visual impairments, and little prior computer knowledge. It says the project had approximately 600 pages by the end of 2006, most of them original articles. That is a claim from the project's own historical description, not a recount performed today.

One command, three jobs

The cat tutorial, created in June 2004 and updated in April 2005, divides the tool into three functions: displaying text files, joining their contents, and creating new files. It describes standard output, the use of less for reading long output, and redirection into a file. It also explains why cat > file1 can overwrite existing data and how >> can append instead.

One memorable example names a file felines, then supplies the line that the page is not about a feline. Even a command reference could afford a tiny joke.

The larger command index links the same patient treatment to grep, tar, ps, mkfs, whoami, and other utilities. Each entry is described in ordinary language before the reader is asked to absorb the finer details.

What makes LINFO worth remembering is its educational philosophy. Its authors argued that documentation should be accurate, self-contained, legible without elaborate images, and accessible without registration. The HTML reflects the argument: a heading, explanatory text, links, and examples, with little competing for attention.

Some terminology and practical guidance belong to an older Linux environment, so modern commands and security practices should be checked against current manuals. The historical value of this page is not that every recommendation will remain current forever.

Follow the original tutorial or browse the command index.

Part of the Ancient Web Collection.