Hey everyone! I've recently dove into the world of Linux, but I find myself jumping around between topics—sometimes I'm exploring operating systems in general, and other times I'm looking at hardware or diving into random software concepts. For those who have been on this journey, how did you organize your learning? Did you start with Linux commands and hands-on practice, or did you tackle the fundamentals like OS concepts, file systems, processes, and so on first? Also, what are some must-know concepts before fully immersing yourself in Linux? I'm thinking about things like:
- Basics of how an OS works
- What filesystems are
- Command line navigation
- Processes and memory
- Networking fundamentals
I'd really love to get your insights and advice on this!
4 Answers
You should definitely check out the Berkeley Operating Systems lectures on YouTube. If you commit to one video each evening, you can finish in a month! But theory alone won't cut it; I'd suggest installing Gentoo on a separate partition for some hands-on experience. Start with the default desktop profile and once you're more confident, try a hardened setup or even Linux From Scratch (LFS) for deeper learning. If you're leaning towards sysadmin skills, consider getting a cheap old laptop or Raspberry Pi to practice with—there are a ton of cool projects you can try!
Don’t forget to explore resources on Linux learning! There’s a great wiki page that has a ton of valuable information. Also, I recommend experimenting in a virtual machine or live USB environment—it's a great way to learn without risking your main system. Just remember to take backups and get to know each command before running it!
Honestly, just start messing around. I dabbled with Ubuntu years ago without formally learning everything first. It was a fun way to learn, and I eventually took an OS course at uni where I solidified those skills later. But remember, understanding Linux is not just about theory; getting hands-on experience makes a huge difference!
Just use your computer like normal and learn as issues arise. It's all about problem-solving! For example, when my fingerprint reader didn't work, I found a guide on how to fix it. The main thing is to get comfortable checking logs and troubleshooting, while also working toward your goals. Everything else is just extra!
For sure, diving into a VM lets you learn without major consequences. Plus, sticking with one distribution will help you customize it better than jumping around constantly.