Understanding /proc
/proc is often considered one of the most mysterious parts of the linux file system. For those comming from the windows world especially, but also those who have been using Linux for years, proc seems an at times incomprehensible web of mysterious files and directories.
Understanding the mysteries of /proc can greatly aid in administrering and programming on linux systems, because proc is itself a key into the depths of the system. In some ways, proc can be thought of as similar to the windows registry; it contains specific files that contain information about the system, and control how the system operates.