Category: Linux
One of the more powerful features of Linux is how the system boots. Linux can run in many different ways and with specific goals. Do you want to run a graphical user interface (GUI) such as KDE or do you strictly want to run only enough applications to get you to a command line? Linux is highly flexible and can run under many different conditions.
This section will give you a basic understanding as to what is happening when a Linux system is powered on and what Linux will do in order for it to become functional to the end user.
Pro's Of Linux
Anyone can download a CD image of Linux. These are completely free and most freely available Linux distributions make it easy to install new software, bug fixes and other updates.
Whieter you have a Pentium computer or a Mac, you can have Linux working on your system. You can have a 32-bit or 64-bit system or a Pentium or a SPARC processor. Linux works on practically all known processor types.
Even today, as Linux becomes easier and easier for end-users to use, many people still feel Linux is a difficult operating system to operate. Another gripe is Linux knowledge is scattered through out the internet. This guide is an effort to help new users get acquainted with Linux and to consolidate beginner information in one place.
Who Should Read This Guide?
This guide will provide a simple overview of a Linux-based operating system. It is specifically geared towards new users (although having MS Windows experience can't hurt).
The df command is a simple utility program that will spit out information about the partitions mounted on your system. This can come in handy if you are quickly looking to find out how much space each mount point is using and what percentage of total disk space has been taken up.
So your ready to become a Linux convert? While Linux has made great headway in the last few years, in some areas it is at a stand still. In order to fully migrate to Linux (hey, no dual-booting), you will need to evaluate how you use your system and see if it can be duplicated easily in Linux.
Are You A Web Browser?
If the majority of your time spent using your computer is surfing the web and watching some videos on YouTube, your migration is rather easy. Linux excels in this aspect.
Environment variables are bits of data that set global options so other programs can use to gather the needed information about your working environment. In laymans terms, each variable will contain something another program can use to run properly.
Some programs require these variables so they know where to locate your home directory or to see whats your default GUI desktop application. This tutorial will break down some of the most popular environment variables and why they are important to know.
Have you ever watched a video on one of the popular video hosting sites and wanted to save it for latter use? You don't have to download software or even install a Firefox plugin to save the videos you like so much. All you need to do is follow these steps:
1. Load The Video
You need to navigate to the page that has your video you would like to download. When the video starts playing, notice the red bar that is moving at the bottom of the screen. This bar is telling you how much of the video has been buffered.
Are you getting tired of looking at the same old information when you login to your system? It usually goes along something like this:
Linux localhost 2.6.27-9-generic #1 SMP Thu Nov 20 21:57:00 UTC 2008 i686
The programs included with the Ubuntu system are free software;
the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.[...]
What if you wanted to change it to something like:
If you love to watch your log files religiously, you typically have to open your log file and see if there have been any new entries. What if there was a way to keep the file open and glance over at it when ever something new got written to it? Using the tail command, we are able to "tail" the file. When another log message gets added, tail "sees" it and updates your view of the file. All without opening and reopening it!
Have you ever wanted to run Windows and Linux on the same machine? This tutorial will show you some general do's and dont's to installing Windows and Linux on the same machine.
Note: This tutorial assumes you are starting a fresh install. This means that you will be installing both operating systems for the first time or you are willing to backup your data and erase your hard drive.
Why Dual Boot?
People typically dual boot for a few reasons:
