Understanding Linux configuration files

"This article explains configuration files on a Linux system that control user permissions, system applications, daemons, services, and other administrative tasks in a multi-user, multi-tasking environment. These tasks include managing user accounts, allocating disk quotas, managing e-mails and newsgroups, and configuring kernel parameters. This article also classifies the config files present on a Red Hat Linux system based on their usage and the services they affect."