All About Linux

Post by **FZ1** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 6:49 pm

I thought it would be good to make an official thread about Linux and info, tips, "flavors" etc. I'm just getting my feet wet here but some others are quite knowledgeable. Start sharing!

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:21 pm

I can't think of any now.....but I'll edit this post with stuff when I think of any.......

oh here's one....ATI + Linux sux!

Joe! -> It might be an idea to edit your post to add some links! We can add them as we go!

Here's a few
A GREAT users guide!
http://www.comptechdoc.org/os/linux/usersguide/

http://www.kernel.org
http://www.distrowatch.com
http://www.linuxquestions.org for specific questions to wired probs that come up!
http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php (thanks for the link liqnit) -> LiveCD's

Distros
http://www.novell.com/linux/suse/ | http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUSE.org
http://www.debian.org/
http://wwwnew.mandriva.com/en/downloads/mirrors
http://fedora.redhat.com/
http://www.knoppix.com/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.slackware.com/ - advanced
http://www.freebsd.org/ -> not Linux, but if you feel adventurous

http://www.gentoo.org - advanced
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/ -> very advanced (thanks pointreyes your evil for suggesting this btw ;) )
LFS is great for learning Linux inside out!
http://www.smoothwall.org/ - Firewall....easy to config/setup/use - comes as a live cd aswell as an installable version
http://featherlinux.berlios.de/ -> you gotta try it if you have a USB stick!

There are 2 main "desktops" in Linux....KDE and GNOME
Both are great, but you want to try both. KDE is more like windows and some say easier. There are also alot of other desktops, some streamlined for low mem usage etc. This is why you must try a few distros. Fedora, Suse, Mandravia and others come with all of them installed so you can switch between each very easily. This is why I suggest these distros to be your starting point. You can get the feel of alot of other distros without having to install then ;p

BIG TIP!!!!!! -> keep a pen & peice of paper nearby -> alot of linux stuff requires using the cammand line to configure stuff...eg. if you mess up your display drivers.

Don't get discouraged if something doesn't work right! The biggest prob with people using linux is they get discouraged and give up because it takes a little adjusting!

Try multiple distros!!!!!!! All distros allow you to install/complie programs from their source files. Alot come with "package managers".
Red Hat developed "RPM's" -> these are like .exe files. they allow you install/uninstall programs easilly.
There are alot of package types.....debian uses .Deb and "apt-get"
Mandrake uses URPM - Suse uses RPM - Slackware uses .tgz (source)
Try alot of versions and you'll find the one which you like!!!

:edit:
I really don't know alot about Linux yet! but I'm learning....

Post by **FZ1** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:26 pm

Awesome post Ken

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:43 pm

here's more

To install from Source files! (first this is read the "readme file & install file, some programs don't install the standard way, esp. progs. written in Perl etc.)

Source files come in .tar / .gz / .tar.gz and other file types (these are the main ones)
They can be opened by winrar in winblows btw!
.tar -> this is not a compression type, it only keeps the folder structure
.gz is like .zip etc.

To install from source you need to extract the files, you can do it using a program which has a nice GUI in the desktop or via the command line

If you extracting via the command line
type tar zxf program-name.tar.gz

To compile & install!
i presume you know basic DOS?
CD to the directory
Type "./configure" --> press enter (configures the compiler settings)
Type "make -> press enter (compiles the program)
login as root = type "su" and enter the root password
Type "make install -> press enter (installs the program)

Command Line
Linux BASH command line
http://www.ss64.com/bash/
ALOT of Linux commands
http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/linux/cmd/
http://www.pixelbeat.org/cmdline.html -> Thanks pointreyes
-
http://physics.usask.ca/~angie/ep414/li ... k_ref.html
http://www.linuxcommand.org/

Linux support a number of concurrent logins from the same pc.
Each login uses a "terminal screen"
Press "CTRL+ALT+F1" through to F6 for command prompts
Press "CTRL+ALT+F7" for the desktop - F8 through to F12 are for seperate desktop logins.

Linux also support a number of "run levels"
as root in shell/command prompt type:
"init S" -> single user with no networking, command prompt only
"init 1" -> multi user with no networking, command prompt only
"init 3" -> multi user with networking, command prompt only
"init 5" -> multi user and X (desktop)
"init 6" -> reboot pc
"init 0" -> shutdown the pc
init 2&4 are reserved and unused @ the moment

When you are in a command prompt only situation, you can get back to the desktop a number of ways.
Fist try "CTRL+ALT+F7" => If you have a black screen the the X server hasn't started.
@ the command prompt type
"init 5" -> you must be root to use the "init" command
or type "startx"
again as root
or type "gdm" (GNOME desktop manager) IF you use GNOME
or type "kdm" (KDE desktop manager) IF you use KDE

If this doesn't work and you've rebooted and still can't get into the desktop, then there could be a prob with your XOrg.config file or drivers
(each distro has it's own way to fix this so I can't include details here sorry)

File Stucture
http://www.comptechdoc.org/os/linux/com ... ilest.html

I'm going to keep updating my posts as we go, eventually when we have enough info added, we can clean up the layout!.....contibutions from other members is more than welcome......this thread will take time to build!

Post by **FZ1** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:44 am

Here are some links that I am finding or have found particularly useful:

I had driver issues with my Nvidia 7800GT (in Ubuntu), followed instructions here and it was fixed:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread. ... nvidia-glx

Windows apps - Linux equivalent
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.ph ... ostcount=1
http://www.linuxrsp.ru/win-lin-soft/table-eng.html

I'll append to this post as I come across more...

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:52 am

Folding @ home with Linux

http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showth ... ge=1&pp=15
this guide will show you howto run FAH @ startup and in the backround.....

DON'T FORGET TO EDIT THE client.cfg FILE IN THE FAH DIRECTORY -> ADD TEAM No. 38296

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:30 pm

X Window System (desktop)

Slackware's help page wrote:The X Window System is implemented through many programs that run in userland. The two main components are the server and the window manager. The server provides the lowlevel functions for interacting with your video hardware, thus it is system specific. The window manager sits on top of the server and provides the user interface. The advantage to this is you can have many different graphical interfaces by simply changing the window manager you use

A big prob with Linux is if you mess up the GFX settings. You stuck with a command prompt and haven't a clue howto fix it. (most people will reinstall....but too much hasstle)

Here is a guide howto fix this
http://www.slackware.com/config/x.php

It's based on Slackware which is one of the most "Unix-like" distros out there. BUT the commands used will work with most other distros.

I don't want to copy&paste as the guide is copywrited by Slackware Linux, Inc.
Again I will add to this post with more X Windows details as I go

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 5:36 pm

Linux Users And Sudo

http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/linu ... dusers.htm

work in progress

Mortious · Post by **Mortious** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 8:46 am

I use Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/) on an old Laptop for my webserver, and its been very solid, was also very quick and easy to set up.

pointreyes · Post by **pointreyes** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:41 am

Just a little tidbit of lingo:
su does not mean super user.

su means switch user.

When you enter the command this way:
su -<name of user>

You will be able to login as that user.

With most shells (like BASH) when you enter just su it defaults to thinking you meant su - root

Some useful CLI commands:
http://www.pixelbeat.org/cmdline.html

Want to know where you are in your directory? pwd will tell ya.

My favorite utility that is sometimes installed by default on some Linux distros: top

My favorite text editor: gvim for the GUI and vi for the CLI. Yes, I'm a vi fan.

Another utility I like to use is locate.
http://www.devdaily.com/blog/Content/2/17/233/

If the command (when logged in as a root) updatedb works then you have locate. updatedb reindexes the cache - normally updatedb is scheduled to run at a certain time early in the morning if this handy utility is installed by default in your distro. I normally have to tell SUSE to install the utility.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:53 am

Thanx pointreyes!!!

Keep 'em coming........eventually we will build and edit this thread which will be good enough for a stickey ;)

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:05 am

im putting gentoo on my laptop now

its gonig to be fun to play with i just hope i can remap all of Asus's soft keys.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 11:55 am

infinitevalence wrote:im putting gentoo on my laptop now its gonig to be fun to play with i just hope i can remap all of Asus's soft keys.

http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/where.xml

Get the new Live CD
http://techgage.com/review.php?id=4334

MUCH EASIER TO INSTALL THAN THEIR DEFAULT SETUP!!!!!
IV's the guru? Gentoo will take a long time to install as it downloads source files and complies them when installing.........

Emerge is cool!

pointreyes · Post by **pointreyes** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:08 pm

For those of you that want to learn Linux at it's nitty-gritty level and go crazy (or is that crazier?) at the same time.
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:14 pm

Yeah gentoo on my laptop is going to be fun i think its going to be CLI only. I just cant wait to show up to class and take nots on VI

people are going to think im more nuts than i really am.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:17 pm

Any Linux users out there? I'd like to see more links posted and mayby does someone want to do a guide of some sort?
I'm ressurecting this thread as I think FZ1 is onto a great idea here....

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:27 pm

gave up on Gentoo, installing OSX now.

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:35 pm

infinitevalence wrote:gave up on Gentoo, installing OSX now.

on your laptop? if so it could be hard......

infinitevalence · Post by **infinitevalence** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 2:23 am

hard??? yeah but not overly so. Im actualy using it now, still a few bugs and i dont have speed steping yet so my batterylife is not great. But the screen looks awsome i got my wired lan working and may beable to get my wireless working, but as a backup i have another fully compatible miniPCI WIFI card on its way

Let it be known that if you have an Asus laptop based on a 915 chipset or higher you can install and run OSX X86.

fenriswolfr · Post by **fenriswolfr** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 11:53 pm

I'm not a linux user, actually on my current PC (400 mhz/ 256 ram/ 9 gb memory that I got for free) I put xp pro on it for free too.. but I am thinking about dabbling into a different OS, I know extremely little about it, but I really want to learn more and experiment with it. I guess I'm in this "stage" where I want to find out all this crazy stuff. I might want to try playing around with it on this computer first, and then if I like it or feel like it, using linux or w/e for my new comp. But I want to check it out and learn more.