Distro & Trying to understand linux.

[EniSol]

You bothered reading this?--------------

Okay, I got a couple of questions really. Mainly about how I can get to grips with linux after being a dos/win user for for 9ish years.-------------

One of the biggest problems I've found, is that, no matter what books I read, no matter where I search for sites, and the likes. I get no results on the info I am looking for, and you know, it's basic knowledge I would assume. Well, unless you didn't want to know how the OS works.-------------

Things like, how the OS is structured, where everything is kept and why it's kept there. How to install and the theory/full explanation behind it. What the core of the OS is (which is kind of hard to tell when distro's just dump everything there).-------------

The best thing I could ever think of to begin to have an understanding of Linux is to build a working system; from scratch. Of course, I'd need alot of help (in the form of howto's and bothering people on boards and iRC).-------------

Another thing that might help is to find a distro that HAS all the things you would need, an installer maybe, and the option to do a minimalistic install if so.-------------

Seem like the hard way of doing it all? Shame of it is, if I don't know how an OS works, I don't feel comfortable using it... Like when I made the reluctant move from DOS and win3.1 to 95.-------------

What I ask is if anyone could point me in the direction where I might FIND this info, or wouldn't mind filling me in (possibly not on the board) if it's no problem, or don't mind newbie questions.-------------

And advice on a Distro that might allow me to do what I've mentioned.--------------------------

ANY help would be taken with complete appriciation. TIA-------------

Adrian/Eni$ol

[Evil Jeff]

This is going to be a VERY basic answer, it would take weeks to explain all of the theory behind nix systems.

Linux is built on users and files. There is a "root" user that is the account you use for installing most programs. You should not log in with your root account unless you need to. This is integral to the security of linux.

Then there is your user account. Many of your configurations files will be stored in your /home/username directory. This is also your own root directory when you log in. You can change most of your personal settings from files in this. Most configuration files are hidden, and begin with a . (ie .programrc or .programconfig).

Linux sees all devices on your computer as files. Even multiple partitions are just files. Device files are stored in your /dev directory. To initiate a device (like a storage device) you "mount" it. You mount it to a directory on your computer. For example, your primary hard drive is /dev/hda1. This will be mounted during boot on the / directory (the ultimate root directory). A floppy disk (/dev/fd0) will be mounted in one of two normal places: /floppy or /mnt/floppy. Same with cdrom (ie /cdrom or /mnt/cdrom). The way nix systems handle other pieces of hardware is similar.

Some simple command line commands are ls (like dir), cd (almost the same as dos), rm (remove *rm file), mv (move, syntax is "mv file /directory" and also is rename, ie "mv filename desiredname"), rmdir (rm, but for directories).

Executable files are in one of two places. The first is in a /bin directory (there are several). This can be executed from any directory on the system. A program can also be in a non-bin directory. To excecute this type of program, you would type ./program-name.

There is a ton more. But this is some basic stuff to get you started. Hope it helps. My recommendation would be to read the nhfs here and maybe buy a book. Also, another GREAT command is man. Short for manual. It will tell you how to use a program. It's used "man programname". Best regards, and welcome to the linux community.

Evil Jeff
www.hellincorporated.com (http://www.hellincorporated.com)

[donxc2]

I would recommend reading Maximum Linux Security. It gives you a very good basic on the OS before trying to explain security aspects. Read it more than once.

Note: rm will do what it is supposed to. Don't expect to see a Recycle Bin that you can restore from.

[Luke-Skywalker]

Many people will tell you to "Read The Manual". And
while this seems logical, with Linux its not the case.

Everything in linux changes so quickly that its hard to
keep focused on what you need not what you want.

I would suggest you get a friend or join a club (i know
this sounds geeky but humans are ten times better at
teaching than PC's are) and get a HDD that you can
format and install linux over and over again. The
more you try the more you learn.

Running Linux, 3rd Edition from the O'reilly Network
is a good book (most start off with it). And for a distro
I would recomend Storm Linux. Its based on Debian
and installs like redhat.

PS I am no expert and consider myself a beginner
still. But i achieve what I want to do not what I see
others doing.

[larryliberty]

Along with the above, down the road you might try LFS (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org). This site walks you through building your own Linux system. In the process, you'll learn where everything is and how things work.



------------------
Democracy: Two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner.
Constitutional Republic: Same as above, but lamb's not on the menu (unless the wolves are really hungry).

[EniSol]

Thanks alot guys.. I really appriciate the help, and will take all advice and knowledge into careful consideration...

I learned everything myself in dos, just by playing with it, and I don't really think that's safe with Linux. So the help appriciated. (there's an awful lot more to learn for linux than dos).

hehe And I do like the comment about recycling bin... *Rofl* When I started using win98 I thought it was a feature for people who were clueless. I understand there's no undeleting as is, but thanks for pointing it out anways http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

[ph34r]

If you want a distro that lets you do it all, then get either Slackware or Debian.

If you want to make your own, check out www.linuxfromscratch.org (http://www.linuxfromscratch.org) - it really works.