Jeremy Li - LINUX: Beginners Crash Course. Your Step-By-Step Guide To Learning The Linux Operating System And Command Line Easy & Fast!

LINUX

Beginner's Crash Course

Your Step-By-Step Guide To Learning The Linux Operating System And Command Line Easy & Fast!

JEREMY LI

Introduction

B efore we discuss Linux in detail, let us try to understand the term Open Source software development.

Open source has come of age and has been around for a long time. For many computer and technology junkies, the thought of dabbling with this type of software was something unacceptable. Things have changed over the years, and even though there is still major opposition in many camps, this brand of software has had a major impact in changing our world. Many of us might be using open source without even being aware of it.

When we speak of operating systems, the first names that tend to come to mind are Microsoft Windows or OS X. There is another major role player in this field that is being used by more users everyday. The Linux operating system has become a popular alternative to the other more well-known commercial operating systems. Many of the more established flavors of Linux release upgrades of their operating system every six months.

We are living in an age where cellphones are visible wherever we go. A few years ago the cellular industry had a major new brand of the phone which hit the scene. This was the smartphone. Besides all of the ordinary capabilities associated with a normal cellphone, smartphones have many features which were formerly only found in computers. Open source has even made its entrance here as well. Certain smartphone manufacturers have adopted Android as their operating system of choice, and are making major strides in this hotly contested arena.

Many of us use the internet everyday of our lives. We tend to turn to Google when we need to search for anything. Besides the search function, many people also use the many applications that are part of the Google interface. Google was developed using the languages Java and Python, and was coded on a computer using Linux as the operating system. All of these software technologies are widely used and well-known in open source circles.

The internet as we know it today is mostly because of open source software. Many of the web servers around the world are powered by Linux for various reasons. When we consider the number of websites which populate the internet, then it comes as no surprise that many of these have been developed using a multitude of open source environments.

Our technological world as we know it today has been changed in many ways by open source software. Not bad for technologies which are totally free and allows anyone to make a contribution to its development.

Now let us discuss the question of choice of Linux Operating system. Ubuntu is the most popular and user-friendly while Fedora is loaded with the latest technology. So which one to choose? Well it depends on the use. If the user is just using the computer for office jobs which does not include programming then Ubuntu is of course the better deal.

However with the latest technology and regular development Fedora scores over Ubuntu in benchmarking tests. So it largely depends on the use of the software. If the question is to migrate from Windows Ubuntu is the obvious choice and if you are a serious programming nerd then Fedora is the best bet. Linux foundation recommends learning both Ubuntu and Fedora for a complete experience of Linux.

Chapter 1

Linux versus Windows

T he most tiresome thing I experience in reading about Linux is the mindless enthusiasm of those utterly lacking in empathy and a sense of proportion. Most of us tend to think: If its not broke, dont fix it. That is foreign to Linux folks.

The itch to tinker and explore is essential to how Linux in particular, and Open Source software in general, came into existence. But that doesnt justify ignoring very real human needs. For most of the humanity, computers are merely machines that save us time and make possible blessings not available any other way.

This book is for individuals who simply need to get work done on a computer; for you, something about Windows just doesnt quite cut it. At the same time, you are used to shocking, dramatic changes in how you use your computer. Most especially, you have no use for changes simply for the sake of change.

Here are some possible reasons you might have for switching from Windows to Linux:

1. Licensing Unless you are willing to take the risk of using pirated software, playing by the rules and laws that favor corporate software makers can be very expensive. Linux is free and the licensing generally affects only those who modify the software itself. You might have to pay for packaging, and there are some companies making software for Linux that isnt free, but virtually anything you actually need can be downloaded for free. You can make all the copies you like and use it on as many machines as you please.

2. Control Linux is very much a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) system. While you may not understand all the stuff running in the background necessary for it to work, the information is freely available as to what it is and why its needed. There is no cult of secrecy based on high-paid training and expensive access to the obscure details of the system. You can get expensive certification if you need it for your job or business, but its not required for simply using it. Indeed, the Linux user community at large is usually quite eager to help you understand. The main point is that there is no secret agreement between the supplier and some third parties forcing you to accept something not in your best interest just so they can make a profit at your expense. The Linux community as a whole is intensely anti-snooping and refuses to surrender any control to third parties.

3. Security The Linux community is also intensely pro-security, so it is generally harder to crack a Linux system. Not impervious, its just that the computer is far less likely to suffer from external threats. Criminal hackers tend to like using Linux themselves because of the built-in safety factors.