/etc/init.d/boot: Bourne shell script text
meaning that this is a text file containing a Bourne shell script.
7.6 Using a File Manager
Instead of moving files around by hand, you can use a file manager. If you move a lot of files around, a file manager can make your work more efficient. There are text-based file managers, such as GNU Midnight Commander (mc), and a number of file managers for the X Window system (for example gmc for the X Window version of GNU Midnight Commander).
Describing each of these is outside the scope of this book, but you may want to try them out if the command line doesn’t meet your needs.
8. Working with Text Files
Text files are prevelant on a GNU/Linux system. They hold everything from documentation to configuration files. Fortunately, it’s easy to work with them.
8.1 Viewing Text Files
A text file is simply a normal file that happens to contain human-readable text. There’s nothing special about it otherwise. The other kind of file, a binary file, is meant to be interpreted by the computer.
You can view either kind of file with the less file pager if you have it installed (install it if you haven’t, it’s quite useful). Type less /etc/profile to view a sample text file. Notice that you can read the characters even if their meaning is obscure. Type less /bin/ls to view a binary file. As you can see, the ls program is not meant to be read by humans.