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So, in essence, you want to learn everything there is to know about computers and computing :-) . I have a similar impulse -- whenever I see some program, protocol, or even hardware device, I want to learn enough about how it operates to form a good, thorough mental model. Some immediate, relatively practical steps:
- If you're not running one of the free Unixes, start now. I learned an enormous amount from first trying to get coLinux to work on my windows box and then actually installing various distros. That was four years ago, and things have gotten much easier (hardware support, guided installation, etc.), so you won't learn as much as I did, just as I didn't learn as much as the people who did it in, say, the mid-90's, but it's still worthwhile. Distro: I currently run Debian, but I think for the purpose of learning, it (like a whole class of similar distros, like Ubuntu, RedHat derivatives, and even OpenSolaris) is too easy: it doesn't force you to keep learning past the basics in order to get it running and keep it running. Slackware (http://slackware.com/) and the BSD's (http://www.freebsd.org/ , http://netbsd.org/ , http://openbsd.org/ ) are probably good; I don't have any personal experience with (Gentoo http://www.gentoo.org/ ), but my impression is that it would work. - Learn the Unix ecosystem: the command line and associated tools, the init system, daemons, etc. The "do one thing, and do it well" philosophy makes for programs that are easy to understand; once you understand that kind of program, it becomes much easier to look at, say, a browser and think about the components required to make it work. Books/articles:
- ESR's "How to Become a Hacker" (http://catb.org/esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html) tries to answer a question not unlike yours.
- ESR's /The Art of Unix Programming/ (http://catb.org/esr/writings/taoup/html/ ) explains the philosophy of Unix: why things are the way they are.
- /Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programming/ (http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ ) is a fantastic book on how to think about programming. One of my favorites. On my to-read list:
- John Lions' commentary on Unix (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions_Commentary_on_UNIX_6th_Ed...) for a deep understanding of Unix circa 1976
- Donald Knuth's /The Art of Computer Programming/ for a similarly deep, low-level understanding of a whole bunch of really important algorithms and data structures. |
>>>If you're not running one of the free Unixes, start now. I learned an enormous amount from first trying to get coLinux to work on my windows box and then actually installing various distros. That was four years ago, and things have gotten much easier (hardware support, guided installation, etc.), so you won't learn as much as I did, just as I didn't learn as much as the people who did it in, say, the mid-90's, but it's still worthwhile.<<<
That's on my to-do list too. As soon as I get my own computer I plan to install a BSD or some UNIX variant suitable for my hardware. (No. I don't own a PC. I borrow people's laptops to work on just like this one)
>>>I currently run Debian, but I think for the purpose of learning, it (like a whole class of similar distros, like Ubuntu, RedHat derivatives, and even OpenSolaris) is too easy: it doesn't force you to keep learning past the basics in order to get it running and keep it running. Slackware (http://slackware.com/) and the BSD's (http://www.freebsd.org/ , http://netbsd.org/ , http://openbsd.org/ ) are probably good; I don't have any personal experience with (Gentoo http://www.gentoo.org/ ), but my impression is that it would work.<<<
I've been thinking about choosing a distro and I've ended up quite confused at times. For me there are two sides to this. For the purpose of learning things Ubuntu is too easy (I've forced Ubuntu installs on some poor human beings), but at the same time if I keep something to permanently work on then I would prefer a system which isn't taxing to work on. Although, I will teach myself the command line for fun (just like you said), but I don't want to spend my time doing things through it.
Sometimes, I just need a different environment to work in. An environment which doesn't get in the way of my creative flow. For example, if I am writing an essay/code and I have to switch to command line to type in a long command to access some book somewhere in my system then in the heat of the moment command line would just drive me crazy. During those times I just have to get that stuff out of my head and anything else is an agonizing diversion.
Hence, maybe I'll just end up multi-booting my system.
>>>books/articles: - ESR's "How to Become a Hacker" (http://catb.org/esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html) tries to answer a question not unlike yours. - ESR's /The Art of Unix Programming/ (http://catb.org/esr/writings/taoup/html/ ) explains the philosophy of Unix: why things are the way they are. - /Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programming/ (http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/ ) is a fantastic book on how to think about programming. One of my favorites.<<<
Thanks a lot for those resources!
I actually watch MIT's 6.00 lectures, and they simply rock.
Do you know any other good resources online?
Anyway, thanks a lot for commenting!