I want to learn operating linux. what is the best way to do this? Will working on ubuntu help??
aditya.rohilla.50 0 Newbie Poster
mike_2000_17 2,669 21st Century Viking Team Colleague Featured Poster
Just install a version of Linux, and start playing around with it. Do stuff in the terminal, write code, write scripts, etc.. It all depends on what you want to do with it (sys admin, coding, etc.).
There are basically two main families of Linux distributions: Red Hat and Debian. That split is where most of the differences are, but there are not too many. On the Red Hat side, you can get distributions like Fedora (and its variations "spins") or other derivatives. On the Debian side, the main family is Ubuntu and its derivatives. Frankly, any of them will do, Linux is pretty similar between distributions or family of distributions. Think of different distributions as different "flavours" of Linux, because under-the-hood they are all nearly the same. I suggest you just research around a bit and see screenshots / feature-lists to figure out which distributions might be best for your taste, and then just try one, or a few.
You can first try out different distros by installing them in a VirtualBox. But, ultimately, you really should do a dual-boot installation with the distro that you prefer.
iamthwee
Yeah... I'd agree.
If it is just about purely setting up a system, for example, a web server, then you just need to install virtual box and a user friendly distro to begin with. Ubuntu isn't a bad starting choice.
However, the real fun, or not depending how you look at it, is getting all the hardward to work natively... E.g installing drivers, getting your wifi cards and so on to work.
That can only be explored by putting the distro on disk. It takes time. A lot of time. The commands and file system takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you are coming from a windows system.
skinner_eric 0 Newbie Poster
One of the best things you have to do is to buy a good book on linux as Linux bible and after if you want to go more in front you should find an exellent book as unix and linux system administration handbook 4 fourth edition.
skinner_eric 0 Newbie Poster
you can also install the Ubuntu on a USB is very easy you download the Ubuntu ISO and after yoiu are going to install the ISO on your USB you need to use the Unetbootin program to do it from window in the more easy way
minty777 0 Newbie Poster
mint linux is a easy to use linux distro. But if you really want to learn linux - just install and get stuck in and make mistakes talk to other users about stuff then carry on and have fun etc.
rubberman 1,355 Nearly a Posting Virtuoso Featured Poster
As said, just install Linux (either on your HD or a virtual machine) and get started! You can ask for help here, or you can go to http://www.linuxforums.org/forum and post there - it is a Linux only forum (the other one I help on) and there are a LOT of very experienced linux experts that lurk there. You'll find my Rubberman handle there pretty easily! :-)
One little bit of advice. On Linux, when you have a problem with a command, try the man pages. Example, you need help with the bash shell for scripting, then execute in a terminal window the command: man bash
Man pages allow searching - just enter a /searchterm from the keyboard. IE, you want to find references to the "set" sub-command, then just input "/set" (without the quotes).
And FWIW, I am running the Scientific Linux version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux right now! :-)
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