First linux install - not sure where to start reading

[Alex_L]

I've just installed ubuntu on an old p4 machine I have. Installation was a breeze (far quicker than xp has ever taken), and everything seems to be working fine out of box which is cool. I've never used linux before, so i've no idea where to start when websites start talking about using the command line, terminals etc.

Are there any good sites, that break down exactly how linux works(really basic stuff etc), so I can start to get a hang of how all this stuff works.

thanks for any tips.

 

[punky_munky]

I go to http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper when I have adventures in Linux land.

 

[daven1986]

check the ubuntu forums - they have some good stuff

 

[cb_linus]

Linux Questions has a pretty decent forums and tutorials etc

 

[Una]

http://www.tldp.org/

 

[FirebarUK]

Gentoo wiki;

http://gentoo-wiki.com/Main_Page

 

[Alex_L]

thanks guys, will check it out. Have to say i'm rather enjoying ubuntu so far, though still not sure exactly what all this sudo aptget is etc, hopefully some of the site will enlighten me.

Enjoying the xgl effects thought. spinning cube is cool

 

[BillytheImpaler]

I'll start by giving a wee and oversimplified explanation of the sudo command. Su, short for Super User, is a type of user in a Unix-like system that is allowed to make changes to the system. A regular user is not allowed to make chnages out of his or her own user space.

In Ubuntu the administrator account, called root, is disabled by default. Usually in a Unix-like system to make system-wide changes you would change your user so that you were root. With Ubuntu there is no root so we do the next closest thing, we make ourselves a super user. For safety's sake we do not run at super user all the time, just when it's needed. Therefore to run a command with super user abilities we sudo. Think of sudo as "super user do" as in the verb "do". You're doing something as a super user. Sudo lasts just for that command sequence so when it's done your permissions will go back to normal.

To a Unix-newbie it cal all be a little overwhelming but if you stick with it I bet you will find that everything is nicely organized and it all makes sense.

 

[Alex_L]

thanks for that. It definitely makes sense now, and entirely logical.

I have to say that once I get the hang of the using the terminal, I can see it being a lot quicker to carry out tasks in linux than in windows, the idea of it just seems to stream lined.

I just can't get over how easy and quick the installation was, compared with xp installs.

 

[cb_linus]

If you're using a terminal, don't forget about the 'tab' button when typing stuff (very useful for auto-completion / suggestion ).