Newbie Guide to Linux - Part 1
Newbie Introduction Guide to Linux
Newbie Introduction to Linux
Newbie Introduction Guide to Linux
Part I
By: Patrick aka. Acid-Phreak
5-15-2002
Introduction:
I was recently looking back over the years and thinking about
my start into the Linux area. My first distribution I ever used was
Slackware 2.8. It is so vivid in my mind I don't think I will ever forget
the basics behind configuring a modem in Linux. I spent two weeks solid
trying to figure out how to install a Zoom 14.4 baud modem in Linux.
All indications were that since this modem had "jumpers" that allowed
for the selection of the com port (as opposed to software driven modems,
more commonly know as winmodems) that this would be a slam dunk install.
Well it wasn't. Which brings me to today where I think back to the troubles
I had and how much easier my tasks would have been if I knew where to
look for information regarding Linux. Now a days, Linux sites are a dime
a dozen, but if you don't know what you are looking for, it can be a
daunting task searching for answers. So my aim here today (and over
the next several articles) is to educate those new to Linux in where
to find information to make their first adventure into Linux a pleasant
one.
What about Linux?
Before I start into some of the basics behind Linux, I thought
it warranted a very brief look into the past. We owe a great thanks
to Linus Torvalds, the man who conceived and offered the first official Linux
version (0.02) back in October 1991(Note:I said Linux, not Multics or Minix
or UNIX). In its early stages, Linux had the ability to run the bash
shell and the gcc compiler but that was about it. My how things of
changes since then.
So why choose Linux you might ask? You should really
be asking why not Linux!! First and foremost, It's FREE. Sure you don't
get the hard copy manuals with the downloaded ISOs but who needs them? Everything
you could possible need is on the Internet including these manuals (see below).
Second, by running Linux you enjoy the benefits of Open Source software.
What is this Open Source I talk of? Open Source is the greatest
thing next to sliced bread (that is my opinion at least). Millions of
people creating, modifying, fixing, and publishing program/source updates.
I have always said that if you need something in Linux that does not
exist today, wait till tomorrow because I am sure you are not the only one
wanting it.
For a more in-depth look into the beginnings of Linux and
Open Source standards I have provided a few links below.
Information on Open Source
Linux beginnings
Explained
Where to Start?
Before you attempt your first Linux installation, you will
have to choose what distribution you wish to install. Here is a listing
of the more popular Linux distributions out there...
Some notes about these distro's. The first three, Redhat, SuSE, and Mandrake,
are probably better choices for persons new to the Linux area. The installation
processes are more user friendly and will do all the work for you and
have you up and running in an hour or so even if you choose the defaults
during the installation. The last three, Debian, TurboLinux, and Gentoo,
are geared more towards people who have some Linux experience and are comfortable
with some manual configuration that may be needed to get these distro's
up and running. I will say that these last three have come along way and
the install and configuration process is much better then a year ago with
the exception of Gentoo which is new to the scene within the last year.
The easiest to use distro by far is Mandrake. Some call it strangely"Windows-ish".
I didn't say it, I'm only repeating what I heard.
Hardware Search:
Successful selection of a distro needs to be aided by some hardware support
searching. Most of the distro's will support just about anything you through
at them with in reason, but some support devices better then others.
Your first course of action should be to inventory the equipment you
are using to build your dream Linux box and head over and see if the
hardware is supported under your selected distro. For this article, I
will focus on the first three distro's.
Redhat
has a very comprehensive
HCL
(Hardware Compatibility List) with has all the devices that Redhat
currently supports. The interface to the database is very user friendly
allowing users to browse by manufacture, hardware type, release, architecture,
and whether the hardware is certified.
SuSE also has a very compressive
CDB
(Component Database) which has all the devices that SuSE supports.
It offers the ability to do a "express" search where you can select the
generic category and type in optional Vendor and Device information. There
is a more advanced search option that gives you more control on category
selection, product name, and vendor name.
Mandrake
is no different in it's ability. Their
hardware database
is just as easy as the above to navigate and comes with little cool
icons to illustrate the level of compatibility.
With all these different hardware searching options comes some common information
that is shared across them. All of the have different levels of support.
The first level of support gains the label of "Certified". Certified hardware
can be expected to be fully supported by the distribution of choice and
is eligible for support from the manufacture as long as you have purchased
the "Official Boxed Set" of the software. The second level of device support
is "Compatible". With compatible hardware comes the assurance that the
hardware has been reviewed by the staff of the distribution in question,
and users who have purchased the "Official Boxed Set" of the software
can expect limited support. The third level of support brings us to the
user community. "Community Knowledge" states that the hardware has not
been tested by the support staff and can not be verified to work, but
that information that has been gathered from end users reflects the devices
ability to function under Linux. This may mean that extra drivers are
needed to make the device to work properly. If your not comfortable with
Linux I suggest staying away from these devices, including the last category
"Unsupported", as they may require substantial work to get the device
functioning. More on this in later articles..
Getting Linux:
One of the great things about Linux is the fact that you can download the
ISO's free of charge. Sure there are other ways of installing Linux, for
example by FTP (SuSE method of install), but for the sake of simplicity
I'll assume we all live in the great world called broadband and have high
speed Internet access. For those who can't enjoy the benefits of broadband,
I am really sorry. Now Redhat and Mandrake make getting there distro's
as easy as possible, offering the latest (and prior) versions for download
in ISO format. The ISO format allows you to download an image of the
CD that you can turn around and burn to CD with your favorite CD burning
program. The ISO's for Redhat and Mandrake respectively can be found by
following this link
for Redhat
and this
link for Mandrake
. I suggest firing up your favorite
ftp client
for downloading these large (most are 600+ Megs). The reason is two
fold. First, there are several ISO's that will need to be downloaded. Four
for Redhat (three install disks and one documentation disk) and three
for Mandrake. Second hopefully your ftp client supports the resuming of
your download if in the event you connection drops. Nothing will make
you more mad then waking up in the morning only to find your shitty client
died in the middle of the night and you have nothing to show for you time.
SuSE's install is a different story. I mentioned above that these distro's
support the ability to be installed via ftp. SuSE has decided to allow
their distro to be available from the Internet but do not post it in ISO
format. Instead you need to download a file that will create a bootdisk
for you. Once the bootdisk is created you reboot your machine and boot
from the bootdisk and Linuxrc will start loading the appropriate drivers.
Eventually you will see the installation environment that will you to
install Linux from scratch over the Internet. Remember this is not a problem
since we all have highspeed Internet access. The full installation procedures
for SuSE can be found
here
.
So you might be thinking why on earth would anyone ever buy a boxed set
of installation CD's for Linux? I don't know why for sure, but I think
it may be caused by the fact you get manuals and support service from
the vendor of the OS you choose. Sure that is nice, but the fun behind
Linux is hacking on it for yourself and learning the ins and outs. Also
the manuals are available on the Internet. The only thing you don't get
is the support service but who needs it when you have
google
? What?? You've heard of google right? This badboy search engine will
become your friend when it comes time to troubleshoot problems with your
newly installed Linux OS. Hell you didn't know that 'rm -rf /' was a bad
thing.
Installing Linux:
I won't get into all the details behind installing Linux since below I
will discuss where to find the manuals, but I want to give you enough
to get you started. The installation method and directions for SuSE were
mentioned above. Redhat and Mandrake only require you to place your newly
created installation CD (disk 1) into your CD-ROM drive which you have
set to be the first boot device. Power on your machine and BAMB, your ready
to rock and roll. If some cases you may need to build the bootdisks for
the installation. For those special circumstances, you can refer to the
manuals below.
Getting the manuals:
Before I get into where to get the manuals I want to say that everyone
who is new to Linux should attempt to install it a couples of times with
out any help. You will learn more in those few hours then you thought
were possible and I bet you will actually get Linux up and running without
any need to read the manuals. With that said, for those not that brave,
the manual for Redhat can be viewed at
Redhat's Tips, FAQ, and HOWTOs website
. Not only is the manual here, but many other resources that will become
invaluable during your early days with Redhat. For Mandrake, the manuals
and reference materials can be
viewed here at their website
.
SuSE is another story. They fail to provide you with the manuals online.
My thought is that it's there way to get you to buy there distro. That
is also my feeling why they don't offer the ISO's for download. On the
other hand, the installation GUI that is used during the install in very
easy to use and remember if you have problems,
google
is your friend.
Of course there no replacement for a good general linux book. They are
an invaluable quick reference for finding that command or command syntax
that you just can't seem to remember. There are also more specific books
that look at your particular distribution. Here are a couple of my favorites:
SuSE Linux Unleashed by Sams
SuSE Linux Installation & Configuration Handbook by Que
Redhat Linux 7.2 Bible by Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
Redhat Linux: The Complete Reference by McGraw-Hill Professional
Linux in a Nutshell by O'Reilly & Associates
Any of the above books can be found at either Border Books or Barnes &
Noble. Or if you are lucky there is a half-price books in your area where
you maybe able to get them for half price. I've raid'd our local half-price
bookstore to the point that my old-lady refuses to let me enter the store.
And don't forget, if you want instant information on a command you are
trying to use, always try "man ". For example to find
some information on the "grep" command you would type "man grep".
Almost every command in Linux will have an associated man page.
Conclusion:
I was sitting here trying to think of some motivational speech to get you
pumped up and excited about Linux but I decided to refrain since you should
already be excited. Instead I will leave you with some parting hints.
First off, don't be afraid of Linux. You will probably install
Linux ten times before you get comfortable with the install process. Heck
I recommend once you get your system tweaked the way you want it, format
and start over and see if you can remember how you made it work the first
time. This will provide invaluable experience. Second, don't
be afraid to ask for help within reason. Don't march out immediately
to a newsgroup and start asking questions about how to install your soundblaster
sound card without trying to figure it out first. Remember google.com can
be your best friend. Learn it, master it. And lastly,
freshmeat.net
is your one stop place for new Linux applications.
This concludes Part I of my Linux introduction. Part II will involve
a crash course in configuring hardware (X, network, modems, video cards),
installing applications with each package manager (what? don't know what
a package manager is? Stay tuned), and possibly basic apache configuration
(Yep, quick and easy apache configuration). I have no idea yet if
there will be a Part III or not. It just depends on how this document
is received.
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