Introduction to Linux: A Hands on Guide

✍ Scribed by Machtelt Garrels

• Publisher: MIX
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 249
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Many people still believe that learning Linux is difficult, or that only experts can understand how a Linux system works. Though there is a lot of free documentation available, the documentation is widely scattered on the Web, and often confusing, since it is usually oriented toward experienced UNIX or Linux users. Today, thanks to the advancements in development, Linux has grown in popularity both at home and at work. The goal of this guide is to show people of all ages that Linux can be simple and fun, and used for all kinds of purposes. This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter. For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples and encouraged to try out things on your own.

✦ Table of Contents

Table of Contents......Page 2
3. New versions and availability......Page 9
4. Revision History......Page 10
7. Copyright information......Page 12
9. Conventions used in this document......Page 13
10. Organization of this document......Page 14
1.1.1. UNIX......Page 16
1.1.2. Linus and Linux......Page 17
1.2.1. Is Linux difficult?......Page 18
1.3.1. Open Source......Page 19
1.3.2. Ten years of experience at your service......Page 20
1.4.1. Linux Pros......Page 21
1.4.2. Linux Cons......Page 22
1.5.1. Linux and GNU......Page 23
1.5.3. Which distribution should I install?......Page 24
1.7. Exercises......Page 25
2.1.2. Graphical mode......Page 27
2.2.1. The commands......Page 29
2.2.2. General remarks......Page 30
2.2.3. Using Bash features......Page 31
2.3.2. The man pages......Page 32
2.3.3. More info......Page 34
2.5. Exercises......Page 37
2.5.3. Directories......Page 38
2.5.5. Getting help......Page 39
3.1.1. Files......Page 41
3.1.2. About partitioning......Page 43
3.1.3. More file system layout......Page 46
3.2.1. The path......Page 49
3.2.3. The most important files and directories......Page 51
3.2.4. The most important configuration files......Page 54
3.2.5. The most common devices......Page 55
3.2.6. The most common variable files......Page 56
3.3.1. Viewing file properties......Page 57
3.3.2. Creating and deleting files and directories......Page 60
3.3.3. Finding files......Page 63
3.3.4. More ways to view file content......Page 67
3.3.5. Linking files......Page 68
3.4.1. Access rights: Linux's first line of defense......Page 70
3.4.2. The tools......Page 71
3.5. Summary......Page 76
3.6.3. Tour of the system......Page 78
3.6.5. File permissions......Page 79
4.1.2. Process types......Page 80
4.1.3. Process attributes......Page 82
4.1.4. Displaying process information......Page 83
4.1.5. Life and death of a process......Page 85
4.1.6. SUID and SGID......Page 87
4.2.3. GRUB features......Page 89
4.2.4. Init......Page 90
4.2.5. Init run levels......Page 92
4.3.1. Work for the system admin......Page 93
4.3.2. How long does it take?......Page 94
4.3.5. Can I do anything as a user?......Page 95
4.4.2. The sleep command......Page 100
4.4.4. Cron and crontab......Page 101
4.5. Summary......Page 103
4.6.2. Booting, init etc.......Page 104
4.6.3. Scheduling......Page 105
5.1.2. The redirection operators......Page 106
5.2.1. Use of file descriptors......Page 109
5.3. Filters......Page 110
5.3.2. Filtering output......Page 111
5.5. Exercises......Page 112
6.1.2. Which editor should I use?......Page 114
6.2.2. Basic commands......Page 116
6.3.1. History......Page 117
6.3.3. Remarks......Page 118
6.5. Exercises......Page 119
7.1.2. Make space......Page 120
7.2.1. Environment variables......Page 123
7.2.2. Shell setup files......Page 125
7.2.3. A typical set of setup files......Page 126
7.2.4. The Bash prompt......Page 128
7.2.5. Shell scripts......Page 129
7.3.2. The X Window System......Page 132
7.3.3. X server configuration......Page 134
7.4.3. Date and time zone......Page 135
7.5.1. General......Page 136
7.5.2. Package formats......Page 137
7.5.3. Automating package management and updates......Page 138
7.5.4. Upgrading your kernel......Page 140
7.5.5. Installing extra packages from the installation CDs......Page 141
7.7.1. Shell environment......Page 142
7.7.2. Graphical environment......Page 143
8.1.1. General......Page 144
8.1.2. Formatting......Page 145
8.2.3. Buying a printer for Linux......Page 146
8.3.2. My print hasn't come out......Page 147
8.5. Exercises......Page 149
9.1.1. Preparing your data......Page 150
9.2.1. Making a copy on a floppy disk......Page 154
9.2.2. Making a copy with a CD-writer......Page 156
9.2.5. Tools from your distribution......Page 157
9.4. Summary......Page 158
9.5. Exercises......Page 159
10.1.1. Networking protocols......Page 160
10.1.2. Network configuration and information......Page 162
10.2.1. Server types......Page 167
10.2.2. Mail......Page 168
10.2.4. File Transfer Protocol......Page 171
10.2.5. Chatting and conferencing......Page 172
10.2.6. News services......Page 173
10.2.9. Authentication services......Page 174
10.3.2. Rsh, rlogin and telnet......Page 176
10.3.3. The X Window System......Page 177
10.3.4. The SSH suite......Page 178
10.4.1. Introduction......Page 182
10.4.3. Update regularly......Page 183
10.4.4. Firewalls and access policies......Page 184
10.4.5. Intrusion detection......Page 185
10.4.8. Recovering from intrusion......Page 186
10.6.3. Security......Page 187
11.1.2. Drivers and Architecture......Page 189
11.2.2. Playing music files......Page 190
11.2.3. Recording......Page 191
11.4.1. What is it?......Page 192
11.5. Summary......Page 193
11.6. Exercises......Page 194
A.1.4. X Windows......Page 195
A.2.3. Distributions......Page 196
A.2.4. Software......Page 197
Appendix B. DOS versus Linux commands......Page 198
C.1. Common features......Page 199
C.2. Differing features......Page 200
D.2. Applicability and definitions......Page 203
D.4. Copying in quantity......Page 204
D.5. Modifications......Page 205
D.7. Collections of documents......Page 206
D.11. Future revisions of this license......Page 207
D.12. How to use this License for your documents......Page 208
E.1. The /proc Filesystem......Page 209
C......Page 239
D......Page 240
G......Page 241
J......Page 242
L......Page 243
N......Page 244
R......Page 245
S......Page 246
U......Page 247
X......Page 248
Z......Page 249