How to work in Linux. Getting started with Linux and Ubuntu Detailed instructions for working with linux

You've heard of Linux, but only recently realized that this free and open source operating system is something you can actually use. It's not hard to install, it has a lot of great applications, and it extends the life of your computers. Today, Linux provides a decent opportunity to play games. Yes, you understood correctly. You don't need to be a Linux expert, you just need someone to hold your hand when you get started.

I hear you and I'm here to help.

What is Linux?

If you are new to Linux, you can make a general assumption that it is an operating system. This is not entirely true. Linux is actually the kernel, the center of the operating system. The kernel allows software (what you see on the screen) to interact with hardware (what you touch with your hands). Without a kernel, your system cannot run.

So when you say Linux, you are most often referring to any operating system based on the Linux kernel, such as Ubuntu or Fedora. As a kernel, Linux does nothing on its own. He needs someone to link and distribute it with all the software needed to get the final result. When this happens, the resulting Linux operating system becomes known as a distribution (or "distro").

What makes Linux different from others?

How is the Linux kernel different? Like most applications that run on it, the kernel is actively maintained by the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) community.

Open source software doesn't cost money and anyone can look at source and change it as you wish. This means experienced developers from all over the world contribute their work either for free or through sponsorship from companies such as Canonical or Red Hat. However, you can also improve software.

On the contrary, the original windows code is not available to anyone other than Microsoft employees, and it is a criminal offense to decompile or reverse engineer it. You cannot create your own Windows kernel, fix bugs, or redistribute an improved version of Windows that you have created.

Linux is different, and the GNU General Public License is part of the difference. This license provides the legal basis for your rights to the software. Originally written by Richard Stallman, it ensures that even when the work is modified or improved, Linux is still in the public domain for other people to use and enjoy. This is the most widely used license in the FOSS community.

The free and open nature of the license can be a double-edged sword. Without a clear revenue model, development can be inconsistent. Some programs receive regular investment while others have been dormant for years. Nevertheless, Linux has now spread to become the backbone of the internet and the most widespread operating system for supercomputers.

After all, while using Linux is very similar to using Windows and macOS, there are aspects that you will need to learn for the first time. We will face many of them as we move forward.

Breathe life into an old PC

One of the common reasons why people switch to Linux is the ability to continue using a computer that no longer supports the latest versions of Windows or MacOS. How good is Linux for this job and why?

Linux is efficient: Many Linux distributions are based on years of experience in server rooms. System administrators often value slick, clean code that gets the job done without wasting power. The extra five seconds to power up the system is something that many system administrators are not willing to put up with. Because of such a harsh and demanding environment, Linux distributions have become the best of their kind. Although with software coming from many different sources, it's not the case that every program will make the best use of system resources.

Linux is customizable: Linux allows users to customize every aspect of the computer's functionality. Some distributions recommend choosing different components and building your own system. Most of them fully provide the work, but allow you to change or change parts as you wish. Many distributions encourage you to make your own tweaks, while tweaking others (such as the elementary OS) may require more specialized knowledge.

Linux does not require investment: the vast majority of Linux software is free to download and install. These programs are usually quite easy to use, so you do not need to spend money on training courses or books. Everything you need to spend to revive old computer with Linux, it's time.

Linux is modular and specialized: You can customize a computer that is specifically designed to suit your needs: remote video control, a database of recipes, a control panel for an amazing laser projector that changes intensity by synchronizing with the rhythm of the music. You can build whatever you want. A testament to the quality of Linux modular design is the Red Hat Linux variant that was used to control the electromagnets inside the Large Hadron Collider. You'll be surprised how many things your old computer can still do.

Beginning of work

Whether you install Linux yourself or buy the computer that comes with it, you will need to make a few decisions before doing so. You need to know a few conditions that you have not encountered before. Let's figure it out.

Distribution selection

Recall that a distribution is a Linux operating system that comes with all the software you need to give you the full picture. The kernel is provided along with hardware drivers and applications.

Distributions come in all shapes and sizes. Some of them are aimed at beginners, while others are aimed at the most ardent supporters. command line. Ubuntu, Fedora and openSUSE are the three distributions general purpose suitable for people of all skill levels.

There are many other Linux distributions, and they are all different from each other. Some distributions are customized to serve a specific niche. Thus, you can install an operating system designed for creating multimedia, or an operating system designed for computers with old or weak hardware.

In this case, hardware compatibility is perhaps the most important thing to consider when switching to Linux. While most hardware is supported by default on most Linux distributions, less popular or unusual stuff may not work. In most cases, even if your device is not supported by default, you can follow online tutorials to help you install an unsupported driver or fix the kernel, but this is not for everyone. More on this later.

You can visit Distrowatch to see hundreds of Linux distributions. On the right side you will notice that there are Top 100 most popular distributions. Please note that it is difficult to estimate how many people are using Linux. The Distrowatch databases are ranked by the popularity of each distribution's website. This gives an idea of what people are interested in, but it's hardly an idea of what distributions are most widely used. Ubuntu, for example, is not currently ranked #1, but it is considered the most widely known version of desktop Linux.

Choosing a Desktop Environment

Depending on which distribution you choose, this decision may already be made for you. Most major Linux distributions provide a default desktop environment.

But maybe you haven't decided on a distribution yet. In this case, checking the desktop environment can help you make a decision. Each of them provides various solutions, and some work better on some distributions than others. Here are a few of the most basic ones:

GNOME is the default desktop environment in Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian. While Windows, macOS, and most Linux desktop environments display your open windows in a panel or dock, GNOME does nothing of the sort.

Instead, you switch between open windows by opening an overview screen, a dashboard that also displays an application launcher, virtual desktops, and a search bar that can access files, open software, and execute commands. Although, if you want a traditional panel, there are extensions available for that.

The KDE Plasma desktop is the default environment in KDE Neon, Kubuntu and Chakra. It is also popular among openSUSE users.

KDE Plasma is perhaps the most customizable interface that can be used on a desktop computer. For this reason, it is an excellent choice for experienced users and professionals. You can make KDE look like most other desktop interfaces without having to edit obscure files or tweak any lines of code.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon provides a simple option that seems familiar to many Windows users switching to Linux. The application menu is in the bottom left corner, system indicators are in the bottom right corner, and open windows are shown in between.

If you don't want to re-learn how to use a computer, switching from Cinnamon can save you a headache. This is the default desktop environment in Linux Mint.

While Linux is a great way to revive an old computer, not every desktop environment will run on aging hardware. You may need to use one specially designed to use fewer system resources.

Xfce is one of the more popular options for this task. This is the default desktop environment in Xubuntu.

Data backup

Before we get to the nicest things, we need to do some preliminary work. Although you probably don't use your old computer anymore, you should open it and find documents, videos, photos, music that you haven't created yet. backups. Be careful and double check because you can erase everything from hard drive later.

Copying is not difficult, but it can be tedious if you have a lot of scattered data. The easiest way to save files is to connect an external hard drive to the USB port.

For Windows users:

Double-clicking on the "My Computer" icon on the desktop or in the Start menu opens a window containing a list of files external hard disk.
Find and copy the necessary files by selecting them and pressing Ctrl + C, activating the external hard drive file list. Click inside the window we opened earlier and press Ctrl + V. Alternatively, you can select files and drag them to the external hard drive window.

You can also back up all data in the Cloud. This method makes your data available on other devices with an internet connection, but it will likely cost more over time. It also has a large number of security and privacy risks. Ultimately, you give your data to another person and trust him to do the necessary things.

Checking hardware specifications

A little knowledge about your computer's hardware will be important later if there are compatibility issues. It's important that you write them down now, because if something breaks during the installation process or the first boot, you'll need to search the internet for a driver, patched kernel, or package.

We don't need to write down all the hardware specifications because the drivers for things like ethernet cards are basically compatible. Bluetooth chips, card readers and printers are more difficult, but most of them are also supported by default.

Let's say you have a very rare Ethernet card. You can use the System Profiler tool to discover specifications after the operating system installation is complete.

If you are using Windows, msinfo32 is a small program included with Windows 2000, Me, XP and later. This program gives you a complete picture of all the technology present in your system. You can find it by opening the start menu and typing msinfo32 into the search box. In older Windows versions you may have to click the "run" button in the start menu and type msinfo32 there.

Installing Linux

Great, you have chosen a Linux distribution, backed up your files, and you know what hardware your computer is made of. It's time to get your hands dirty.

There are three main ways to install most Linux distributions on a computer:

Replace existing OS with Linux
Install Linux alongside an existing OS
Running Linux from a USB Drive

Below are detailed instructions for installing Ubuntu on an existing windows model or macOS. By choosing from the three options above, the replacement operating system will run smoothly and quickly on your computer.

Installing Linux without removing the existing operating system is called dual booting. Whenever you start your computer, you will be able to select the operating system you want to use. This stops you from getting rid of your old OS, but there is always the option to remove it.

Storing a copy of Linux on a USB flash drive allows you to download a copy of Linux to a friend's computer, lab, or library. This method requires the least commitment from you and your computer, since you do not touch your copies of Windows or macOS.

Using the Linux desktop

As you know, on this moment, there is no one specific Linux desktop. But if you, like many, if not most, New user Linux - Probably starting with Ubuntu. In this case, when you first log into the new operating system, you will see a screen that looks like this.

This is the Ubuntu desktop. While Canonical has added a few interesting elements of its own, the interface you see is not exclusive to Ubuntu. This is GNOME.

For a complete understanding of how to navigate this interface and other software, check out the Ubuntu Beginner's Guide.

Search for additional software

There comes a time when you need more apps. Where do you get them? You can get used to going to a big store and buying a program that you either install from a disc or download from the internet. You can probably get all your apps by going to individual websites and downloading the installers. You can even get all your software from app stores that sell content to you, just like on a phone or tablet.

Programs for Windows only on Windows. The same applies to software for macOS. You will need to find applications designed for Linux.

Most Linux software is now available through app stores filled with free programs. Their use is similar to the use app store on any other platform. Just find the app you want and click the install button.

These app stores are an alternative to package managers, the traditional and more complicated way to get software on Linux. Nowadays, you may never need to use a more advanced tool like Synaptic or Apper, but they give you more control over what you install.

While downloading installers directly from websites is not the preferred way to obtain Linux software, there are times when it is the only option. For example, how do you set Google Chrome. It is also a common way to install commercial games from online stores such as Humble Bundle and GOG. Just know that you won't be looking for an EXE. It's more likely that you'll find packaged files instead, such as DEB, RPM, SH, or one of the many other formats for Linux.

Now that you know how to install apps, which one will you choose? Alternatively, check out our list the best programs for Linux.

Installing the update

Updates are a free part of Linux. They keep your system running the latest software version. You can also get user interface improvements and fixes to programs that run in the background.
You can usually install updates through your distribution's app store, the same place you go to download new software. Often it will have its own partition, as is the case with Ubuntu.

Download multimedia codec

Perhaps you have never had to think about codecs before. They allow you to play various multimedia files such as music and videos on your computer. When you buy a Windows or macOS PC, the codecs come as part of your desktop. This is usually not the case when you install Linux yourself.

This is not a bug or flaw in the Linux desktop - it's a legal issue. Many codecs remain under copyright, and computer manufacturers must pay licensing fees in order to legally distribute them.

Laws vary by country. This is one of the reasons why codecs are available as a free download on many Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint. But there is also a paid version that you can download in case you want the exact license to play these files.

Search for additional drivers

When you change the operating system your computer came with, things don't always go smoothly. Sometimes you will need to install additional drivers or codecs to get the full picture.

If you have graphical problems or you cannot view WiFi networks, You may need to install a proprietary driver. This is software that Linux distributions do not allow you to pre-install, so you must do it yourself. How you do this may vary depending on which distribution you are using. If you have chosen Ubuntu, you can find a section for installing drivers inside the software and updating the application. Software & Updates app.

What to do when you need certain software?

One of the first questions people ask when considering switching to Linux is if they can run a particular program. When we used only one operating system, we tended to view applications as components that any computer should be able to run. But in most cases, an application is actually designed to run on only one operating system. In order to work on another, developers must build a separate version. The Windows version of Steam does not work on macOS, and vice versa. Linux also needs its version.

Since not many people run Linux on their desktops like Windows or macOS, developers often choose not to make a Linux version of software. Often a free and open source alternative that does the same job is sufficient. But there are times when people want to use a program that doesn't work on Linux and for which there is no alternative. While this may be a reason not to switch to Linux, the choice is always yours. Perhaps there are still ways to make this program work.

emulations

You may have heard of emulators, the software that people use to play console video games on their PCs. They work with code that is similar enough to mimic (or emulate) the original machines that the games were designed for. The same can be done with programs designed for personal computers.

The most famous way to emulate software Windows software on Linux using Wine. While this doesn't always work, at best a Windows application will run alongside your regular Linux software without any extra fuss.

Because setting up Wine can be tricky, there are programs that will try to do the hard work for you. There are two popular examples - PlayOnLinux and Crossover Linux. The latter is a paid app that also exists for Windows and macOS.

Virtual machines

Emulation allows an application to run on an operating system for which it was not intended. Virtual machines allow you to run the entire operating system inside the current one. So when you need to run a specific Windows program, you can launch your virtual copy of Windows and open the program.

Unlike emulation, virtual machines guaranteed to work. The downside is that you have to boot up a separate operating system in your own window, which can be time consuming and inconvenient. You must also have a copy of Windows or macOS to run. Getting one of the options can be difficult or expensive depending on your conditions.

Everything is ready!

At this point, you've installed Linux, learned the new interface, and installed the software you need to get started. But your journey is just beginning. There is so much more to see and do in the world of free and open source software!

Since everything is free, you can change your distribution at any time or change your current interface to any other. Nor do you need to open a command line to use Linux, since you can do a lot more if you're curious enough to give it a try.

In this summary article, I will describe the main advantages of the Linux operating system. I'll tell you why for beginners it is best to use the Ubuntu distribution. I will also talk about the disadvantages and limitations of Linux, which may prevent you from switching to Linux.

By Linux in this article, unless otherwise noted, I mean any Linux distribution (such as Ubuntu).

Stability

Linux is a very reliable and stable system. No wonder it is used on highly loaded servers. Linux is very difficult to "suspend", if some application is frozen, then it is enough to kill the process of this application, while the system continues to work stably. Linux does not require constant reboots of the computer, even after system updates (except for a kernel update [in the future, and this will not require a reboot]). Installing and removing programs, drivers also does not require a system restart.

Linux doesn't "eat" memory. I have noticed many times that if Windows is left without a reboot for a week, then sooner or later it starts to slow down a lot. Linux, on the other hand, worked fine for me for a month and a half without rebooting. Of course, a lot in this case depends on which programs "eat off" the memory, but the fact remains.

Safety

Linux systems do not require antiviruses, and in order to pick up a virus for Linux somewhere, you need to try very hard. In several years of using Linux, I have never come across a virus. I have long forgotten about what Antivirus is and I remember only when I occasionally reboot into Windows.

free

Linux is a free operating system. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that under Linux, in this particular case, I mean the kernel of the operating system, and in a more general sense, Linux distributions. There is paid versions Linux distributions, but most distributions are free. For example, Ubuntu can be freely downloaded from the Internet and used for free on any number of computers. Linux apps are also free. No need to look for any cracks and keys. Most applications are installed in two clicks.

Huge selection of free programs

Under Linux, a huge number of various programs have been developed and distributed for free. For any user requests, you can find the required software. But there are some limitations. In particular, there is no advanced software for multimedia processing (video, animation and audio editors). There is no software for designers, for example, graphic Gimp editor does not meet all the requirements and in many respects falls short of Photoshop.

Appearance

I confess that I have always been attracted to Linux with its appearance. There are thousands of themes available for Linux. You can change icons throughout the system. Linux supports many graphical effects. You can set transparency for objects, effects of opening and closing windows, you can change the design of individual elements (buttons, scrollbars, fonts, etc.). Each system can be made individual and very beautiful in the truest sense of the word.

Two-click installation

The complexity of installing Linux depends on the distribution. For example, the Ubuntu developers strive to make the installation of the system as simple and straightforward as possible. With each new version of the system, installation is simplified and simplified. The main incomprehensible place for most users is disk partitioning during system installation. But in fact, there is nothing complicated in it, it is enough to figure it out once. Ubuntu, by the way, also offers automatic disk partitioning.

After installing most popular distributions, you get a completely ready-to-use system. Hardware drivers are installed automatically. The main software is installed immediately.

Automatic update

Linux and Linux programs are constantly updated. Most Linux distributions offer automatic updates that can be done in just two clicks. Also, some distributions allow you to update the entire system (when new version distribution).

High performance

Linux is fast enough and not demanding on computer resources. It all depends on the specific assembly of Linux, on the specific distribution.
Ubuntu, for example, is quite demanding on resources, but I myself compared it on many (!) Computers and Ubuntu worked there significantly faster than Windows(Vista, XP). And there are distributions that are compiled for a specific computer and work very quickly.

Why it's better for beginners to use Ubuntu

Ubuntu is best for beginners.

Installing Ubuntu is very easy. It is so simplified that in fact you only need to click Next (Next), not counting, as I wrote above, the disk partitioning process.

Ubuntu already immediately after installation contains all the basic necessary software. You can immediately start using the system.

Installing programs in Ubuntu is done through a special package manager, Synaptic, which is very easy to use. It allows you to view the description, rating, reviews about the program.

Ubuntu allows you to use the system without resorting to the command line at all. For those who are not in the know, I will explain that through the command line in Linux you can perform thousands of actions and before that they used it only. And whatever one may say, you will someday come across the fact that you have to work on the command line. But Ubuntu allows you to fence yourself off from the command line to the maximum and use only the graphical interface.

Disadvantages and limitations

Now let's move on to the disadvantages of Linux and what can prevent you from switching to Linux.

No required program for Linux

Perhaps you are using some specific software that has no analogue for Linux. If you need this software for work, then you definitely won’t be able to completely abandon Windows. But I note that there is a Wine emulator that allows you to run Windows programs right in Linux.

Few games

If we compare the number of games for Linux with the number of games for Windows, then Windows will be far ahead. Moreover, both in terms of the number of games, and in terms of quality. There are games for Linux, but Linux is not suitable for avid gamers. To some extent, the problem of the lack of games can be solved using the PlayOnLinux emulator or the same Wine. In fact, PlayOnLinux is based on Wine and makes it very easy to install and run Windows games on Linux.

Hardware problem

Linux has drivers for almost any hardware and usually these drivers are installed automatically when you install your system. But keep in mind that some of these drivers are developed not by hardware manufacturers, but by third-party programmers, and this leads to the fact that some of the functions may not work to their full potential or not work at all. Or, for some device, a standard (general) driver will be used, which is not specific to a specific device model. A serious problem may be the complete lack of a driver for some equipment, so I always advise you to always be interested in its drivers for Linux before buying any device.

Sometimes you need to ask for help

I can’t say that this is a disadvantage of Linux, but if you have never used it, then you will read about some things one way or another. For example, you are already reading this article. But 99% of all problems are most likely already solved and you only need to find the necessary information on the Internet.

act

Linux is not Windows or MacOS. It's a different operating system. It is impossible to say which system is worse or better. They are all good. You should definitely try Linux. That is why I am writing this guide.

Any user may be interested in trying the Linux operating system. That's how it used to be with me. There is a lot of literature on the Internet, but the question always remains: “Where to start?”. Someone saw Linux with friends, someone found a video or read articles on the Internet, but all these are more often ready-made options. And if you yourself want to install such an OS on your computer, then you will have a lot of questions. The first question that worried me was the choice of distribution kit ...

I rummaged through a bunch of literature, but opinions were divided, and they are still divided. Some are for Debian, some are for Mandriva, RedHat, etc. Currently, there are more than 1300 builds of the Linux OS, and choosing one particular one makes the hardened Windows user think deeply. I tried to install different ones, but this was not always possible due to equipment conflicts and simply inexperience. The first successfully established distribution was OpenSuse 11.1, then Debian. The catch is that these distributions have different file structures, programs, and so on. This confused me even more, but I continued experimenting until I settled on Ubuntu. She will be discussed.

I think it's worth noting that Ubuntu is based on the Debian distribution, which in turn is quite popular with system administrators. What does "founded" mean? I will try to draw a parallel with Windows OS. Imagine an ordinary licensed Windows disk. Represented? Now imagine any assembly, even the notorious ZverDVD. So, Ubuntu is a "build" of Debian 'a, which has an updated kernel, patches (patches), own programs and repositories. Later I will talk about all this separately. I think you should not go too deep into the differences between Ubuntu and Debian, I will only add that this distribution is very popular and new versions of Ubuntu are released every six months (in April and October). And yet, why Ubuntu? Yes, it simply meets the requirements that a novice user sets for a new OS.

Simplicity and ease of installation. I want to insert a disc, install it, watch it, and so that there are no unnecessary dances with a tambourine (although with further work will not do without dancing with a tambourine). I note that when working in Windows, you can be a simple user and not bother how and what works, and in case of infrequent problems or difficulties, just turn to knowledgeable and understanding people who can help you. In the case of Linux, you will have to figure out a lot on your own and become a “knowledgeable” person yourself. But do not be afraid, you did not come here for this. Be that as it may, you can always ask a question, and we, in turn, will try to help you.
To make everything work. Installed? Here you have a desktop and all sorts of menus and many programs, and a browser, and a package office programs and the network settings applet (however, we will learn to work without it and configure the network manually). There is even a player, but it does not play many audio / video formats by default, I will explain later why and how to solve it.
I don't want to lose anything. There are a lot of applications and documents on the Windows partition that I don't want to lose when Linux installation. Ubuntu will prompt you to split HDD in parts, save Windows or any other OS and install its own bootloader, which can load both Windows and Linux. Modern Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, have a wonderful opportunity to run from a disk or flash drive without installing it on the computer's hard drive. Distributions that can do this are called LiveCD / LiveDVD (that is, "live disk"). I advise before the first installation, first try to start the OS with installation disk . So you will know for sure that a particular distribution kit will cope with the hardware of your computer and there will be no problems during installation. By the way, it is highly likely that when you start Ubuntu from a LiveCD, you will be able to use the Internet and the network by driving in the network settings. You will be able to work with text documents and tables. You can view pictures and more. Just try to boot from disk. Do not forget that working with a LiveCD is still not working in a full-fledged operating system installed on a hard disk, so get ready for "brakes" when reading from a CD in an attempt to open a particular program.

You can always leave your comments and suggestions for finalizing, changing or correcting the article in the comments. We work for you!

Even at the stage of preliminary study of the Linux system (stage: what is Linux and from which side to approach it), the user encounters such a term as the Terminal. He scares someone away, but someone, on the contrary, has a desire to try

Illustration linuxformat.com

Hello! I'm Anatoly Guslyakov, moderator of the Comss.ru website. Starting today, we are opening a series of interesting topics under the general title "Learning Linux Together". The topics of discussion will be in the form of articles or posts, which will cover various materials for learning about Ubuntu and its derivatives. The material will be posted not only by the administration of the resource, but also by users who wish to share their knowledge (personal knowledge is of interest, without copy-paste from third-party resources). If voluminous topics are laid out, it is first necessary to discuss with the administration of the resource, perhaps the proposed topic will be posted as a separate article.

The goal is to learn the basics of Linux systems. The methodology is probably not quite usual, there will be no teachers, or rather, each user participating will be a teacher. We will share our knowledge openly in a good-natured and warm atmosphere. Each topic of discussion (lesson) will end with a practical consolidation of new knowledge on your system and comments with screenshots.

Let's start the first discussion!

Terminal and useful commands

What is Linux

In the same place on the network, we find information among user comments that it turns out that with the help of this thing they manage the entire system, install programs, fix errors, and in general do everything with it.

The terminal is a graphical program that emulates the console, the user documentation from the site help.ubuntu.ru tells us.

All terminal commands work in the console as well. The console works without a graphical shell and is usually needed if there are problems with starting the system.

So what is a Terminal? The terminal is a tool that allows you to control the system directly, and also allows you to see any of our actions performed in any graphic program and in the system as a whole, i.e. the opening of any folder by the user and the opening of any program, at the same moment occur in as commands in the terminal.

Examples of the most popular commands (the terminal can be launched using hotkeys: Ctrl+Alt+T):

(package index update)

(direct software update)

Consider the components of the command:

sudo - run command with administrator rights (after entering it, you must enter the administrator password, the password itself is not visible, but you should not be afraid, it is entered and then press the enter key);
apt-get is a powerful tool for installing and updating packages;
update - update the list of packages, upgrade - update the packages themselves.

- program installation;

— removal of the program;

Programs are best installed by adding their repositories, this will enable further automatic update programs, after checking that the program is not in the Ubuntu Software Center (thus we check if this repository is not connected to us).

For most commands, you can get help by typing the --help command after the command.

And finally, some interesting commands:

- the command displays the version of the Linux kernel;

- active list network connections;

- good mood team

Popular terminal emulators

As it turns out, there are various terminal emulators. Each of them is interesting in its own way.

Consider the most popular terminal emulators:

Guake is a drop-down terminal reminiscent of the console from the popular game Quake. The terminal is loaded into memory, so calling a terminal is faster than a standard terminal. It is available in the Ubuntu repository, so you can install it from the Ubuntu Software Center.

final term- "smart" terminal emulator. Remembers the entered commands and offers them in the drop-down menu the next time you type. Like most terminal emulators, Final term supports keyboard shortcuts, but through editing the settings file. Unfortunately, it froze during the introduction, but there is an explanation for this, Final term does not leave the alpha testing stage for a long time.

Let's move on to the installation. At the time of writing this article, the program repository was not working, so we will install from the sources. The additional Git tool that we will install to install Final term will be useful to us in the future for installing other programs.

(pretty popular tools required)

(additional packages for GTK)

(download sources)

(let's move onvfolderfinal term)

(createfolderbuild)

(let's move onvfolderbuild)

(a tool for automatically building a program from source code)

(direct installation)

Terminator is a cross-platform terminal emulator that supports systems Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux , Unix X11. A convenient terminal emulator that allows you to create horizontal and vertical tabs, customize the display of the interface, a lot of hot keys and connect additional plugins.

You can install it from the Ubuntu Software Center.

RXVT (color terminal with unicode support) is a very lightweight terminal emulator. Didn't find any settings. Minimalistically reminiscent of the built-in XTerm, however, some features are removed from RXVT, such as: Tektronix 4014 emulation and tool-style configuration.

Available in the native Ubuntu repository.

Well, for those who continue to use the standard Terminal, I suggest decorating it a little with a picture, for example, with a penguin named Tux (the official Linux mascot).

All excellent mood. See you in discussion threads.

Comments and reviews

Please read the Community Guidelines before commenting.

This article will discuss the development of Linux OS. other UNIX similar systems, such as FreeBSD, AIX and Solaris, we will touch on in the next article.

First of all, you need to be patient and willing to learn new things. There will be a lot of new things, especially if you have not previously encountered the console. The first thing to start with is the choice of distribution, and do not rush to install Ubuntu, there will be no sense at all. I assure you that by installing it you will not master the console, Ubuntu is too friendly.

Ways of learning

Difficult path

My learning experience started with Gentoo - it's hard, tedious, interesting, and a great learning experience. If you have a lot of time and desire to study how the OS on the Linux kernel is arranged, go. Another distribution that will give you experience is Slackware. There is no point in studying both, it is worth stopping at one. They are similar in complexity, but Gentto is difficult to install and works with the best software installer - Portage, while Slackware has some difficulties with normal batch installers.

normal way

In industrial use, you are unlikely to find Gentoo or Slackware, most likely you will see Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Centos or sometimes Debian, less often it will be derivative distributions on rpm packages (OpenSuse). Actually, they need to be studied in a good way.

useless way

In industrial use, you won't find Fedora, Ubuntu, or other custom distributions. And I generally do not recommend starting with them, they are not for servers. Fedora, for example, may stop working after an update, and Ubuntu may hang, but then comes next update and the bug is fixed. Now faced with 16.04, no, it's not worth it.

How to study

First you need to install the selected distribution, preferably on real hardware. After installation (and if it's a Gentoo distribution in progress) configure the kernel for your hardware, this will give you an idea of how the kernel is built and why. You will remember what the lspci and lsusb commands do, and many others. It will also allow you to master the work in the console. It is best if you have an operating system on your computer for everyday use.

Mistakes

Collecting materials

Do not do this, you will not read any of the downloaded books. Very often, people starting to learn something download “100 books on Linux”.

How beginner Linux users get started using the Linux terminal

Don't repeat this mistake.

Courses

No. If you go to courses for 50,000 rubles, this does not mean that they will teach you something there. The only thing you get out of them is a diploma. And yes, everyone will care about him.

Perhaps the article will be filled with more, I don’t know yet.

Command memorization

Eating a lot of time is of little use, if briefly.

Conclusion

Only practice and experience in using the operating system will allow you to successfully use it and apply it in life. Over time, you will learn a lot, you will even encounter situations where Linux cannot be applied, but only Windows.

Learn something new every day, it's useful.

The operation of the computer from the moment the power button is pressed until the system enters normal operation is called booting. Initial loading occurs in two stages: first, the core operating system, which then performs self-configuration and starts system services.

The first stage - loading the kernel - does not depend on the type of operating system. The choice of the device from which the boot will occur (hard disk, laser disk, disk drive) is performed by subroutines from the computer's ROM - BIOS. Searching for the system kernel (possibly several) and setting the kernel parameters is performed by loader, located on the device selected for booting. Neither one nor the other needs additional setting until an emergency occurs. The loader (LInux LOader, LILO) recognizes several ways to boot and several options for configuring the kernel, so at startup it prompts you to choose one option from several. From the LILO menu, select "linux-up".

The system boots up automatically based on the parameters passed by the bootloader and the information obtained during bootstrapping. Each system service displays on startup console diagnostics ("done"), ("skipped") and ("failed"). If everything is in order, all messages should look like. Messages appear in cases where the system decides that there is nothing to start this service for: for example, when trying to load a driver for a non-existent device. The message means that the system service could not be started for some reason.

The messages do not signal that the operating system is “corrupted”, but rather that the setting or environment of the computer has changed in an unexpected way. For example, if the system is configured to receive network address automatically, but the server issuing addresses is not on the network, the network service will display a message, and the system will continue to boot normally. You can control the system load by examining system logs, primarily the one issued by the command dmesg.

Several active virtual consoles. Each virtual console is clickable alt and function key with the console number. So, in ALT Linux after booting the system, the functions of the system console are taken over by the 12th virtual console ( alt—F12). If the X11 graphics subsystem is running, it occupies the seventh console, and to switch to text mode, the described keys must be pressed together with ctrl: ctrl—alt—F1, ctrlaltF2 etc.

it is forbidden turn off by simply depriving the computer of power supply. A lot of information that should be located on the disk, the system keeps in random access memory to improve performance. Unexpected power off causes this information to be lost. Stop the system with the command shutdown -h now. This will first stop system services, then unmount file systems, and then (if possible) shut down the computer. If a soft power off is not possible, a message will be displayed on the screen and the power can be turned off using the button. power.

If the computer supports the ACPI protocol, pressing the button power does not turn off the power, but sends an ACPI message to the system that the button power was pressed. When such a message is received, the system performs the same actions as shutdown. Only in this case admissible switch off by button power.

The third option is to press on the keyboard ctrl—alt—Del, after which the system will go to reboot(stop and immediately reload). These keys do not have any inherent effect on the system, such a reaction is a kernel property that can be disabled. After waiting for the download to begin (for example, the LILO menu), you can turn off the computer.

Stop the system and turn off the computer

Turning the computer on and off

in exists exactly one a user whose rights are significantly higher than the rights of other users of the system. It is called ("root"), or superuser. It corresponds to an account with a name and user ID 0. To perform administrative actions, you must log in to the system under this name. It is not recommended to perform any other work, except for administrative work, on behalf of the user, since the cost of an error increases several times.

Per superuser access restrictions do not apply files, so the right to use privileges requires great ethical and professional responsibility. This means that the superuser password must be known. only responsible person in every sense. It is better do not write down superuser password, and if necessary, keep records in an inaccessible place, for example, in a safe.

For temporary perform actions with rights there is a command su-. Only members of the group (the helm) can execute this command. Group membership is determined by the contents of the file. In cases where it is required to transfer to the user only part authority, it is recommended to use the sudo package.

You can add a new user using the command useradd input_name with optional additional parameters. The result of this command can be very different depending on the account storage scheme. ALT Linux uses the TCB scheme, where when adding a new account added new line to a file, a new subdirectory and a shadow file in it. For compatibility with other schemes, it can only contain Latin letters, numbers, and underscores. You can use a key to set the full username.

Either the user or the superuser can change the user's password. Do not set a password that is easy to guess or guess! ALT Linux has a fairly strict password checking system. This scheme distinguishes between lowercase and uppercase Latin letters, numbers, and other characters.

Newbie about Linux. FAQ

A good password should be no shorter than eight characters, contain at least three types of characters, and capital letters at the beginning and numbers at the end do not count. So, for example, a password is considered weak, but strong.

Of course, the password should not include English words. However, if there are at least three of these words and they are separated by more than just spaces, the password - such as - is also considered strong. When you enter a password, nothing is displayed on the screen. Example:

teacher# useradd -c "Aksyon Vikulovich Ommetrov" axen teacher# passwd axen Enter new password: Re-type new password: passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.

Delete account, home directory and mailbox user can use the command userdel -r input_name. If omitted, the home directory and mailbox are not deleted.

To change the parameters of an existing account, use the utility usermod. In particular usermod -L input_name temporarily prohibits the use of the corresponding account, and usermod -U input_name- cancels the ban.

Direct installation and removal software products (packages) in ALT Linux is handled by the rpm utility. However, it is inconvenient for the administrator to use it, because most packages cannot work properly if some others are not installed on the system, so it is necessary to install them first. Those, in turn, may depend on some other packages, and so on. The apt family utilities deal with this problem: when installing one package, all the packages on which it depends are also calculated, after which it is added to the system kit packages needed to work.

In addition, apt can take packages for installation from several sources. All sources are listed in the file. To add each distribution CD to the list of sources, use the command apt-cdrom add. Search in the sources of the package, the description of which contains a certain substring, is carried out by the command apt-cache search. It is better not to search on behalf of the superuser, since, for compatibility with system scripts, only English language interface. To install a package into the system, use the command apt-get install packagename. Example:

teacher$ apt-cache search CDR cdda2wav - Utility to rip tracks from Audio CD cdrecord - Console utility for burning CD/DVD k3b - CD burning software mkisofs - ISO9660 imaging utility xcdroast - Graphic program to create CD teacher$ su - Password: teacher# apt-get install xcdroast Reading Package Lists… Done Building Dependency Tree… Done The following extra packages will be installed: cdda2wav The following NEW packages will be installed: cdda2wav xcdroast 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 removed and 1 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/2056kB of archives. After unpacking 4749kB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? Get:1 cdrom://Junior2.3 ALT/main cdda2wav 5:2.0-alt4 Get:2 cdrom://Junior2.3 ALT/main xcdroast 6:0.98alpha15-alt2 Fetched 2056kB in 0s (11.8MB/s) Committing changes… Preparing… ############################################# ######## 1: cdda2wav ####################################### ############### [ 50%] 2: xcdroast ########################### ########################## Done.

To work with packages using a graphical interface, you can use the synaptic program.

When using a system with a profile, before performing any administrative actions, you must stop using the remote using a system script /etc/init.d/etcmount stop.

Installation of software products

If users' home directories (especially network directories) accumulate too many not desired files, there may not be enough space for the necessary files. Information on the fullness of file systems is displayed by the command df(disk free, free disk space). If the or field contains a zero or negative value, only the superuser is allowed to modify such a file system. It is recommended to find out which subdirectory contains the most unnecessary data and ask the owner to clean it (or do it by order, using superuser rights). To determine the size of directories, you can use the utility df.

File system analysis example:

teacher$ df File system Dim Use Ext Use% mounted on /dev/hda1 2.3G 1.5G 728M 67% / /dev/hda3 1.5G 1.4G 48M 96% /home $ su - Password: # du --max-depth=1 / home/chroot/nethome 5.4M /home/chroot/nethome/alex 2.7G /home/chroot/nethome/greedy 4.0M /home/chroot/nethome/netuser 2.7G /home/chroot/nethome # du --max-depth= 1 -k /arc/home/george | sort -n | tail -4 25314 /home/chroot/nethome/greedy/Pass 56106 /home/chroot/nethome/greedy/.phoenix 2608536 /home/chroot/nethome/greedy/pictures 2764538 /home/chroot/nethome/greedy

In the above example, a clear devourer free space the owner of the directory (2.7 gigabytes) acts - most likely, the user - and more than 2.5 gigabytes are accounted for by a single subdirectory.

File systems overflowing

The system installed and running on the machine needs to be updated only if the updates fix deficiencies in the security system (the so-called security updates). In addition, it may need to update enough old system for compatibility with new file formats or network protocols. Update list packages are produced using the command apt-get update, and updating the system itself in accordance with the updated list - using apt-get dist-upgrade.

Linux: Linux Basics

What is the course about

The LINUX for beginners course will help you master the Ubuntu distribution in a short time, give you information about the entire family of Linux distributions. You will learn how to quickly and efficiently set up your server using just the command line.

There will be plenty of practical examples throughout the course.

After completing the LINUX course for beginners, you will gain the following knowledge and skills:

Learn to install Linux.
Learn the console commands for Unix-like operating systems.
Learn to manage Linux system services.
Write small programs(scripts) on the BASH shell
Read and understand system logs, configure logging service.
run WINDOWS applications on Linux using the wine emulator

Knowledge of LINUX will help you build and maintain high performance and reliable servers. Servers that can work as in local network, as well as on the Internet

What's happened ubuntu? Ubuntu is a modern, full featured operating system based on the Linux kernel. Translated from the South African Zulu language, the word Ubuntu roughly means "humanity".

Ubuntu is distributed and will always be distributed absolutely free. But at the same time, by installing Ubuntu on your computer, you get full set all the necessary applications for work, and everything missing in the standard package you can easily download from the Internet. And there is no trick to this. You can use Ubuntu and all the software available in this system without any restrictions absolutely free and completely legal. Moreover, you can even download the source code of all system components and make your product based on it.

Ubuntu is backed and sponsored by Canonical, but a huge contributor to the development of this great OS is the community - ordinary people who strive to improve the applications and tools they use. Maybe someday you want to help make Ubuntu the best operating system and get involved in the community.

About the resource

The purpose of this resource is to help beginners install Ubuntu on their computer and get comfortable with the system. I will say right away that all articles are written on the assumption that the reader understands a little about computers and will be able to distinguish a file from a folder. Although you do not need any specific knowledge - only general computer literacy.

This resource is a beginner's guide, so if you're new to Ubuntu, I recommend you read each article in order. If you already know something about Ubuntu and about Linux in general, perhaps something will seem familiar to you. In this case, you can read the articles at your own discretion, use the menu on the right to navigate. By the way, if you are not comfortable reading the manual online, you can download the PDF version.

This guide is by no means exhaustive, but is intended to help you get into the world of Ubuntu painlessly. If you have any questions, please contact the official Russian-language forum, they will always help you there, in addition, there is a community created in Russian, in which you can search for the missing information.

Small annotation

What can you learn from this guide? Well, first of all, I'll tell you how to put Ubuntu on your computer - the only operating system or next to Windows. Next, I'll touch a bit on the user interface and basic system controls. And then I will try to consistently tell you about all the necessary basics for using Ubuntu. By the way, in many articles there are quite a lot of footnotes. They contain Additional Information or just various comments on the main content. You can easily skip them while reading. They are not necessary for understanding the main material of the manual, but are often useful as an explanation for some specific questions you may well have.

I will say right away - there are practically no descriptions of specific applications in the manual. For Ubuntu, there are a huge number of programs for every taste and color. And I would really like not to recommend something specific, but to show you how to find and install exactly what you personally like and suit best.

In general, the purpose of this manual is to teach the reader to use all the main tools of the system in a relaxed and effective way. I really hope that after reading it, you will be able to work calmly in Ubuntu and easily perform all the actions you need.

The manual describes the Long Term Support version of Ubuntu - Ubuntu 10.04 LTS "Lucid Lynx".

Modern versions of Ubuntu are very different from "Lucid Lynx" user interface and pre-installed programs, so this guide is practically not relevant for them.

For older versions, there may also be slight differences from those described in the articles, but the general provisions will remain the same. However, I recommend that you always use latest version Ubuntu. In the first article, I will just tell you where you can get your copy of the distribution