shell, linux console, terminal, what's the difference?

[Steve Flynn]

On Dec 19, 2007 1:21 AM, James Macele Jones <macele.jones at gmail.com> wrote:
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> I've been using Linux for a little while now, and I had a friend who
> just installed kubuntu ask me what the differences are between a shell,
> linux console, and a terminal were? I'm embarrassed to say I don't know
> the difference myself. I've always used them interchangeably.
>
> Have I been mistaken, is there some difference between them?

In the mainframe world I live in, the shell is a command processor, a
terminal is a remotely connected keyboard/display unit and the console
is a locally (although not necessarily so these days) connected
keyboard/display unit.

There are usually many terminals connection to the processor (tens of
thousands perhaps) whereas consoles will number in the 1 - 10 range.
The difference is subtle, but you can see the difference - operators
work on and monitor the consoles as that's where all the important
stuff happens - terminals are for the users and thus we don't care
about them (if only that were the case - curse those users!)

-- 
Steve
When one person suffers from a delusion it is insanity. When many
people suffer from a delusion it is called Religion.

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