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Home > Archive > Linux/Unix > July 2002 > Can I please get some advice?
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Can I please get some advice?
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| highlandfire 2002-07-19, 1:54 pm |
| I have never been a command like junkie or into programing, but I really want to learn Linux. It is very quickly becoming the way to go, and with everyone still having their heads up Billy Gates' butt, I want to be ready when things start really switching over.
Where should I start? Could someone help with outlining a POA for learning what need?
Any help would be sincerely apprecaited! | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2002-07-19, 2:33 pm |
| Buy a book like "Red Hat Linux 7.3 Bible". It (and books like it) come with a distro of Linux (in this case Red Hat 7.3, the newest release of Red Hat). Install it on a computer that you own. Make sure you know how much RAM and video RAM is installed on your system and know whether you have a WinModem or not, and your monitor resolution rate. You will probabply not need most of this, however. Install Linux as it is described in the book. You will find that with the common desktop suites (particularly KDE 3), that Linux is every bit as easy to use as Windows, and even easier to install. Work your way through the book, one chapter at a time.
Using the command line in Linux is a must, but it is not at all difficult, and virtually all that you need will be found in the book or on the net for free. It takes a little while to get used to but not that long. The latter parts of the book will have instructions onhow to set your Linux box up as a mail, caching, web, news, or database server. Since Linux is usually used as a server in practise, this will be a good learning experience for you. I suggest putting off configuring a mail server until you are quite comfortable with Unix as that is usually the most complicated. There is a course (free) available online at:
www.basiclinux.net
It involves weekly IRC seesions, a mailing list discussion and several lessons each week. The give-and-take of a classroom environment, albeit online, is helpful to a lot of people.
Caveat: Lots of Linux guys have bad attitudes, try to ignore these types. Also, be prepared to do a LOT of reading and hacking around with your box. You do NOT need to know how to program to be an effective administrator although some basic shell programming will become necesary at some point.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. | |
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| highlandfire 2002-07-19, 4:44 pm |
| I sincerely appreciate the help. I want to earn my RHSE (is that correct?) In the next year or so along with my Cisco stuff. In the I.T. market where I am located, this will give me an avantage.
Thanks again! | |
| fizz85 2002-07-19, 6:48 pm |
| OUTSTANDING LINK!!!!
Thanks | |
| Boulware5 2002-07-19, 8:23 pm |
| LOL, hasn't this same sort of question been asked about 10 times recently. 
That basiclinux class looks interesting. I'll check it out. Is it designed for the complete *nix newbie? If so it might be too easy for me I still consider myself new to this but I already have some Unix and Linux experience from already taking a Unix school course and studying for Linux+. | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2002-07-20, 8:21 am |
| The Red Hat cert is RHCE. I have had it for nearly two years now. The written tests are relatively easy, but the labs are not . . . they require extensive knowledge of how to troubleshoot network problems and that will take a LOT of work before you want to sit for the actual labs. Linux can be used as a router and the command line inetrface of most routers is similar to that of the Unix command line, so in that sense the two seem to go hand in hand. Networking is where Linux really shines, and you can learn a lot by making efforts in this area.
The BLT (Basic Linux Training) class is intended (or at least it was originally) for Windows and Apple guys who want to learn Linux. This was when Linux was much harder to learn than it is now (I remember when one had to use about 30 floppies to install Slackware). Still, there are a number of Linux/Unix admins and network admins on the list and interacting with them can be educational even for a non-newbie, if you can manage to ignore their attitudes (as you may expect, they are quite hostilse to Windows users at times . . . try to ignore this). Henry White, the founder of the course, actually has been a Unix user for about 20 years and he says that he never even boots into his GUI unless it in necessary, so taking advantage of their experience may be useful to you.
Hope this helps. | |
| highlandfire 2002-07-20, 9:26 am |
| That is the path I definately want to go! Thanks! | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2002-07-20, 11:27 am |
| Let us know if you need anymore help, but the next step shouldbe getting a book like I mentioned above, installing and hacking Linux for a few months. Best wishes. | |
| highlandfire 2002-07-21, 5:02 pm |
| On the CCNA/CCNP side my boss will pay for that training. As for Linux, I have a couple extra PII 200Mhz with 256Meg of RAM (Yeah I did that :-) that I can play with on a KVM switch, so I am set there.
Next step is get the book! | |
| Mr. Linux Guy 2002-07-22, 5:35 am |
| Sounds like that would be perfect for Linux. Good luck! |
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