Learning Linux

[Zovc]

A while back, I installed LinuxMint on my laptop that I use sporadically. My intention was to "learn" Linux, but I didn't. I tried doing a few things ("Oh, let's try to play this game." "Oh, let's try to network my computers." "Oh, what's this button do?"), but I was just less 'productive' with my laptop.

I'm still convinced that learning Linux can't be a bad idea, so I'm thinking about installing it on the laptop again (I just reformatted it for a friend, and they ended up not using it). What are some things I should try to do, and are there any free resources for learning how to do cool stuff with Linux?

[Tirian]

I'm sure there are online resources aplenty, but my strategy was getting a book that matched my level of intellect. For bonus points, the book I got came along with a CD of the same version of Red Hat, so there was no doubt that the book was describing my experience identically. It wasn't free, but it was less than dinner and a movie, and if you wanted free you might be able to find such a book/CD at your local library.

What kind of "cool stuff" do you want? To me, the coolest part of *nix is that it isn't cool so much as transparent, except faster and less bogus than some of the alternatives.

[Zovc]

Well, spending money is out of the question right now, so there will be no buying of books! :P

I don't even know what Linus is capable of, really, so it's hard for me to go, "How do I do _ in Linux?" I suppose I was asking "What do you use Linux for?" and "What should I try to do in Linux in order to learn more about it?"

[Tirian]

Well, Linux is an operating system, so it is the program that facilitates the running of all of the other programs on your computer. In layman's terms, the choice between Windows and Macintosh and Linux is similar to the choice between driving a gasoline car, a diesel car, and an electric car. They're all different, but they're much more alike.

What you do with it is browse the internet and check email and write term papers and print them out and write computer programs and play games and what you do on every other computer. Linux and its tools are pretty much free which is cool and not at all evil which is also very nice. On the downside, not a lot of people use it, so there aren't as many choices for some things like games. But you're right that it's worth knowing about, if only so that you can decide that it isn't right for you.

[Lupy]

Tirian put it very nicely, so I'll offer some general advice.

Ubuntu has the largest and most helpful user community, and is widely considered the best Linux to start using.Your computer will probably run fine under Ubuntu if Linux Mint worked, Linux Mint is derived from Ubutnu.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.