How did you "learn" Linux?

[moveright]

Just curious, I'm a linux noob but I do love it. It seems to be a wonderful OS but I know very little about how it works. In other words, EVERY time I need to do something that involves the terminal, I have to post a new thread in a forum!

Back in the days, I was self taught and knew DOS inside and out. I learned about directory structure, DOS commands, etc... Back then, EVERYTHING was a terminal window.

But now, I've been so used to windows for so long, I get completely lost with 'sudo this' and 'apt that'.

Any suggestions on where I can go to learn the fundamentals of linux so that in the future, when someone tells me on a forum to do something, I don't have to ask for exact syntax which I can cut and paste>?

[MaddogF16]

Could start here: http://www.linux.com/learn

[vrkalak]

I compiled and collected all sorts of things you want to know in this Thread.

Linux: Tricks of the Trade > viewtopic.php?f=60&t=38355

A great way to learn > Read everything.

. . . hope you find this useful.

[trollboy]

How did I learn Linux? I didn't; instead I learned to do the things I needed to do and picked up some other stuff on the way.

Personally, I find that having a specific goal in mind is a great aid to learning and it also helps with narrowing down your searches (on engines and forums). There's nothing wrong with asking questions but pick a few simple ones and try to research the answers and post.

A really good resource is http://www.google.co.uk/linux but it is more useful when you have started to know the terms to search for

If you have the processor / ram then a VM is another good tool as it doesn't really matter if you bork it especially if you take a snapshot of it when it's working!

[ShyGuy]

I'm still learning. I moved from Win3.1 to OS/2 for many years then switched to Linspire/Freespire but it was discontinued so I came to Mint, which doesn't require much command line work or config file editing. I work on WIndows systems all day at work, so it's nice to come home to.

[willie42]

I learned from the forums, self taught, and a touch of it in college

[DrHu]

Back in the days, I was self taught and knew DOS inside and out. I learned about directory structure, DOS commands, etc... Back then, EVERYTHING was a terminal window.

And those people who knew that much were better organized within windows OS, as they understood a little of the structure of the OS, and didn't think it all happened by some magic process

And you probably spend a goodly amount of time reading dos textbooks to expand your skills

That being a base for you, any little time spent looking over Linux commands and bash shell scripting would be most productive

However, these days, since Linux aims at the desktop as much as Apple or Microsoft does, their is a GUI for that (usually)..
--it is just that a command line (shell/bash or Linux utility is often quicker and easier to use, but if you don't agree, just searching for a gui method instead will work almost as well, even if if takes longer
--it is also, that the text (command line, shell or Linux utility function) is pretty much guaranteed to work, wheres with a desktop, we have to know ..

• Is it Gnome, Kde, xfce, lxde Rox or some other type
  
• Which Mint version
  --sometimes may make a difference to the GUI functions, such as menu choices or file manager used etc.., but not likely to affect the bash shell

http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_H ... linux.html
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/unix_f ... users.html

[Reorx]

I don't know that I have "learned Linux" yet... I think that's a work-in-progress...

You might enjoy this Linux tutorial >>> http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MContent&pageid=224

I too cut my computer teeth on the DOS command line (self-taught)... the Linux command line has some similar commands but most are different. It has an entirely different feel for me at least... If you like working at a command prompt (there are times when it is the only way to do something), this is a page of commonly used commands & utilities from the tutorial referenced above. >>> http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MContent&pageid=30

Good luck!

[sgosnell]

I used DOS before Windows was invented, and used to be fairly knowledgeable about it. I learned Linux the same way I learned DOS and Windows - by investing the time and effort to learn what I needed to learn. There is no magic potion, no magic how-to, no magic anything, it's just a matter of making the effort and investing the time to learn, one thing at a time. If you learned DOS, you can learn Linux, and you'll have to do it the same way, but it should be easier this time around, since you already know the basics. The best way I know of to learn an OS is to tear into it, break stuff, then fix it. Once you totally bork your system, then fix it, you learn a lot about how it works and what to do to get the results you want. Many people just do a reinstall when they can't boot or can't get something to work, but that's the wrong way to go IMO, because you will learn much more by fixing the specific problem. Doing a complete reinstallation doesn't teach you much.

[numn]

I completely agree with trollboy!
I learned myself some basic Linux skills like simple bash scripting
(moving folders to another folder, changing the rights of a folder, ...)
and after a while I came across other things i thought would be nice
(like mounting my ntfs-partitions or installing new graphics driver)
And i had to learn those things step by step... making little steps.
Linux is a big world but once your base is built up everything
will be getting smaller,easier and brighter .
But until that day just don't give up and read!

One of the most important things in Linux are the man pages to a command

man mkdir

shows you all the information to a command one needs

i googled really everything i needed to know but
here are some documentations and wikis you may want to consider
http://wiki.debian.org/Aptitude
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Mount
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial

Edit: In short what Habitual just said below

[Habitual]

One mistake at a time, just like everyone else.

[bikerboi87]

i'm still learning, mainly trial and error

[MALsPa]

I'm another one who's still learning! I think that multi-booting and regularly using different distros helped me out a lot. The old compare/contrast method.

[willie42]

I'm another one who's still learning! I think that multi-booting and regularly using different distros helped me out a lot. The old compare/contrast method.

I can't speak for everyone but I can say that there is so much that I don't know that I am def still learning my way around.

[lmintnewb]

Newb myself so haven't. Linux seems like a lot to chew. I break it, I fix it, I break it again, I refix it, lol. No shortage of info all things linux mint, linux. These forums and the stuff the developers and users have contributed is an encyclopedia of mint. Google has anything else.

One tip I need to start using myself. Something like clonezilla or other backup solution to drastically cut down on the stress/time of restoring and reinstalling when something get's messed up.

[sgosnell]

If you truly want to learn, you need two computers. One that you use for experimentation, and one for serious use that you don't mess with much. Alternatively, run your experimentation OS on a flash drive. I like to use an SDHC card, because it fits in the slot and doesn't have to be removed, and doesn't stick out & get hit. If you use a desktop, it doesn't matter as much, just put your experimentation OS on a different drive from your serious, has-to-work OS. Then when you screw it up, you can fix it without doing the convenient re-install, and learn a LOT more. The only reinstallations I've done were when I switched distros completely. I generally try out a new distro on an SDHC, and only install it to my internal drive when I'm sure I want to keep it. Otherwise, I just fix the borkage instead of reinstalling, because I learn much more that way. Reinstalling is an absolute last resort for me.

[Robin]

I learn by accident! I cannot help but learn simply by using it.

When I had three computers instead of one, I experimented alot more. Down to one 'puter which has to be completely stable and completely functional, I rely on the LTS versions of Xubuntu and/or Linux Mint. In fact I won't upgrade to the next LTS edition on this 'puter until the previous one reaches end-of-life.

But when I can get a "spare" computer, I'll experiment and play and adjust and configure and tweak Linux until it breaks, then Google for solutions and fix it. Can't help but "learn Linux" doing that! And it's kinda fun if you have time and don't need the 'puter for anything critical.

Actually I installed Debian and spent the better part of two months getting it to work and to look and act like I wanted. My perfect, personalized Debian Xfce mixture was so similar to Xubuntu that I was like, "Geez I could have done this in 20 minutes instead of two months!"

-R

[exploder]

Robin, for someone your age you are extremely knowledgeable! Your 2 months working with Debian was time well spent and your approach to keeping a stable system is wise. I hope you are able to get another computer to experiment with because you set a fine example and are a source of inspiration for other young Linux users. I am proud that you are a forum member here.

[casey972oo]

Hi there ! ...

haven't learned LINUX jet ! ... just got started ! ... to smell it ... a little bit ! ...
but it smells much more better than ' Windows ! ...

casey972oo

.

[thouartsimple]

Robin, for someone your age you are extremely knowledgeable! Your 2 months working with Debian was time well spent and your approach to keeping a stable system is wise. I hope you are able to get another computer to experiment with because you set a fine example and are a source of inspiration for other young Linux users. I am proud that you are a forum member here.

Ditto. He is the future. I love every single one of Robin's posts. Anyway, to answer the question, I just experiment, google, break, compare/contrast, experiment, google, break, etc... I am still very new to all of this but I have found that more often than before I just go to terminal to get things done because it's faster and easier!