Course(s) Recommended for Learning Beginning to Advanced Linux?
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Course(s) Recommended for Learning Beginning to Advanced Linux?
What non-expensive / free courses and training would be recommended for learning a lot about Linux (i.e. including shell scripting, administration, window manager configuration and programming, tools, Linux distros (i.e. including which ones to go from beginner thru advanced), etc.? I am a visual person, so videos are the best option!
What non-expensive / free courses and training would be recommended for learning a lot about Linux (i.e. including shell scripting, administration, window manager configuration and programming, tools, Linux distros (i.e. including which ones to go from beginner thru advanced), etc.? I am a visual person, so videos are the best option!
This is from beginners through advanced levels.
Self learning is free. There are plenty of free guides available when one searches from general to advanced, as well as focused on particular topics. Have you installed any Linux distribution and tried to do shell scripting, managing users, configure a window manager, or compile any programs? This is absolutely a very visual experience. And you can choose the pace to suit your learning capabilities.
Self learning is free. There are plenty of free guides available when one searches from general to advanced, as well as focused on particular topics. Have you installed any Linux distribution and tried to do shell scripting, managing users, configure a window manager, or compile any programs? This is absolutely a very visual experience. And you can choose the pace to suit your learning capabilities.
I would say my experience is limited in that regard. I know basic things like chown and chmod, except I have to lookup these things to remember the switches. I don't work along well with these tools to be committed to memory. In fact, all of the distros I hopped, where based on previous knowledge and experience.
I also come from a Mac and Windows background, which helped me to understand things like "what is a command-line / shell" and so on. I suppose my level of experience is more towards intermediate, however I never learned shell scripting. Programming is something I love, though. Currently, I'm trying to tackle Vim, as I want to be a productive programmer and in school was taught C/C++, which was using Windows 95 a long time ago!
I'm surprised the school I went to didn't put much emphasis on learning Unix / Linux, as I feel there is much to learn in these OS environments.
Update: I should state, even pictures / photos and screenshots speak volumes, as well, for visual clarity.
Last edited by smittyvanilli; 09-16-2019 at 01:07 PM.
Reason: adding an update to my post
C and C++ compilers are readily available for Linux. Typically included with most distributions.
If you try to type:
Code:
$ gcc[TAB]
or
$ gcc --version
And also
$ g++[TAB]
or
$ g++ --version
You'll find out if the compilers are already on your distribution.
The package build-essential is the most typical package to install to add in the compiler, as well as the debugger. So for me it might be:
Code:
$ sudo apt install build-essential
Once you have the compiler, you should be able to spin up writing command line C/C++ functions very readily. The manual pages on each command, including gcc or gdb, as well as the info pages, will give you tons of information about those commands.
There's a bash script blog in my signature, it's intended to aid those debugging. But in there are links in there to the fundamental bash script guides. Or, if you search for "bash script guide" in a search engine, you'll likely find those exact ones. They are good places to start.
What non-expensive / free courses and training would be recommended for learning a lot about Linux (i.e. including shell scripting, administration, window manager configuration and programming, tools, Linux distros (i.e. including which ones to go from beginner thru advanced), etc.? I am a visual person, so videos are the best option!
This is from beginners through advanced levels.
Putting it simply, linux is not something you can become an expert in simply by watching a few videos, or loading a few live dvds. M$ Windows thinks it knows what's best for you. Linux doesn't, you have to know what's best and configure it. You can find help videos by searching youtube. "Linux How to open a can of beans <or whatever>."
A basic requirement is to do an LFS in console mode (runlevel 3, not 4 or 5)
to do that, you'll need to figure out gpm (the mouse controller in console mode), and runlevels, which I'll leave to you. If you get copy & paste working, you can use it. Otherwise, you'll have to type. Links or lynx are console based browsers. Once you can boot lfs, you have the beginner's course passed. No automated tools (somebody's massive script) allowed.
Putting it simply, linux is not something you can become an expert in simply by watching a few videos, or loading a few live dvds. M$ Windows thinks it knows what's best for you. Linux doesn't, you have to know what's best and configure it. You can find help videos by searching youtube. "Linux How to open a can of beans <or whatever>."
A basic requirement is to do an LFS in console mode (runlevel 3, not 4 or 5)
to do that, you'll need to figure out gpm (the mouse controller in console mode), and runlevels, which I'll leave to you. If you get copy & paste working, you can use it. Otherwise, you'll have to type. Links or lynx are console based browsers. Once you can boot lfs, you have the beginner's course passed. No automated tools (somebody's massive script) allowed.
Very good advise.
For me I had to start using it for everyday tasks. A simple web search will usually answer individual questions very well.
@OP, In my opinion, you need a reason to use Linux. You mentioned programming. Start by researching compilers, then an IDE. You also mention Vim. The best way to learn that is do a web search for basic vim commands. Then just use it for all your text files. Sooner or later you'll need a feature that you don't know. Use a web search or other documentation to figure it out.
Self learning is free. There are plenty of free guides available when one searches from general to advanced, as well as focused on particular topics. Have you installed any Linux distribution and tried to do shell scripting, managing users, configure a window manager, or compile any programs? This is absolutely a very visual experience. And you can choose the pace to suit your learning capabilities.
Thanks for your post!
I have seen shell scripts by other users, however I never programmed them.
I would love to learn that and perhaps learn how to create my own window manager. That seems an easier programming project to do than a desktop environment, am I right?
And yes, I installed quite a few distros, however part of the problem is that I focused too much on "distro hopping" to get comfortable and get more of a learning experience. From that standpoint, perhaps I need to stick with one and learn it thoroughly enough to understand Linux better.
Also, I plan to learn quite a few window managers to get the experience. I could write my own scripts, depending on the WM.
I have seen shell scripts by other users, however I never programmed them.
Please review my post #4 in this thread where I mentioned the compilers, how to check for them, as well as some tips about how to start with bash.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smittyvanilli
I would love to learn that and perhaps learn how to create my own window manager. That seems an easier programming project to do than a desktop environment, am I right?
BOTH of those in my humble opinion seem to be fairly involved programming projects, and also of high complexity for one who is getting started with Linux and development therein.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smittyvanilli
And yes, I installed quite a few distros, however part of the problem is that I focused too much on "distro hopping" to get comfortable and get more of a learning experience. From that standpoint, perhaps I need to stick with one and learn it thoroughly enough to understand Linux better.
I agree that distro hopping will limit your ability to be able to maintain continuity of development. Meanwhile, one can distro hop on the side and maintain a fixed distro for development. I.e. multi-boot, VM's, or using a throw-away computer for the distro hopping.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smittyvanilli
Also, I plan to learn quite a few window managers to get the experience. I could write my own scripts, depending on the WM.
You can write your own scripts regardless of any window manager, scripts run on Linux, under the OS, and don't necessarily need to have a window manager at all.
Just my two cents here.
Given the tendency of you to persist with the theme of window managers, I'd suggest that you:
Come up to speed on code and script development under Linux.
Explore a concentration under Linux development where you are developing graphical applications.
Decide at that point what you wish to do moving forwards WRT a project about a window manager or desktop environment.
C and C++ compilers are readily available for Linux. Typically included with most distributions.
If you try to type:
Code:
$ gcc[TAB]
or
$ gcc --version
And also
$ g++[TAB]
or
$ g++ --version
You'll find out if the compilers are already on your distribution.
The package build-essential is the most typical package to install to add in the compiler, as well as the debugger. So for me it might be:
Code:
$ sudo apt install build-essential
Once you have the compiler, you should be able to spin up writing command line C/C++ functions very readily. The manual pages on each command, including gcc or gdb, as well as the info pages, will give you tons of information about those commands.
There's a bash script blog in my signature, it's intended to aid those debugging. But in there are links in there to the fundamental bash script guides. Or, if you search for "bash script guide" in a search engine, you'll likely find those exact ones. They are good places to start.
The batch script resource is appreciated. I believe Linux knowledge is power!
Putting it simply, linux is not something you can become an expert in simply by watching a few videos, or loading a few live dvds. M$ Windows thinks it knows what's best for you. Linux doesn't, you have to know what's best and configure it. You can find help videos by searching youtube. "Linux How to open a can of beans <or whatever>."
A basic requirement is to do an LFS in console mode (runlevel 3, not 4 or 5)
to do that, you'll need to figure out gpm (the mouse controller in console mode), and runlevels, which I'll leave to you. If you get copy & paste working, you can use it. Otherwise, you'll have to type. Links or lynx are console based browsers. Once you can boot lfs, you have the beginner's course passed. No automated tools (somebody's massive script) allowed.
This was the largest resource given, as I checked out the info on this project. it seem I can learn a large amount and not by just one install, but many installs in a Virtual Machine (i.e. VM)! After doing some research on LFS, I also came across NuTyX GNU/Linux. I wonder if I can learn from this project as well, based on LFS.
What's interesting is that I stumbled upon this page while on a YouTube video about Peppermint OS. I was curious about what this distro was about and discovered the following link: https://peppermintos.com/guide/resources/
This also linked to the following, which seems to be like a good intro to Linux: https://linuxjourney.com/
And if you look at both of their resources section, you can find additional learning resources, such as books.
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Course(s) Recommended for Learning Beginning to Advanced Linux?
. Links or lynx are console based browsers. Once you can boot lfs, you have the beginner's course passed. No automated tools (somebody's massive script) allowed.
