User accounts on Linux-based systems do not have unrestricted access to the system. Only the root account has such access, and users use tools to gain root access for a specific program, or for short periods of time. This protects the system from both user error and hostile software.

Fedora is a multi-user system, enabling many users to be logged in to the same system simultaneously. Each user may also log in more than once. Individual sessions can either be applications, graphical desktops or command-line environments. The maximum number of local and remote sessions is only limited by the resources of your machine.

	Console sessions
	The sessions that use the keyboard and display attached to the machine can use discs and shutdown the machine without root access.

OpenSSH is automatically installed on all Fedora systems to provide secure remote access. The SSH service enables users to transfer files, run applications, and login to command-line sessions from other systems.

To support multi-user access, the graphical software is network transparent, a feature of the X-Windows technology used by all UNIX-like systems. This network transparency means that you can launch graphical applications on remote systems and have them appear on your current desktop when logged into any system that includes both SSH and X-Windows software.

X-Windows enables network desktop sessions with XDMCP (X Display Manager Control Protocol). Fedora Core also includes VNC, which provides additional features for remote desktop access.

For more information, refer to the Linux XDMCP HOWTO.

	X-Windows and VNC Are Only Secure With SSH
	SSH encrypts all of the connections that it makes between systems. X-Windows and VNC connections are not encrypted unless made with SSH.

Fedora systems may have multiple graphical and command-line environments installed. Applications run in all environments.

By default, the GNOME desktop is installed with Fedora Core, providing an easy to use graphical environment with a full set of utilities. GNOME also has the best support for users with special accessibility needs.

Fedora Core also includes the KDE environment, a highly customizable desktop that offers an extensive range of features. Additional graphical environments are available from Fedora Extras.

For more information on these desktop environments, refer to the Section 16.3.1, “Desktop Help”.

GNU bash is the default command-line environment, or shell, for Fedora. For more information on bash, refer to the following documents:

You are not required to use only one environment. The settings for each environment are stored in separate files in your home directory.

UNIX-like systems such as Fedora use the same network technologies as the Internet. For example:

For more information on networking concepts, refer to Chapters 1 and 2 of the Linux Network Administrators Guide.

All of the software and documentation prepared for use with Fedora is supplied in the form of files called RPM packages. Each package is a compressed archive containing product information, program files, documentation and management scripts. Packages also include a digital signature to prove their source. These files are used by management applications to safely locate, install, update and remove software.

The Fedora installation process uses the packages supplied with Fedora Core to build or upgrade a system to your requirements. After the installation, use up2date and yum to install and manage the software on your Fedora system.

Both of these applications automatically locate and obtain packages from repositories, which are prepared directories or Websites. The Fedora Project has a network of repository servers to provide software. These repositories hold the packages included with Fedora Core and a large selection of additional software, known as Fedora Extras. Third-party software developers also provide repositories for their Fedora compatible packages.

	All Fedora packages are Free Software
	All of the software provided by the Fedora Project is Free Software, or Open Source, and can therefore be downloaded and installed without restrictions.

INCOMPLETE - link to SELinux FAQ etc. here.

Needs a bit of prefacing text.

For more information on partitioning, refer to Linux Partition HOWTO.

For more information on the directory structure, refer to the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard.