Your experience learning linux?
 

I'm doing some research on people's experiences learning linux and how to make it easier. Here's a few questions if you have some time:

1. How difficult do you find learning linux?
2. Why are you learning linux? Are you trying to get a career using linux?
3. Did you take any classes? If, so what did you like about them? What could be improved?
4. Did you purchase any books or other material to help you? Roughly how many?
5. How have you practiced what you've learned?
6. Have you taken any tests or certifications to gauge your progress or certify your knowledge?
7. Have you watched any screencasts on linux topics? Would screencasts be helpful for you in learning more about linux?

It might be better to post a poll.

Here's my answer to your questions.
1. Coming from MS Windows, it was fairly difficult at the beginning. There were times when I was tempted to actually go back to Windows. I stuck with it though and I'm glad I did. I latest attempt is to try and do everything from the CLI.

2. Because I hate Windows. I have no intention of making it a career. Almost everything in Linux is free to use. I do not have to buy any mainstream apps.

3. My only class was learning how to use Google properly and finding out about the Linux forums. These were my main two classes.

4. I did not buy any books. I learned from all the free tutorials on the web.

5. By trying to help others on the forums and my GRUB2 Theming Guide. The link is in my sig.

6. No.

7. No.

Your questions seem geared towards newbies but I'll take a stab at them:

1. How difficult do you find learning linux?
Not very. There are various UNIX flavors and Linux is a clone of UNIX. I was a UNIX admin long before I leared Linux. There are administrative differences between each variant of UNIX and to me learning Linux was just learning another set of variations.

2. Why are you learning linux? Are you trying to get a career using linux?
Linux was introduced to me originally as an alternative workstation in the mid-90s and over time in the shops where we did UNIX administration Linux has taken over many of the functions previously done only on UNIX or specialty setups for other purposes.

3. Did you take any classes? If, so what did you like about them? What could be improved?
I took the RHEL classes mainly to get certifications but this was after I'd been working on Linux for quite a while. I think the way RedHat does training/certification is rather good because they give you real issues to solve in testing rather than simply asking you to parrot back answers in the manuals.

4. Did you purchase any books or other material to help you? Roughly how many?
Most of what you need to know about Linux can be found online these days so physical books really aren't necessary so long as you have internet access. Although I did buy books early on one finds they are often outpaced by releases of the distributions. Of course for training classes there are usually books provided.

5. How have you practiced what you've learned?
Use it in my job every day.

6. Have you taken any tests or certifications to gauge your progress or certify your knowledge?
Yes - RHSA & RHCE

7. Have you watched any screencasts on linux topics? Would screencasts be helpful for you in learning more about linux?
No. My employer blocks videos anyway so even if there were any I thought might be useful I'd have to wait to access after hours.

Hi there,

alright, but that phrase is so vague that instead of an answer, I first have a few counter-questions.

• What exactly do you have in mind when you say "learn Linux"? Is it just using a Linux-based desktop PC? Is it installing and administering a Linux-based system? Is it programming for and with GNU/Linux?
• What exactly du you mean by the term "Linux"? Note that strictly speaking, it's only the operating system kernel, for instance something like "Linux 2.6.19" (which isn't up to date any more), while many people mean the entire distro consisting of the operating system core, a desktop environment and a selection of applications. I assume you're in the second group.

Depends on your reply especially to my first counter-question.
If -as an example- you consider switching from Windows to a modern Linux distro, like Ubuntu, SUSE, Mint, from the perspective of a user in the true sense, i.e. someone who just uses the PC and the software to get work done, it's not that difficult. For many less experienced people, the transition from Windows XP to Windows 7 may seem harder than switching to a well-configured Linux distro.
From a system administrator's view, however, Windows and Linux are worlds apart. For a programmer as well.

I'm using Linux because after using Windows for nearly 20 years, Microsoft finally managed to "migrate me away from Windows". Until XP, Windows was a system I could easily get along with, as a user and as an administrator. Then there was Vista, which was a disaster, and when Windows 7 was introduced, I gave it a try, and ... no, I'm outta that. It drives me nuts.
In my job, however, I still have to use Windows here and there (Windows 7, too), so I won't forget how to handle it. ;-)

No classes. I'd picked up some of the basics of Unix (Linux's ancestor) during my professional education in the 1990's, but never had any use for it until about five years ago when I considered to give Linux a try. However, I do have a thorough understanding of IT basics, so I picked up the gist pretty quickly. I didn't race myself; I just took a disused PC, installed Ubuntu 7.04 on it and started exploring it, while I still had my Windows PC for everyday work.

I borrowed a few from friends and from a library. A handfull. I purchased two that focus on Gentoo Linux.

By trying it out. By searching the internet when it didn't work as expected. By asking friends for help. By asking in forums.

No. No test could ever be challenging enough to match up with my own demands. I don't stop learning and digging until I'm on first name terms with every bit in my system.

No. I'm the guy who learns most effectively by studying the theory for an adequate time, then understand the principle and the clockworks, and only then try it out on my own, consolidating and deepening my knowledge.

[X] Doc CPU

1. How difficult do you find learning linux?
Like anything new. It took some time, and trial and error. Learning women was harder.

2. Why are you learning linux? Are you trying to get a career using linux?
Because I can. Plus I am a cheapo. No, I am a career Biker. I have my own motorcycle shop.

3. Did you take any classes? If, so what did you like about them? What could be improved?
No. Just Forums and searching. I'm self taught. I don't ask many questions in the years I have been using Open Source. I am kinda a self sufficient type of person.
Like in the X-Files. The truth is out there if you know how to look for it.

4. Did you purchase any books or other material to help you? Roughly how many?
I bought a Open Suse 9 book in Goodwill once for 25 cents,

5. How have you practiced what you've learned?
Have to. I only run Windows to tune motorcycles with DRM software. All my rigs run a Gnu/Linux OS of one kind or another. I am also a team member for 2 Linux distros. I do alright helping new users also. One Mac/Windows forum I am a moderator at keep me around just because I am the only member there that can answer Linux related questions.

6. Have you taken any tests or certifications to gauge your progress or certify your knowledge?
No. Self Taught.

7. Have you watched any screencasts on linux topics? Would screencasts be helpful for you in learning more about linux?
I have made how tos all over the net and screencasts for the Linux distros I am a team member of. Screencasts are always useful IMO.

1. How difficult do you find learning linux?

It really depends on what we're talking about. Learning assembler is hard, learning python is difficult. Making directories is easy, learning how to work out what's gone wrong when your attempts to compile from source fail is difficult. Generally, I find it more easy than difficult, if that helps...

2. Why are you learning linux? Are you trying to get a career using linux?

For fun, and 'cos I find it better than windows. I use it entirely recreationally - any computer career I would have would almost certainly be in programming rather than linux admin, though I guess I probably would enjoy admin too.

3. Did you take any classes? If, so what did you like about them? What could be improved?

Nope. Downloaded an (Ubuntu) .iso, experimented, and went from there.

4. Did you purchase any books or other material to help you? Roughly how many?

I've bought "Operating Systems: Design and Development" by Andrew. S. Tanenbaum, but that's about writing an operating system rather than using Linux. My dad also had a copy of "Programming linux games" lying about, which I have read as well.

5. How have you practiced what you've learned?

Using Linux day-to-day, really...

6. Have you taken any tests or certifications to gauge your progress or certify your knowledge?

Nope - the only measure of my relative ability is on this website, and on espaciolinux.com

7. Have you watched any screencasts on linux topics? Would screencasts be helpful for you in learning more about linux?

Goodness no! I can't learn from a video. It's got to be plain text for me. Nothing beats a well-written article. For one thing, you can't search through the dialogue of a video like you can an article.

Hi.

1. Depending. If the student try start with a advanced book or advanced tutorials, for example, it is a "hard way". But if the student try start with a beginner's book, (which is easy find in a bookstore or open books in internet) the learning become easy.
2. I'm learning Linux because I study Information Security at University here in Brazil, and Linux is powerful to security test (tools in backtrack and fedora lab security, for example). I want master Linux (and English language) to get a academic career with security and networking.
3. Now, this semester at University, I'm learning shell script, and Linux servers; next semester I will learn forensic tools, cryptography in files and networking connections and databank, all this in Linux.
I like the class, because I find, in the class, good books about this subjects, but the class don't have the time enough to practice a lot, just theories.
To improve --> more time in labs, to practice a lot.
4. I buy just a few because technical books is very expensive in Brazil, the most I get in a public library (in my city or in my University). I purchased "Red Hat Unleashed" and "Beginning Shell Script".
5. I took Windows off my two computers and I installed Fedora 16. Then I try make all things which I need in this system, then I try solve problems (here in linuxquestions, for example) from others peoples (I help anybody and learn at the same time).
6. Not for while, but I want get a certification in Linux.
7. I prefer books, but one time I watch a screencast about mandriva installation inside a Virtual Box, that was very interesting and easy to understand.
Sorry if a made any error in English.

No harder then Learning MS Windows when it comes to administrating. Same learning curve, in fact it is much easier to learn howto do things in Linux then under windows in most cases. The hardest was settling in on 1 distro.Started with win2k server SP4 killing 4 servers i was managing around the area. NTKERNEL.EXE error blue screen of death. after spending the weekend rebuilding each of those networks (none larger then 20 users, but all to cheap to have a backup server for rollover), i was finished running MS Windows anything at my business or home. Made the move to Linux, wife didnt like that for accounting so moved to Apple OSx. Currently working for a company that supports CentOS servers across the US.nope, not yet yup and still do all the time. no clue how many. daily, i make good money at it. did take my MCP for windows, none yet for Linuxnope, better HOWTO guides would be nice.

I disagree. Windows administration is very simple as it boils down to:
1) Stop the app and restart it.
2) If that doesn't work reboot the system.
3) If that doesn't work uninstall and reinstall the application.
4) If that doesn't work reinstall Windows and start over.
:p

Day to day use I find easy, but some things I struggle with. Initially I found it difficult until I learned the basics.I am learning Linux because it's my day-to-day OS. I started to become frustrated with Windows once I "mastered" Win2K and MS decided to change everything with XP. Since then I moved to Linux exclusively and bought both my main PC and netbook with Linux pre-installed (both have been changed form the original install). Now I'm trying to learn a bit more and spend a lot of time messing with VMs.
Yes, sort-of. I'm an out of work Windows admin but I'd love to get a role using Linux.No. The only computer related classes I've done are beginners programming classes for fun.I bought a huge book on Linux when I first started using it and I've a book on appliccation development -- I haven't used either.I use it day to day and play with VMs. This forum has given me some pointers of things to learn too.No. I can't learn a syllabus independently. I'd love to have a job which allowed me to learn up to a point where I could certify though.
Using forums like this is helpful in a self-rating way though and has prompted me to "up my game".No, I learn best interactively.

I find that a few things a some-what simple but there are a lot of Advance things that I find that I need to are allot more difficult to learn. Searching the web has been troublesome as there is so much out there that it becomes over whelming.
No. I just got sick of all the problems that Windows has started to have ever since 2005
I had to take a class on linux but back then it was Redhat. It was required with all my Computer Networking classes. The teacher I had wasn't very good. He knew his stuff but the teaching method was a bit to be desired.
No. I have to rely on what I can find around the internet.

All the time and that's how I have found that the things I'm needing are falling into the more advanced area because of my home metworking needs and the mixed enviroment on the network.

NO.

I watch them all the time when I can find them on places such as Youtube. I find learning easier if I can actually see how things are done and able to follow along.

1. How difficult do you find learning linux?

Not very. I started using computers with DOS and was not intimidated by the command line. I also like taking things apart and putting them back together, knew my way around mailing lists and newsgroups, and knew how to RTFM.

I also started with Slackware, which is a darn good teacher, with a helpful community. I signed up for the most highly-recommended mailing list, subscribed to alt.os.linux.slackware, found LQ and the Slackware wiki, and I was off and learning.

2. Why are you learning linux? Are you trying to get a career using linux?

I started because I was curious; then I learned I could use it, along with a dynamic DNS provider, to self-host my website, which at the time was out on members.AOL (and I don't want to hear any AOL bashing--back in the '90s, it was the only alternative for a lot of us, especially persons who traveled for work, as I did). That sounded like a lot of fun, so I brought my website into my guest room. A couple of years later, I ported my personal laptop over the Slackware and never looked back.

I'm not looking for a Linux career, but if one came my way, I wouldn't turn it down.

3. Did you take any classes? If, so what did you like about them? What could be improved?

No.

4. Did you purchase any books or other material to help you? Roughly how many?

I purchased the Slackbook and printed out Garrels's Intro to Linux from tldp.org. When I started using Fluxbox, I printed out the Fluxbook. Along the way, I've printed out several other manuals, including Samba by Example, various user guides, and the like. I also purchased Linux, the Complete Reference, which turned out to be simply a collection of man pages and a waste of money.

I also have MySQL in a Nutshell from O'Reilly and Haugland's OpenOffice.org Guidebook. Both of those were worth every penny.

5. How have you practiced what you've learned?

I've learned stuff as I've wanted to use it. I've practiced it by making my computers do things I want them to do.

6. Have you taken any tests or certifications to gauge your progress or certify your knowledge?

No, nothing formal.

7. Have you watched any screencasts on linux topics? Would screencasts be helpful for you in learning more about linux?

I watched some very useful videos on YouTude when I was getting familiar with Audacity so I could submit podcasts to hackerpublicradio.org. Other than that, no.

Hope this helps your survey.

it takes many many years. Alone it will be difficult to start

You could also use IRSSI on the channel #ubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InternetRelayChat

1. Difficulty
I came to Linux from MSDOS and QDOS, so Linux was easier.

2. Why use it?
Because it was free and I didn't want an OS from a company with a track-record of corrupt business practice.

3. Classes
I prefer to teach myself. When I got my first PC at work in 1981, I got a shelf-full of manuals and just got on with it.

4. Books
The internet is pretty good, but I still occasionally use Tyler's Fedora Linux.

5. Practice
I use it every day, and I've done a lot of customisation. I also test new distros and review them here.

6. Tests
When I finished my post-graduate work, I swore "No more exams — ever!" And I kept to it.

7. Videos
I think they're a waste of time. The only way to learn is to read something and try it there and then. If it works, good. If it doesn't, read a bit more.

1. It depends. Some areas are easier than others.
2. I enjoy it and for work reasons as well.
3. no
4. Yes, 3 books.
5. By doing stuff / testing and participating in LQ.
6. no
7. Sometimes I watch some lectures on youtube. They are however more related to programming (not linux). Screencast would be most helpful for people just starting with linux (IMO)