I want to learn more about linux

Dethredic · 2009-12-19 20:07:37

So, I installed Arch successfully for the first time in the summer. I got everything all set up and working just the way I wanted it. I then got super busy with school and didn't have a whole lot of time to tinker around with things.

Anyways, I have two weeks off for Christmas break then I am on a work term so I will have lots of time after 5pm and on weekends to do stuff.

I will be re-installing Arch after Christmas because I got a SSD for my / partition, and then I need to get everything set up again, but after that what is there to do?

I have played around with the kernel before, I use openbox on my desktop and dwm on my laptop. One thing I want to do it learn how to bash script and program in python.

ideas would be great, anything from basic to advanced.

-KL- · 2009-12-19 20:20:42

The python documentation are a good introduction to the language
http://www.python.org/doc/
http://docs.python.org/tutorial/
http://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonBooks

JohannesSM64 · 2009-12-19 20:32:40

Consider zsh instead of bash. It's a bit harder to learn, but more powerful and customizable.
If you decide on zsh: http://zsh.sourceforge.net/Guide/zshguide.html

Last edited by JohannesSM64 (2009-12-19 20:33:22)

fsckd · 2009-12-19 20:39:23

The Linux Document Project has several guides you might be interested in, including the Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide and the Bash Guide for Beginners.

dyscoria · 2009-12-19 21:24:31

The advanced bash-scripting guide above is truly awesome (as in everything I have ever learnt to do in BASH has come from here).

Best thing to do if you want to be able to use BASH or python is to have a goal or a script you want to write... rather than just learning the theory it's more fun and often makes it easier to remember if you are using the techniques in an actual script. For example, the script I wrote in my signature was definitely more of a learning experience than a chore.

Dethredic · 2009-12-19 21:52:37

alright, thanks guys, but there has got to be more to learn about linux than just programming. Whenever I am on the IRC there are always people taking about stuff I don't understand and trouble shooting things I didn't know exist.

Also mini project ideas that I could use bash and python for would be great cause I am not the most creative person.

Last edited by Dethredic (2009-12-19 21:53:22)

fsckd · 2009-12-19 21:57:40

You can also play nethack. I mean, what else is there to do on a lonely Saturday night?

Dethredic · 2009-12-19 22:39:34

I will also be playing lots of warcraft 3, just thought I should do something educational as well.

dyscoria · 2009-12-19 22:47:24

Really learn how linux works by installing this in a spare partition or in a virtual machine: LFS

Or have a go at compiling your own kernel with BFS or the whole -ck patchset.

Or try and fix an archlinux bug.

Blue Peppers · 2009-12-20 00:05:20

For python, I suggest Learning Python from O'Rielly. It was very helpful to me, coming from a bash scripting background. Personally, I could never learn from on-line tutorials, or other digital guides.

Dethredic · 2009-12-20 19:28:05

alright, thanks guys.

namegame · 2009-12-20 21:13:20

fsckd wrote:

You can also play nethack. I mean, what else is there to do on a lonely Saturday night?

You could go outside and get unlonely.

As for the original question, there are many Linux related resources which are just a few short google searches away.

Bionic Apple · 2009-12-20 23:31:09

In my opinion, the best book for Python (which is online for free by the author) is Dive Into Python by Mark Pilgrim. It is more oriented towards people with programming experience, however. For general programming knowledge, you might want to look at CarlH's guide on Reddit. He gives a great general purpose tutorial with C.

Cyrusm · 2009-12-21 03:33:44

lol, break stuff and then fix it. that's how I learned about linux!

also I would suggest trying to do as much as you can from the command line (and yes, you can do everything from the command line, try it, you'll see).
it's going to take TIME! I've been using Linux and only linux for YEARS! and I'm not even close.
the big things are familiarizing your self with the file structure (what all the stuff in your root partition does, what all the dot files in /home/$USER do), learning bash scripting (try writing a script that backs up all
of your configuration files and saves it to a hard-drive, and then schedule it to run with cron. that's a good start that covers all of the important stuff and is useful besides)
read random pages on the wiki and then TRY some of it out! ( think, then do.)
help out on the forums where you can.

I think that covers most of the basic stuff to get you started.

some books I think are worth checking out:
"How Linux Works" by Brian Ward. ISBN: 1-59327-035-6
"Linux Phrasebook" by Scott Granneman. ISBN: 0-672-32838-0

some websites I think are worth checking out:
www.google.com stupid right? WRONG! learn to google, rule the world.
http://www.freeos.com/guides/lsst/ a shell scripting tutorial
ftp://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/doc/book/vimbook-OPL.pdf lrn2vim
http://www.delorie.com/gnu/docs/emacs/emacs_toc.html lrn2emacs (if you like key clobbering, lol)

ewaller · 2009-12-21 04:06:36

Or, for a tounge-in-cheek read, try the "Unix Hater's Handbook". http://simson.net/ref/ugh.pdf It will aim you at the some of the darker corners.

Dethredic · 2009-12-24 22:36:53

thanks guys. I will definitely look into that.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-12-19 20:07:37

I want to learn more about linux

#2 2009-12-19 20:20:42

Re: I want to learn more about linux

#3 2009-12-19 20:32:40

Re: I want to learn more about linux

#4 2009-12-19 20:39:23

Re: I want to learn more about linux

#5 2009-12-19 21:24:31

Re: I want to learn more about linux

#6 2009-12-19 21:52:37

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#7 2009-12-19 21:57:40

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#8 2009-12-19 22:39:34

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#9 2009-12-19 22:47:24

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#10 2009-12-20 00:05:20

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#11 2009-12-20 19:28:05

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#12 2009-12-20 21:13:20

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#13 2009-12-20 23:31:09

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#14 2009-12-21 03:33:44

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#16 2009-12-24 22:36:53

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