Ask HN: Hello Hackers, How To Get Started With Linux For A Total Noob?

[momzpie]

In my previous question to HN (http://ow.ly/4HR9x), I was enlightened about how Linux (for desktops) makes things simple, and betters Windows / Mac OS X quite easily. Also, I see that Ubuntu is the best fit for total beginners (like me), considering its easy to use and upgrade features (it's close to Windows, isn't it?).

Anyway, my actual question is, how do I get started? How did you get started when you first got Linux on your PC? Books, online... where exactly?

Switching to Linux is actually terrifying me. It's got commands etc. I am not a coder / developer. Will I get used to it? Where and how do I get to know all the commands?

Please shower your knowledge hackers.

[Tuxie]

You could try one of the live discs.. For example burn Ubuntu installation disc and I think it should have also the live disc in it. Basically insert it to cd drive, boot from it and you can play around with ubuntu as if you had installed it.

You can even do it with thumbdrive nowadays so no need for CDs.

[momzpie]

I really didn't know about that! Will definitely try it out.

[HedgeMage]

I found a battered Linux book in a bargain bin at a warehouse store, and that was the end of the story...

These days, there are many more resources than there used to be. You can stick "linux" and just about any task in a search engine -- "linux command line" and the task if you want to find command line apps -- and find good tutorials.

Many will tell you that you don't need to learn the command line to use Linux any more, and they're right. You do need to learn it to be really good at Linux, though. It's not as scary as you may think! Type "man foo" to find out what the command "foo" does and how to use it. Pretty much everything has a man page. :)

The command line can be easier to learn that GUIs in a lot of ways, because telling people what commands to use is so much more straightforward than trying to explain what the icon they need looks like or where the right button is. Also, there's a Stack Exchange site dedicated solely to questions about Linux and Unix at http://unix.stackexchange.com/ I like it better than the Ubuntu one - http://askubuntu.com/ - personally, because the unix/linux site has more of a "here are the standard tools, and how and why they work" tone, while the ubuntu site's tone is more like "here is how to accomplish that task without having to learn more about the system than you absolutely have to". Both will get your task done, but the former will challenge you to learn more.

Edit: I almost forgot to add -- grab an IRC client (Xchat is good for beginners) and start chatting on the freenode.net IRC network. Many (if not most) big Linux-related projects have channels here, so there are many opportunities to get help with a problem, or just watch and learn. :)

[jk215]

Live CD's are a great option to test the waters. You wont be too out of place since the desktop GUI's are very similar to a Windows machine. What seperates the men from the boys is working on your system through the command line interface (terminal). This is the essence of any Linux machine. Read some beginner tutorials on the Linux filesystem and your basic terminal commands.

You will learn it just like any other system, taking it one step at a time. Make it a goal to learn how to complete all the tasks you would do through a GUI on the command line. Create, view, edit, delete files and directories. Unpack, compile and install programs. Run systems updates. Etc.. etc..

Just take it a step at a time. Google everything and you will be fine.

[exDM69]

A modern desktop linux distro like Ubuntu should be easy enough to pick up without any additional learning. You should get up to speed in no time and be able to do your day-to-day surfing, email, etc right away. Just install it and start using it. Have a dual boot to Windows/OSX as a fallback if you need.

[momzpie]

Thanks for the tip. Can the Ubuntu Windows Installer (see: http://bit.ly/cep6Zl) be installed in the same directory as Windows itself? C:\ drive?

[cooldeal]

I would suggest running Ubuntu in a VM, with Virtual PC or Virtual Box, until you get a handle on Linux. You need not use commands for day to day use, you'll pick them up slowly. Linux has come a long way. Just install and start using, no need to get terrified!

[momzpie]

Where can I actually find a good list of commands?

[cooldeal]

You can start with this:

http://linuxcommand.org/learning_the_shell.php

[momzpie]

thanks a lot.