Learn Linux in a Month of Lunches

Description

Summary Learn Linux in a Month of Lunches shows you how to install and use Linux for all the things you do with your OS, like connecting to a network, installing software, and securing your system. Whether you're just curious about Linux or have to get up and running for your job, you'll appreciate how this book concentrates on the tasks you need to know how to do in 23 easy lessons. About the Technology If you've only used Windows or Mac OS X, you may be daunted by the Linux operating system. And yet learning Linux doesn't have to be hard, and the payoff is great. Linux is secure, flexible, and free. It's less susceptible to malicious attacks, and when it is attacked, patches are available quickly. If you don't like the way it looks or behaves, you can change it. And best of all, Linux allows users access to different desktop interfaces and loads of software, almost all of it completely free. About the Book Learn Linux in a Month of Lunches shows you how to install and use Linux for all the things you do with your OS, like connecting to a network, installing software, and securing your system. Whether you're just curious about Linux or need it for your job, you'll appreciate how this book focuses on just the tasks you need to learn. In easy-to-follow lessons designed to take an hour or less, you'll learn how to use the command line, along with practical topics like installing software, customizing your desktop, printing, and even basic networking. You'll find a road map to the commands and processes you need to be instantly productive. What's Inside Master the command lineLearn about file systemsUnderstand desktop environmentsGo from Linux novice to expert in just one month About the Reader This book is for anyone looking to learn how to use Linux. No previous Linux experience required. About the Author Steven Ovadia is a professor and librarian at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY. He curates The Linux Setup, a large collection of interviews with desktop Linux users, and writes for assorted library science journals. Table of Contents PART 1 - GETTING LINUX UP AND RUNNINGBefore you beginGetting to know Linux Installing LinuxGetting to know your systemDesktop environmentsNavigating your desktopPART 2 - A HOME OFFICE IN LINUXInstalling softwareAn introduction to Linux home/office softwareText files and editorsWorking with files and folders on the command lineWorking with common command-line applications, part 1Working with common command-line applications, part 2Using the command line productivelyExplaining the Linux filesystem hierarchyWindows programs in LinuxEstablishing a workflowPART 3 - HOME SYSTEM ADMIN ON LINUXAn in-depth look at package management and maintenanceUpdating the operating systemLinux securityConnecting to other computersPrintingVersion control for non-programmersNever the end Learn Linux in a Month of Lunches brief contents contents foreword preface acknowledgments about this book Author Online About the author Part 1 Getting Linux up and running 1 Before you begin 1.1 Why Linux matters 1.2 Is this book for you? 1.3 Using this book 1.3.1 The main chapters 1.3.2 Hands-on labs 1.3.3 Further exploration 1.4 Setting up your lab environment 1.5 Online resources 1.6 Being immediately effective with Linux 2 Getting to know Linux 2.1 Distributions 2.2 Ubuntu 2.2.1 Debian 2.2.2 Fedora 2.2.3 Linux Mint 2.2.4 Arch 2.2.5 Other distributions 2.3 Choosing a distribution 2.4 Repositories 2.5 The Linux kernel 2.6 Wrapping up 2.7 Lab 3 Installing Linux 3.1 Live vs. installation 3.2 Creating a Linux boot image 3.3 Burn the image to DVD 3.4 Install the image to USB 3.5 Boot from the image 3.5.1 Installation preparation 3.5.2 Installation type 3.5.3 Where are you? 3.5.4 Keyboard layout 3.5.5 Who are you? 3.6 Common issues 3.7 Purchasing hardware with Linux installed 3.8 Wrapping up 3.9 Lab 4 Getting to know your system 4.1 Identifying hardware 4.2 Drivers 4.3 Codecs 4.4 Using log files 4.5 Finding help 4.6 Wrapping up 4.7 Lab 5 Desktop environments 5.1 Desktop environments 5.2 GNOME 5.2.1 Interface 5.2.2 Customizing 5.2.3 Software 5.3 KDE 5.3.1 Interface 5.3.2 Customizing 5.3.3 Software 5.4 Unity 5.4.1 Interface 5.4.2 Customizing 5.4.3 Software 5.5 Xfce 5.5.1 Interface 5.5.2 Customizing 5.5.3 Software 5.6 Choosing a desktop environment 5.7 Wrapping up 5.8 Lab 6 Navigating your desktop 6.1 Working with programs 6.1.1 Finding programs 6.1.2 Launching programs 6.1.3 Closing programs 6.1.4 Top menu bars 6.1.5 Customizing your dock 6.2 Working with files and folders 6.2.1 Creating folders 6.2.2 Creating files 6.2.3 Opening files 6.2.4 Moving folders and files 6.2.5 Copying folders and files 6.2.6 Deleting folders and files 6.2.7 Changing the look of the folders and files 6.3 Wrapping up 6.4 Lab Part 2 A home office in Linux 7 Installing software 7.1 Package managers 7.2 Ubuntu Software Center 7.3 Synaptic 7.4 Wrapping up 7.5 Lab 8 An introduction to Linux home/office software 8.1 Office/productivity 8.1.1 LibreOffice 8.1.2 Calligra 8.1.3 Email clients 8.1.4 Choosing your office program(s) 8.2 Image editing 8.2.1 GIMP 8.2.2 LibreOffice Draw 8.3 Multimedia 8.3.1 Movies 8.3.2 Music 8.4 Wrapping up 8.5 Lab 9 Text files and editors 9.1 Getting to know text editors 9.1.1 gedit 9.1.2 Vim 9.1.3 Emacs 9.2 Working with text editors 9.2.1 Writing with text editors 9.2.2 Going under the hood with text files 9.3 Wrapping up 9.4 Lab 10 Working with files and folders on the command line 10.1 Working with files and folders 10.1.1 Creating folders 10.1.2 Creating files 10.1.3 Copying folders and files 10.1.4 Moving folders and files 10.1.5 Deleting folders and files 10.2 Wrapping up 10.3 Lab 11 Working with common command-line applications, part 1 11.1 top 11.2 Kill commands 11.2.1 xkill 11.2.2 killall 11.3 wget 11.4 grep 11.5 Wrapping up 11.6 Lab 12 Working with common command-line applications, part 2 12.1 su and sudo for administrative tasks 12.1.1 su 12.1.2 sudo 12.2 Installing and removing software with the command line 12.3 Read the manual with the man command 12.4 Grow commands with pipes and redirects 12.5 Wrapping up 12.6 Lab 13 Using the command line productively 13.1 Alternative terminal interfaces 13.1.1 Guake 13.1.2 Terminator 13.2 Customizing the terminal 13.3 Saving time in the terminal 13.3.1 Last command(s) 13.3.2 history command 13.3.3 Searching commands 13.3.4 Autocompleting commands 13.3.5 Copying and pasting 13.4 Wrapping up 13.5 Lab 14 Explaining the Linux filesystem hierarchy 14.1 /home 14.2 / (root) 14.3 /usr, /bin, and /sbin 14.4 /etc 14.5 /tmp 14.6 Wrapping up 14.7 Lab 15 Windows programs in Linux 15.1 Virtualization 15.2 Wine: using Windows without full-blown virtual machines 15.2.1 Winetricks 15.3 Wrapping up 15.4 Lab 16 Establishing a workflow 16.1 File/application launchers 16.1.1 GNOME Do 16.1.2 Kupfer 16.2 Keyboard shortcuts 16.2.1 Unity/GNOME 16.2.2 KDE 16.2.3 Xfce 16.3 Wrapping up 16.4 Lab Part 3 Home system admin on Linux 17 An in-depth look at package management and maintenance 17.1 Installing software from outside of the repositories 17.1.1 Installing software with package files 17.1.2 Viewing and adding repositories 17.2 Dependencies 17.2.1 Using advanced commands to remove dependencies 17.3 Wrapping up 17.4 Lab 18 Updating the operating system 18.1 Updating Linux 18.1.1 The update command 18.2 Upgrading Linux 18.2.1 The upgrade command 18.3 Rolling releases vs. standard releases 18.3.1 Standard releases 18.3.2 Rolling releases 18.3.3 Which is better? 18.4 Wrapping up 18.5 Lab 19 Linux security 19.1 Users and superusers in Linux 19.2 Viruses and Linux 19.2.1 Is Linux immune to viruses? 19.2.2 Linux antiviruses 19.3 Firewalls 19.4 Encryption 19.5 Running commands safely 19.6 Wrapping up 19.7 Lab 20 Connecting to other computers 20.1 Connecting to the internet with NetworkManager 20.1.1 Customizing your Domain Name System 20.2 Connect to your computer with Secure Shell (SSH) 20.2.1 Configuring your virtual machine 20.2.2 Transferring files with SSH FTP 20.3 Wrapping up 20.4 Lab 21 Printing 21.1 Installing a printer with Ubuntu’s Printers tool 21.1.1 Deleting and configuring printers with the Ubuntu Printers tool 21.2 CUPS 21.3 Tips for printing with Linux 21.4 Wrapping up 21.5 Lab 22 Version control for non-programmers 22.1 What is version control? 22.2 A quick introduction to Git 22.3 Using GitLab as a repository 22.3.1 Generating an SSH key for GitLab 22.4 Connecting to your repository with Git 22.4.1 Creating your Git identity 22.4.2 Cloning a repository 22.4.3 Adding files to your web-based repository 22.4.4 Pulling files from your web-based repository 22.4.5 Viewing the history of files 22.4.6 Sharing your repository 22.5 Wrapping up 22.6 Lab 23 Never the end 23.1 Finding help with Linux 23.2 Finding Linux news 23.3 Using Linux professionally 23.3.1 Do you need a certification? 23.3.2 Which certification? 23.4 Wrapping up Answer key Chapter 4 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 22 index Symbols Numerics A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Linux-back