So far I'm not finding the online "intro to Linux" course I'm taking very helpful. As I tend to learn better from hands-on instruction generally, I wonder if it's possible to have an old hand tutor me? In particular I'd like to have someone explain the different abbreviations in the command line.

It's not necessary for this person to live near me- what's Skype for, after all- but it would help.

what kind of abbreviations do you mean?
http://www.linuxguide.it/linux_commands_line_en.htm

Dear Seff,
I would be glad to be your mentor.
Regards,
M.

1 members found this post helpful.

Post to LQ and you have 1000 mentors.

1 members found this post helpful.

Have you considered looking for LUG in your area https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_user_group

R-W-X for instance.

http://linuxsurvival.com/wp/?page_id=11&id=25 for instance.

3 members found this post helpful.

That's a cool website. Never seen it before.

I found that it is difficult to set out and "learn linux", however if you pick a project to do and set about that, it becomes easier.

Example. "I'm not going to bed tonight until I set up my own webserver and have it tell me good night."

My .02

Also, +1 to chrism01's comment about LUG's. That is where it is at.

Habitual's link is new to me as well - looks like a great resource - use it!

I would point out to the OP that what they really need to learn is not a system of abbreviations, but the basic access mode properties of the Unix filesystem. Those "abbreviations" (it is more useful to think of them as the bit flags they actually are) are a representation of the access properties of a file or directory. As such, they really only make sense if you know what those properties are.

As noted, these are Unix access properties or Unix file permissions, and are a core idea inherited by Linux - a very important part of Linux' Unix heritage. You should DuckDuckGo all those terms for a more complete understanding of the concept.

A useful representation of the bit (flag) pattern worth reproducing with a few modifications here (see full article here):

Learn the equivalence between octal representation (0-7) and flags (r,w,x) and how they appear in different contexts. It is easy and intuitive once you think about it a little! And it is all important to using a Unix like OS!

Here is another easy to read and complete article on Unix file permissions that expands on these ideas, hope it helps!

And I agree with smallpond - just ask your questions here and you will have a thousand mentors!

I can make my own server?

If you so chose, and you were permitted by your ISP (depending on what type of server you were making).

Linux runs many of the worlds servers, so making a linux machine into a server is simplicity itself (from a feasability perspective, not from an ability to configure it perspective).

sure, just first you need to understand what does it really mean (otherwise what kind of server will be created?)
next, you will need to learn how to do that. But in general (obviously) it is possible.

Translator- that would be great. pan64 and Timothy- thanks for the info; I may just investigate the possibility.