A basic user operation expected from a computer is to be able to manage documents, to place them into folders, open them to view, edit, or print them, and to share the documents with others. While the Apple Macintosh had Finder Unix has had a variety of File Managers. MS-Windows of course has the MS-Windows Explorer. Linux shares the Unix file managers and more. But the crowning glory of GNU/Linux is Nautilus, a file manager that builds on many of the great ideas that have been demonstrated in previous file browsers.
Before introducing Nautilus we begin with a review of the standard GNU/Linux directory structure. Having a basic understanding of how GNU/Linux organises directories (also commonly known as folders) will uncover some of the basic concepts of Unix and GNU/Linux.