I am new to Linux and I am interested in becoming very proficient in Linux. I also am in school for my associates of applied computer science, but would like to steer my career toward Linux. So my question is where and what will help me become very good at Linux ?

Hi and welcome to LQ.

/ Use linux
/ read about linux and practise what you've learned
/ visit Linuxquestions.org to learn from other people and then help other people.

By hanging around this forum you'll probably get some ideas as to what exactly you'd like to do in Linux. You can't be good at everything (at least most people can't) so at some point you'll need to start focusing on what is of interest to you.

gaining proficiency in anything, be it os or any programming language takes time; you have to use the system, experiment with it - and in course, you will make mistakes, but don't get disheartened. if you get stuck up any where fall back to forum - someone will definitely be there to help you out. try to learn the different commands, their usage and apply them; although the gui is more friendly, try to make use of the console, actual strength is there!

Practice, Practice and Practice some more. As my daddy once told me when trying to teach me how to roller skate, and I said roller skate not blade and yes it was on a real wooden floor:

"You're going to fall down about a hundred times before you learn to skate."

Set up a sample machine, load and go and do it again. Make your own docs recording what you did and what happened.

Ask at lot of questions here at LQ.

Best of luck to you.

Just my

PS After I fell about fifty times, I got the handle on it. A few years later even taught my kid brother to skate and then roller hockey. Course he did that without a helmet and had to have some teeth wired back in, but that's another story.

That's all I got to say about that.

Look at my signature link.

Some useful links:
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz
www.distrowatch.com
www.linuxtopia.org
www.tldp.org

As above, there are many specialisations, so let us know which area you are interested in.

Welcome to LQ