Learning Linux inside out
 

Hi,

I'm looking to learn how Linux works, and basically I want to become an advanced user. What resources are available for this? I don't really want to have to pay for anything (unless it's really good and cheap)

~Callum

First, Google is your friend - anything you want to know, just throw it into Google (e.g. shell scripting). Second, check the websites of the distros you are interested in frequently, they usually have plenty of info. There are also plenty of great books which you can probably find at your local library. If you are near a college and they will let you use their library, definitely check that out too.

I have possible the smallest library ever, I live in the middle of nowhere :)

~Callum

http://tldp.org

http://oreilly.com/linux/ (Check out their free on-line books)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?ur...inux&x=11&y=20

You appear to have the only resources you really need; A brain and an Internet connection. The way I learned about Linux, continue to learn about Linux, is when confronted with needing to do something I've never done before:

- See if I can figure it out just by poking around in the OS.

- If I can't figure it out just by poking around then Google it.

- If Google fails me, ask someone I know or post on a forum.


If you want to get in to Linux administration for a living I recommend the Bash guides at http://tldp.org/LDP/Bash-Beginners-Guide/html/ and http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/
Most of my job is Linux administration and find myself writing Bash scripts all the time to do stuff. Sometimes it's a script to make sure certain settings are always in place on the machines, sometimes it's a script to make life easier for the people who use the machines.

Sometimes it's good to write a script to do something mostly for fun just to keep in practice and maybe learn something new in the process (sometimes seemingly simply tasks turn out to be more complicated once you start trying to actually solve them!)

There is a massive list of slackware links -some of which are slackware specific, some aren't- here
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Slackware-Links
and that should give you more than enough to go at.

Well, I've got the Internet connection. Where can I download a brain from? :)

Proper English:
"From where can I download a brain?"
(People from England constantly criticize the American abuse of the language, so this seems only fair.....;))

From my observations of the world at large, there is an abundance of brains that are barely used--if at all. Don't bother with Google: Just read the morning paper or spend a few hours in a shopping mall.

We're not THAT picky :)

Thanks for all your help, I will do that. Christmas is soon, so I will make someone get me a book. Well, ask them :)

~Callum

Thanks. :redface:
Oh, the shame of it! Being corrected by an American! :D
You can't really expect proper English from an Oldhamer, though, like what I am.

There's that strangeness in the language again.......To me, it would be "old hammer", and it would just mean that the handle was loose and the claw would not **claw** anymore.

But now, if we recognize that "Oldham" is probably pronounced "Oldum", I just don't know WHAT to say.

I probably should just get back to whatever I was suppossed to be doing.......

What about "Unix and Linux System Administation Handbook": http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unix-Linux-S...6485095&sr=8-2

And don't correct me on my punctuation :)

Or should that be, don't correct my punctuation?

Comma splicing aargh!

Oh who cares?

~Callum

Something other things that I should have mentioned are the manuals for Linux From Scratch/Beyond Linux from scratch. they go through the steps of building your own distribution, and while I do not recommend building your own distro at this stage, reading through 'the book' (the book being a .pdf type of book) will give you a good idea of what is involved, and are cheap!

Of course, that might not be quite your focus; it could be you are primarily interested in the efficient use of Linux rather than the stuff that is under the hood.

If you are interested in gui stuff, there is probably a manual or tutorial for your chosen gui, whichever that is. A google search on tutorial and whatever your subject of interest is (or, maybe, manual and the subject of interest) is always worth a shot.

I tried linuxfromscratch, but I got bored.

And I'm not a huge fan of reading lots of information straight off the screen.

~Callum

The traditional local way of pronouncing it is "Owdum"

We spell it "supposed" in Owdum. :D