learning to use linux

Dist

Dist

Dist

Soldato
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To expand my knowledge a bit i want to try and learn a bit about how to use linux, but my previous attempts have put me off it a bit so hopefully i will have better luck this time. Previously (about 4 or 5 years ago) i downloaded red hat linux, burned it to a few cds, tried to install and failed due to a missing file. Then, last year i tried ubuntu, with more success i managed to install it, BUT, i couldnt get any graphics drivers to work, so couldnt increase the screen res beyond something stupidly low like 640x480, or maybe 800x600 i cant remember which.

Now ive got a new pc which is running vista home premium 64bit, and ive downloaded VMWare server so that i dont have to mess around with making a linux partition on my hdd, and this will allow me to also easily switch to vista when i need help.

What i want to know is, is ubuntu a good linux distribution to learn how to do stuff with, because i understand that its one of the easier to use distributions, but does that mean its slightly 'dumbed down' and so i may miss out on learning certain things? Also, what sort of activitys should i perform to learn some basic linux skills? So far i plan on installing linux, installing drivers (if needed, im not sure if i need to mess with drivers when using a virtual machine, when my vista OS has all the drivers itself), maybe install an IRC client. Beyond that im not sure what sort of things to try, so i would like some ideas.
 
what gfx card do you have? i am ussing a 8800gts with ubuntu i initially was in the same situation you described. workarounds exists which involve using the terminal its not too much. After you've configured a few things all should be well.
 
I wouldn't say Ubuntu is dumbed down. It can be as advanced as you want it to be really. I think the Gnome desktop is cleaner and perhaps a little simpler then KDE.

I've been playing with Linux for a couple of years now and using it for my main day to day computing for maybe 4 months. All thats installed on my Vista box is games.

I'd say the most important thing to remember when trying Linux, is that it's not windows. So don't expect to able to do some things the way you are used to. Be prepared to feel sometimes feel totally lost and useless :) When it comes to troubleshooting problems I still am most of the time. Slowly learning though.

Another thing I'd say is if you have problems, try and not run back to windows to do what you need, persevere, if you really want to learn it. The Ubuntu forums are fantastic source for help. Or here.

There is also a shed load of tutorials and e-books on the net. I quite a few bookmarks if you want them. You might want to get a book, I'm not saying the stuff online is useless, but a book can be easier as it has structure.
 
Dist said:
What i want to know is, is ubuntu a good linux distribution to learn how to do stuff with, because i understand that its one of the easier to use distributions, but does that mean its slightly 'dumbed down' and so i may miss out on learning certain things? Also, what sort of activitys should i perform to learn some basic linux skills? So far i plan on installing linux, installing drivers (if needed, im not sure if i need to mess with drivers when using a virtual machine, when my vista OS has all the drivers itself), maybe install an IRC client. Beyond that im not sure what sort of things to try, so i would like some ideas.
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I'd say Ubuntu (or one of it's counterparts such as Kubuntu - which uses KDE instead of Gnome, or Xubuntu which uses Xfce) would be an ideal choice.

Ubuntu has proven so popular with so many people because a lot of work was done by Canonical (the company created by Mark Shuttleworth) with regards making sure the distribution was both up-to-date as far as functionality and also drivers go, but also stable. It's also nice and easy to install, and has regular updates too (unlike Debian, which is what it is actually based upon).


It's not, in my opinion, a dumbed down version of Linux. You could argue that there are distributions that are more "hardcore", such as Gentoo for example, but they're more hardcore because they give you complete control and ultimate flexibility over how your OS is going to be installed and how it will run. Ubuntu, on the other hand, is like the majority of distributions, and it takes away some of the unnecessary decision making and makes some assumptions for you. It's not a dumbing down process, though, it's just that sometimes it's not necessary to have to do everything by hand.

Once the OS is installed, however, it's just like any other distribution.

As for what activities you should perform to get to grips with Linux in an efficient manner, well I'd suggest installing some apps - the ones you mentioned would be ideal... also have a play around with different apps, e.g. xmms instead of totem (or whatever the default player is), until you find one that you like the most. However, don't just rely on using Synaptic - the package manager for Ubuntu. As excellent as it is, it'd be a good exercise to manually install/update/remove some packages from the command line so that you get your head around how it works. It'll take you 5 minutes to understand but it's worth understanding properly.

Also, I'd suggest learning the file system... this is different to how files are structured in Windows, and can appear confusing. There's not much to do other than read up on a few sites, to understand what each directory is used for.

Next, have a go at editing some config files... if you're feeling brave, have a go at editing the config file xorg.conf. However, be prepared to lose the GUI side of Linux if you make a mistake. It's not a problem as you'll just need to drop into a shell, modify the file to remove your mistake, and restart X, but you might want to start with something a little more user-friendly and easier to understand first of all.

If you're feeling really geeky, then spend some time learning how to use a text editor called Vi... it's an unbelievably powerful tool to use once you've learned some of its quirks.

Lastly, with all the knowledge you've picked up now, I'd start learning some of the commands available to you. You don't have to do this, as I know loads of people that use Linux very happily without ever dropping into a shell. However, it's such a powerful area of the OS, that it'd be a shame to not know how to put it to some use. Learn what "grep" is used for, why you'd "touch" a file, how you use "find", what "ps" tells you and what the different arguments are for.... then combine commands using the pipe ("|"), e.g. ps -ef | grep firefox to do some more fancy stuff.

That should keep you busy for a while, but you'll be using your time wisely :)
 
thanks for the help, ive just finished downloading ubuntu (hopefully i got the right one, i selected to download the 64bit amd/intel version, but the file it sent me to has amd64 in the filename but no mention of intel). Ill get started on installing it on a virtual machine tommorow, im going to listen to some of them podcasts tonight :)
 
It seems that i have hit a slight hitch. I tried installing VMware-server, and during install i got a box pop up asking if i want to let it install unsigned drivers, i let it install the drivers, then a little while later in the install i get a couple more boxes popup saying that this version of windows requires all drivers to be signed drivers, and that it wouldnt let these new drivers be used, and that i should uninstall the program.

So. how do i fix this problem? im guessing the drivers must be fine and that vista is just being a bit over protective, so should i uninstall, then some how reinstall in a way that would bypass the signed drive check?
 
Dist said:
So. how do i fix this problem? im guessing the drivers must be fine and that vista is just being a bit over protective, so should i uninstall, then some how reinstall in a way that would bypass the signed drive check?
Click to expand...

Someone told me this "would never be encountered" by Vista users when I brought it up. :rolleyes: Basically due to copy protection etc MS only approve signed drivers for Vista and the OS rejects unsigned ones.
 
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