Linux: The definitive guide


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Thread: Linux: The definitive guide

  1. #1
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    Linux: The definitive guide

    GNU/Linux, the definitive guide
    I'm considering writing a tutorial about GNU/Linux, which lightly covers ever aspect that is deserving. I've also considered making it an Open Content Document, but that depends mostly on how popular it gets when I ever get around to writing it. Mostly, I'm doing this because I want to, and because I think I could learn a whole lot more about linux by writing a tutorial about it. Its going to be huge.

    What I'm asking for here is some creative input on what I currently have. Additions, changes, if somethings not neccessary, if I've overlooked somethign very important that would need to be included in any such document, etc. I have no idea what the title will be, but thats not important at this point in time.

    Here is the outline I've started with:

    Code:
    Introduction
      The Meaning of Open Source
      GNU/Linux, Open Source's Greatest Achievement
    Constituents of a GNU/Linux Distribution
      GNU, The Operating System
      Linux, The Kernel
        why different versions?
        version 2.2
        version 2.4
        version 2.6
      The Bootloader
        Lilo
        Grub
        Dual Booting
      Tux, the Penguin
    Distributions, to Name a Few
      Debian
      Gentoo
      Mandriva
      Red Hat/Fedora
      Slackware
      SuSE
      LiveCD Distros
        Knoppix
        Slax
        ZipSlack
    Files and Directories
      File System Heirarchy
        /boot, /dev, /etc, /home, /lib, /media, /mnt, /opt,
        /proc, /usr, /usr/local, /usr/src, /tmp, /var
      Commands
          cd, ls, find, updatedb, locate, cat, grep, touch,
          mkdir, rm, rmdir, dd
      Attributes and Permissions
        directory, read, write, execute, sticky
        octal representation
        owner, group owner
        Commands
          chgrp, chmod, chown
      Archives
        tarballs, bz2, gz
      Fils System Table, fstab
        device, mount point, file system, options, fsck, boot
      File Systems
        ext
        ntfs
        reiser4
        reiserfs
        vfat
    Devices
      Systems
        udev
        devfs (deprecated)
      mount
      umount
    Bash Shell
      Environment Variables
        PATH
        PS1
      Aliases
      Bash Scripts
      Pipes and Redirection
        echo
        pipe output
        output to file
        append to file
        xargs
      Useful Features
        Tab Completion
      Other Shells
        csh
        korn
        sh
        tsh
    Vi text editor
      save
      undo
      quit and save
      quit without saving
      force command (!)
      find text
      search and replace
      other editors
        emacs
        joe
    The Manual Pages
      man
    Users and Groups
      root, the Super User
      User Priveleges
      Group Priveleges
      su
      sudo
      Adding and Removing
        useradd, userdel, groupadd, groupdel
    X Windows
      The X Server
        XFree
        Xorg
      Window Managers
        blackbox (deprecated)
        Fluxbox
        Enlightenment
      Desktop Managers
        GNOME
        KDE
        XFCE
      Terminals
        rxvt
        XTerm
        Konsole (KDE)
        ATerm (AfterStep)
      Some Notable Applications
        Mozilla Firefox
        Mozilla Thunderbird
        Gaim
        Gimp
        OpenOffice.org
        Wine
        K3B
    Packages
      Various Distribution-Specifc Tools
        Slackware, tgz packages.
          pkgtool, installpkg, removepkg, upgradepkg
          third-party tools
            slapt-get
        Debian, deb packages
          dpkg, apt-get, aptitude
        Mandriva, RPM pacakges
          URPMI
        RedHat/Fedora, RPM pacakges
      Package Dependancies
        dependancy hell
      Compiling source
    Networking
      Configuring
        /etc/hostname, /etc/hosts
      Strarting and Stopping
      Wireless
      File Sharing
        NFS
        Samba
      Remote user login
        rlogin (deprecated)
        SSH
      Linux as a server
        Web server
          Apache
          MySQL
          PHP
        Mail server
          Postfix
          Sendmail (deprecated)
    Printing & Scanning
      CUPS
      SANE
    Laptops
      Card Services
        cardctl
      Power Management Daemons
        APM (deprecated)
        ACPI
    Jobs and Processes
      Jobs
        ctrl+z, bg, fg,
        pausing, unpausing, and stoping
      Processes
        ps, kill, killall
    Boot Services
      Runlevels - inittab
    The Kernel
      Lodable Kernel Modules
      Installing Kernel Source
      Configuring a Kernel
      Compiling a new Kernel
    Hardware Drivers
      Video
        ATI
        NVidia
      Audio
        ALSA
    Programming, C/C++
      Compilers
        gcc
      Make files
      GUI Development
        GTK+
          Glade
        Qt
    Security (System Hardening)
      Programs
        tripwire
        snort
        bastille
      Configuration
        Services
        Firewalls
        Password Shadowing (an overview)
        Passwords
      Risks
        SUID-bit Programs
        Deprecated Programs
        Race Contitions
        Buffer Overflows
      Other Topics
        Security Mailing lists
        Protecting Physical Access
    Linux as an embedded OS (a brief overview)
      PDAs, Cell Phones, Tablets
    Lexicon
      Distro, Fork
    I've also posted this thread here: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/sho...955#post293955

    edit: 2006-01-18 changed a few things. It's also important to note that I'm not intending to add any sort of historical informations in the guide, to keep it focused on specificly how to use GNU/Linux.

    edit 2006-01-18(2): added a lot of things.

    edit 2006-01-18(3): expanded some things.
    Last edited by zeroth; 01-18-2006 at 05:04 PM.
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  2. #2
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    Packages: What about RPMS? URPMI, etc

    You could put something in about the 2.2 series kernel

    I'd be careful about the Notable Applications, it all depends on what each user think is important.
    If you have to ask why you want to install Linux, then perhaps you shouldn't.
    -- Michael D. Watts (Gone but never forgotten)

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  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by deathadder
    Packages: What about RPMS?
    You could put something in about the 2.2 series kernel

    I'd be careful about the Notable Applications, it all depends on what each user think is important.
    which is why I intend to throw in every popular application that I can think of which doesn't require too much knowledge to be able to operate that could benefit a newbie. That said, they will probably all be GUI apps. GIMP doesn't exactly have an intuitive GUI, but its in for obvious reasons.

    I'll update the first post with the 2.2 series kernel, thats a good point. And maybe a section called "RPM Hell" ;-)
    Just kidding, yes, RPMs should be in there too.
    Last edited by zeroth; 01-18-2006 at 12:23 PM.
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  4. #4
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    I think you can build up this guide better if you use a lot of links instead of writing your own.

    For a start we do have a fairly good library of quality information here though some may be benefited from an update. It would be ideal if your effort is complementary or an integration of what we have got here rather than an alternative.

    Just a thought when you are embarking on such a big project.
    Linux user started Jun 2004 - No. 361921
    Using a Linux live CD to clone XP
    To install Linux and keep Windows MBR untouched
    Adding extra Linux & Doing it in a lazy way
    A Grub menu booting 100+ systems & A "Howto" to install and boot 145 systems
    Just cloning tips Just booting tips A collection of booting tips

    Judge asked Linux "You are being charged murdering Windoze by stabbing its heart with a weapon, what was it?" Replied Linux "A Live CD"

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by saikee
    I think you can build up this guide better if you use a lot of links instead of writing your own.

    For a start we do have a fairly good library of quality information here though some may be benefited from an update. It would be ideal if your effort is complementary or an integration of what we have got here rather than an alternative.

    Just a thought when you are embarking on such a big project.
    Maybe I'll publish it :-)
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  6. #6
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    Even the first 2 lines had me shaking my head....you got it backwards.
    Open Source may be GNU's best achievement, though whether that's true or not is a theological debate. But make sure you get the chronology and the fact there are multiple Religions straight..In the beginning, there was GNU, and it was good. Everything else came after.
    Read what stallman says about GNU...even though linux came out and beat hurd (or mach or whatever) all to hell, he's still the originator of ALL this because without the GPL there would be no "Linux".
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    Quote Originally Posted by je_fro
    Even the first 2 lines had me shaking my head....you got it backwards.
    Open Source may be GNU's best achievement, though whether that's true or not is a theological debate. But make sure you get the chronology and the fact there are multiple Religions straight..In the beginning, there was GNU, and it was good. Everything else came after.
    Read what stallman says about GNU...even though linux came out and beat hurd (or mach or whatever) all to hell, he's still the originator of ALL this because without the GPL there would be no "Linux".
    you don't need a license to call a program open source. people were contributing code back before any of that. anyway, I was just trying to boast a little.
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  8. #8
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    No, but Open Source was a term originated years later by Perens et.al. to put a more business-friendly face on GNU/Linux.
    Last edited by je_fro; 01-18-2006 at 09:07 PM.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by je_fro
    No, but Open Source was a term originated years later by Perens et.al. to put a more business-friendly face on GNU/Linux.
    I'm sure you're right. I'm not up to speed with the history of Open Source and Linux, I just kow that I love Open Source and I'm pretty damn good behind a keyboard :-)

    ...even if I ask questions in forums every now and then ;-)


    edit:

    maybe instead of "GNU/Linux, Open Source's Greatest Avhievement", something better would be "GNU/Linux, Open Source's Left Hand" or somethign to the effect that Linux and Open Source go "hand in hand" so to say.
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  10. #10
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    Cool, just so you draw a distinction between GNU and Open Source. Otherwise I'll bet RMS himself registers in order to flame ya!
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by je_fro
    Cool, just so you draw a distinction between GNU and Open Source. Otherwise I'll bet RMS himself registers in order to flame ya!
    very off topic, but you have some creepy avatars....
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  12. #12
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    I spent a bundle on plastic surgery to look this good! Keep your damn comments to yourself!
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by je_fro
    GNU/Linux.
    I was agrivated when I first started reading this (http://librenix.com/?inode=2312) (edit: try to read around the biased opinions), however, there is a very interesting point about half-way through.

    Why shouldn't I call my distribution Xorg/GNU/Linux? seeing as how Xorg is a huge part of my distribution. Also, there are many places where Linux is embedded in a device and GNU is not.

    Historically, the term "GNU/Linux" is respectful of the GNU project, and the fact that Linux probably wouldn't exist without it (true?)

    Practically, it is silly.

    No flames, please. :-)
    Last edited by zeroth; 01-19-2006 at 05:49 PM.
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  14. #14
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    He's got it backwards too...he should have said:
    Linux has reached its current high profile largely on the back of GNU.
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  15. #15
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    they were riding each others backs.
    Last edited by zeroth; 07-07-2006 at 02:47 PM.
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