Hi, :-)

I'm wanting to learn a lot about LINUX before I download any distro. I've finally remembered some of the programs (?) that are contained in ALL LINUX distros, so I'd like to read up and study them. One, PERL is a programming language and that's all I know about that one. I'm sure there are others that are run by the "command line". I grew up in Commodore DOS 1.0, LOL! I loved using the command line and when I switched to M$ DOS 5.0 I loved it even more. I could type in a command and make it work, LOL! Then "Win$ucks 3.0" came along a stolen program from Apple's GUI and it went downhill real fast. Now, nothing works the way I would expect it to and the M$ DO$ command line is a waste of my time.

Oh, almost forgot. The two "servers" as I remember are Apache and Samba. I'm sure there are more, I just haven't discovered them. It's a shame that the distros don't have a site that gives the name of the program and what it does. That way, you would never download something you didn't need. But, that's too much like right, huh?

Oh, I see on here there are articles telling you to "write your OWN Linux and then "Compile" it. IF you don't know how to program in Linux, how would you "bond" (compile) all of the mini-programs together? Yes, I need a LOT of HELP and so does every other , LOL! Maybe if I figure it out, I'll write a book or put it on the web.

Well, back to figuring a conversion from a ssb 2 meter Quagi up to a long-boom 2 meter FM Quad. The boom is near 30 feet long.

Respectfully submitted,
Regards,

"Buck"/KA5LQJ

Learning from a book or website will have no use if you don't use Linux alongside it to actually try what you read, at least for me.
So I would recommend to install a distribution you like and then begin to learn.
Also, I would recommend to concentrate on things you really need. If you don't want to share file to Windows machines there is no use in learning Samba, if you don't want to run a web-server there is no use in learning how to configure Apache.
Oh, and for compiling things you (usually) don't need to learn to program.

Having said that, here some links that might be useful:
http://linuxcommand.org/index.php
http://linux.2038bug.com/rute-home.html
https://wiki.archlinux.org/ (specific to Arch Linux, but contains a lot of information that applies to all distros)
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Main_Page (same for Gentoo)
http://www.slackbook.org/beta/ (same for Slackware)

1 members found this post helpful.

Well, that's all the "polite German" I know, the rest are cure words, LOL!

"Thanks for the information". I'm thinking I'll go with Xbuntu 12.4 and put it on another hard drive and just switch them out when I want to use Linux. I'm trying to get away from M$ altogether.

The reason I chose Xbuntu is that it has a lot of Amateur Radio digital software I can use to send Morse Code, PSK-64, BPSK, & J-65 messages. I've been in a Sky warning weather group for 30+ years now and am trying to get a radio network going to pass critical information as to the severe storms path and direction.

Well, time I was off to bed, it's nearly Midnight here.

Regards,
"Buck"/KA5LQJ

About dot com has a good section on Linux oriented to the new and intermediate user. It might be a nice place to start.

http://linux.about.com/.

XFCE is a nice desktop environment. I think you'll like it.

Edit: Once you really get into Linux, I think you will find that nothing beats a book for in-depth study.

Hi,

These is the better link to learn .

http://www.linuxquestions.org/
http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/wiki/