Hi everyone! I'm a college student who will be taking a class focused on the Linux operating system soon. I'd love to get ahead of the game and learn more about Linux before the class starts. Are there any good resources or beginner tips out there for someone who hasn't had much programming experience yet?
5 Answers
Wow, they're teaching Linux in college now? That’s awesome!
You should definitely check out 'Explaining Computers' for some great beginner guides on using Linux. While these guides lean towards usage rather than installation, they're super useful. Also, familiarize yourself with the Linux file system and basic command line commands. There are tons of online articles and videos that can help with that. For a smoother start, I recommend trying Linux Mint in a virtual machine. It’s very beginner-friendly.
The best way to dive in is to install Linux! If you have an old PC, try using it as a test machine, or go for a virtual setup. Linux Mint is a fantastic first choice. Alternatively, you can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and install Ubuntu there. Start playing around with the terminal by practicing file operations—copying and moving files, deleting files, and so on. Linux commands like 'cp', 'mv', and 'rm' will become your best friends! Plus, the terminal documentation is pretty straightforward; you can type 'man ' to see the manual for commands and 'command --help' for quick usage info.
A key thing to understand is the difference between personal computers and servers, especially in how Linux is utilized. Linux was originally built with servers in mind, but it evolved thanks to the FOSS community. Focus on what makes Linux great for personal computing and tailor your learning to that.
Check out Ventoy! It's a nifty tool that lets you load multiple operating systems onto a single USB flash drive, so you can trial different distros easily.
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