Help with Linux

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-25-08, 09:44 AM

So, I'm having to learn a bit of linux (Unix) to be able to work with the system that I'll be running my simulations on (LONI). What are some good places to learn about linux from?

**Bunni** · 06-25-08, 12:01 PM

hmmm, start with ubuntu to learn the basics of gnome and suchs. Its much more user frendly.

Once you get a hang if it and if you as stuborn as i am, just go straight into gentoo and by the time you get it installed youll be a linux error guru.

Though in all seriousness, just start playing around with the consol trying to make system setting changes through it, if you get stuck do a 'man commandname' and it will display the manual. If you want even have a command list like http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/cmd/ to check things out.

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-26-08, 12:29 AM

I may do that, but LONI runs only on a command line Unix interface. Then again, it's fun to look around to see what's in the system. It reminds me of a fun game called Uplink.

**DeusInnomen** · 06-26-08, 03:06 AM

Uplink, tons of fun, that one.

Anyways, if you ask me, there's no better way to learn Linux/Unix than getting your hands dirty and just poking around. Stay away from the root account and just stick to your home folder, and you can't really do much damage to a server while you experiment. Remember, the "man" command is your friend. (e.g. "man ls" gets ya the manual for the ls command.)

**Gumby** · 06-26-08, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by Bunni

hmmm, start with ubuntu to learn the basics of gnome and suchs. Its much more user frendly.

Once you get a hang if it and if you as stuborn as i am, just go straight into gentoo and by the time you get it installed youll be a linux error guru.

Though in all seriousness, just start playing around with the consol trying to make system setting changes through it, if you get stuck do a 'man commandname' and it will display the manual. If you want even have a command list like http://www.oreillynet.com/linux/cmd/ to check things out.

Thats how I learned. I printed the Gentoo install manual and did a stage 1 install. Phew... It took days, but when it was done, I had learned so much that it was worth it.

**geeseven** · 06-26-08, 09:28 AM

ditto to everything thats been said in this thread. You might also want to look into virtualization, it is a great way to play till it beaks then revert back to new.

**Ewok** · 06-26-08, 11:58 AM

In addition to what people have said

To get command help, google search for "man command" and you'll get a nice web version of the command manual instead of having to read it from a command line terminal

And this is the best reference for shell scripting ever:
http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/
(Note that's it's more of a reference, not a tutorial. So if you have questions about something you've seen, or you want to know more about how to do something, it's great)

**DJ Ms. White** · 06-26-08, 03:15 PM

Thanks for the help guys. The shell scripting is going to be useful seeing as when I start doing my actually simulations, I'm going to have lots of very big files that I'll need to fool around with.

**DeusInnomen** · 06-26-08, 03:16 PM

Hey Ewok and Bunni, do me a favor cause I happen to be building my server's replacement box tonight: I'm a long-time Slackware user. What's the big deal with Ubuntu besides its odd name?

Yes, I'm totally hijacking this thread. Cope.