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Off Topic => Ten Forward => Topic started by: Sethan on July 21, 2004, 06:26:02 pm

Title: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Sethan on July 21, 2004, 06:26:02 pm: Some of you may know I'm a computer tech, and that I've been effectively unemployed for nearly two years. I've done some contract work for a little over a year of that, but the contract is now over, and I'm needing to find employment again.

To that end, I've decided to teach myself Linux, and have installed a copy of Redhat 9. Now what? Damned if I know. I can navigate around in this thing somewhat, but 27 years of PC and (non-Unix) mainframe experience aren't helping much.

Anyone got any good Linux resources they can point me at for someone who is experienced with computers in general, but is a Linux / Unix newbie?
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Dash Jones on July 21, 2004, 06:57:28 pm: I'm probably not a good person to ask...I'll look around and see what I can find...

Not really teaching about linux...but using some items from linux...could be interesting

http://lxr.linux.no/

sourceforge.net doesn't seem to come up...

This might be useful

http://www.kernel.org/

Lots of links with the linuxkernal...

This could also be useful

http://www.ibiblio.org/linux-source/

This is devoted to scripting in linux I believe...don't know if it will be valuable or not to you

http://linux.ittoolbox.com/code/

Not an internet source, but a book that might be useful

The Complete Linux Shell Programming Training Course
Ellie Quigley, Scott Hawkins
however it runs around $100, but a local library might have it...

This might help

http://www.linuxbase.org/

If you are looking for something more basic however...you might try this place

http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=Tutorial&pageid=224

Sorry I'm not better able to help you...hopefully these will help...start with the bottom link first probably (last link posted in this post) and perhaps that will give you the jump start you need?
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Nemesis on July 21, 2004, 06:59:33 pm: I am far from being a Linux Guru, barely a novice actually, but I do have some suggestions:

1/ O'Reilly Books (Link to site (http://www.oreilly.com/)) has some excellent resources. Such as Running Linux (Link (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/runux4//)),
The BASH (Link (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/bash2/)) shell and SAMBA (Link (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba2/)) to network with Windows.

2/ Not to be insulting but have you considered checking Redhat Linux for Dummies from the library and working through it just to get your feet wet? (Or Fedora Core for Dummies)

3/ Search out the local Linux UserGroup. Link to list of Usergroups (http://www.netraverse.com/LUG/lugs.php) Link to 2nd list of Usergroups (http://www.tux.org/luglist.html)

4/ For someone who is looking at it from the "techie" side I would say mostly ignore the windowing systems for now and learn the command line. (BASH Shell and configuration utilities). At present RedHat is the big North American business version of Linux so I would say that you picked the right one to start with.

5/ The Linux Documentation Project (Link (http://www.tldp.org/tldp-redirect.php?url=/)) might also be useful.

NOTE on Redhat: Redhat has split off the desktop version and no longer sells it. The former desktop version is now called Fedora Core. Link to Fedora Core (http://fedora.redhat.com/)
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: I, Mudd on July 22, 2004, 07:47:52 pm: Wine HQ (http://www.winehq.org/) : A windows emulator that allows you to run those ol' MS proggies on Linux. Works pretty well, I understand.

Linux Hardware.net (http://www.linuxhardware.net/) : Got a piece of hardware you need help identifying with Linux?

Linux Newbie Guide Shortcuts And Commands (http://www.unixguide.net/linux/linuxshortcuts.shtm)

I, Mudd.
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Strafer on July 22, 2004, 08:54:50 pm: www.tldp.org formally known as linuxdoc. Has all the old faq and howtos from the olden days. Still applies for most questions but may not be as up to date on questions that have had extensive work done recently. Most distros will have an archive of things in /usr/share/doc/*
I agree with the O'Reilly accessment, they can be advanced in content but they are the most complete IMO. The UNIX Power Tools book is one I'd add to those already mentionned, but as they say in the preface; Don't read it cover to cover!
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: kortez on July 23, 2004, 04:32:30 pm: Yeah, Strafer's site may be the best one for you to use a lot, Sethan. THAT is the one I couldn't remember.

And the on-disc current docs for whatever you download will be where you want to look, assuming you don't want to buy books.

I use on-line books from here (http://safari.oreilly.com).
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Strafer on July 23, 2004, 06:46:57 pm: Quote from: FCM_Kortez_XC on July 23, 2004, 04:32:30 pm
THAT is the one I couldn't remember.

Linuxdoc.org was so much easier to remember, wasn't it? :)
Title: Re: Old tech needs to learn new Linux tricks
Post by: Sethan on July 24, 2004, 04:08:16 am: Thank you all for the help - I've got a lot of reading to do.