Hello, LinuxQuestions!

I am a network administration "student", (I am in my early 30s so I don't like the word student), and am doing my best to give Microsoft Windows the finger and move to linux. Yes, Windows will always be the status-quo OS in my field, but in my own time, I want to do my best to only use linux in my personal life. I've been using computers, and web tech for over 15 years, so I believe I am confident in my transition.

I have a very good resource that has helped me thus far. He is a linux expert of over 30 years, but when he talks he really goes so in-depth into it that I am sometimes unsure what he is saying. I am using a few old textbooks I picked up from the college for a few bucks, and just playing with linux for the time-being. My friend says I need to do everything from the command line, so that is my approach at learning the OS. When it comes to tutorials, I haven't done much, yet, I have only taken the basic tutorial off linuxsurvival.com and am just trying to get accustomed to everything.

So far, my first task after installing Ubuntu was figuring out how to get my wi-fi to be recognized. That took quite a bit of digging, as it showed me how much Windows does for us that we take for granted. I have done a few commands and understand a minimal amount. I know how to traverse directories, and the basics, as well as get updates from the "depositories" depending on what needs to be done. Although, it has taken some time, I am starting to catch on to what the commands are actually saying, such as sudo and lspci, as well as chmod. I know that this is very basic to you all, but it has been a big step for me.

Everything just seems like ancient hieroglyphics to me, but I am catching on little by little, bit by bit

The books I am using to help me are:

Linux Administration a Beginner's Guide (sixth edition) by Wale Soyinka
Guide to UNIX using LINUX by Jack Dent and Tony Gaddis
Red Hat Linux Network Management Tools by Steve Maxwell
Guide to Linux Networking and Security by Nicholas Wells
Linux+ Guide to Linux certification by Jason W. Eckert and M. John Schitka

I think some of these are too advanced for me, but I am skimming across them all to try to pick up some pieces as I go along, but mainly focusing on the Linux Administration a Beginner's Guide, book to get going. I know there are tutorials on here, and I will check them out ASAP, is there an order I should be reading them in to try to really get going?

Sorry if my post has been rather long-winded, I hope you all are having a good weekend!

In what field do you believe Windows will "always be the status-quo" ? If you mean network admin, and you can't find a job that doesn't default to Windows, then I can say whole-heartedly that you're not looking hard enough!

As for the books: it depends on your learning style. Personally, I like to get to understand the basics and build up from there, but I know other people who don't care so much about how Linux does something, just as long as the command they use accomplishes the task they need.

You might start by setting up a network at home, introduce some fake user accounts to it, and start configuring things. Learn how to run tests so that you can automate both activity and functionality on your network. Learn as you go.

Or you could just read and learn on a small scale (your own computer), and then explore all the things that Linux can do once you feel like you understand enough to branch out.

You know yourself best, so use your own curiosity as a guide.

notklaatu's advice is excellent. The best way to understand Linux is to use it to get things done.

My twist would be this: Find something you want to do with a computer, then do it with Linux.

A few more concrete suggestions:

Learn how to install updates to your distro by using the command line (in Ubuntu, that would be by using apt-get or aptitude). See man apt-get for details.

Learn how to set up cron jobs. For example, if you listen to podcasts, get a command line podcatcher like podget (that's the one I use) and set up a cron job to make it download podcasts on a schedule.

Use a command line program like Mutt for your email (it's okay to depend on a GUI email client as your main email program). In the process of setting up Mutt, you will learn a lot about Linux.

Use a window manager like Fluxbox. In learning how to make Fluxbox do what you want, you will learn a lot about Linux. It can exist quite nicely along side other GUI environments--you don't have to uninstall Unity or MATE, for example (indeed, it would better not to do so, as you can use their programs under Fluxbox)--and you can switch back and forth between environments as you wish.

If your computer has enough horsepower, install a virtualizer like VirtualBox (which is relatively easy to use) and create virtual machines. You can experiment with the virtual machines and, if you break something, you can just throw it out and start over, no harm done. Breaking stuff is a great way to learn.

Just a few ideas, based on the things that helped me learn about Linux, but they should be enough to illustrate what I'm getting at.

Good luck and welcome to LQ.

Hello and welcome to the forum, best wishes in learning how to use Linux.

Well, first-off, when I said that windows will always be the status-quo in my field, it just seems to be logically true. Almost all business environments use Windows, government agencies (I don't know first-hand) use Windows. I do know that all the educational environments in my area use Windows. My community college teaches a windows-centric perspective of network administration. The perception being taught is that windows is used 98% of the time, and if there is a Linux box on the network, it is because it just works and the admins don't want to break something trying to re-configure it.

As for my learning linux, I am starting by trying to do stuff I do on Windows in Linux. I would rather not touch my network until I get a firm grasp of Linux on an individual box. I do have VMware I could load up if I am feeling more adventurous.

I do have a question regarding larger networks and security. If I were to encounter a linux-only environment, what is the Active Directory equivalent? Is it better than AD?

Welcome to the forums. I suggest that if you have a specific question, such as that included in your last post, that you create a new discussion thread in either the Linux - Networking or Linux - Newbie forums. Threads in those forums are visible for technical assistance. Threads in this forum are not always monitored except for persons to say hello. Those who have seen your question, may offer an answer, however you'll get better exposure for questions with new threads in technical forums.