Best Way to Learn about Linux and openSUSE

English Open Chat
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Hello,

I am new to Linux and openSUSE. I heard quite a few good things about openSUSE and decided to give it a try. I just downloaded and installed openSUSE 11.3 on my desktop earlier today.

I have a slightly older computer (not too old, only slightly over 6 years old). I heard I could get a bit extra productivity, customization and security from switching to Linux. I just want to ask if there is a standard path/most efficient path to learn about Linux systems and standard/best practices.

I have been looking around the forum and web. What I found was a lot of how-to. They give great advice on how to solve particular problems, and I can follow the step-by-step instructions. However, I don’t understand the how behind them and why they work. That’s why I am wondering if there is a systematic introduction to Linux/openSUSE in the forum somewhere or on the web.

I hope someone would direct me to a good source. Thanks a lot in advance!

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Look through these
NEW Users - Suse-11.3 Pre-installation – PLEASE READ

NEW Users - openSuse Pre-install (general) – PLEASE READ

BTW
You could try a LXDE version of openSUSE 11.3 on your older PC
Live cd’s here: Index of /repositories/X11:/lxde/images/iso

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unyth wrote:
> if there is a systematic introduction to Linux/openSUSE in the
> forum somewhere or on the web.

on the download page <http://software.opensuse.org/113/en> if you read
below the “Download” button…all the way you will find links to an
“Official openSUSE 11.3 Start-Up guide” which (when used with the
great links CAF gave you you get a pretty good start…

but, as for the “why” you have to get your head around basic Linux:
its file system, memory management, built-in security features, etc
etc etc…lots and lots of little, basic Linux stuff that all the
distros share (but there are little differences, all around)…

a great place to begin learning the basics in a step-by-step way is
here: Rute User’s Tutorial and Exposition <http://rute.2038bug.com/>
to start…

and, the always famous and helpful: The Linux Documentation Project
<http://tldp.org/>

but, for openSUSE specific you have to (pretty much) stick to the
forum and wiki…that is NOT to say there there are no other places
to find it…

–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 10.3]

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Firstly, some advice that you didn’t ask for and which may be irrelevant: how long an older computer is workable under Linux primarily depends on how much memory it has (and, as a corollary, how much memory it could take). So, if your computer is on the slow side, the disk light spends a lot of the time flashing when you are not trying to open a file, consider whether a memory upgrade could be the (cheap) thing that makes the difference.

I just want to ask if there is a standard path/most efficient path to learn about Linux systems and standard/best practices.

‘The’ path depends very much on where you want to get to; if you want to become a system admin (eventually), there is a lot of stuff that you’d want to learn that isn’t on the menu of an ordinary desktop user. chances are you want to be an ordinary desktop user, but you are forced to do some admin, too…

What I found was a lot of how-to. They give great advice on how to solve particular problems, and I can follow the step-by-step instructions.

A completely fair comment; for almost any Linux related subject, you’ll find a tutorials (good search word! or at least tutorial is) or how-tos (or how to, or howto…less good search word) for it. Inevitably, some of them are better written than others. Sometimes this comes down to just ‘easy to read’ sometimes there are minor technical flaws in use cases that did not apply to the author.

However, I don’t understand the how behind them and why they work. That’s why I am wondering if there is a systematic introduction to Linux/openSUSE in the forum somewhere or on the web.

Firstly, the last time i bought a boxed set, which is a long time ago, there were a couple of well written books in there. Actually, make that excellently written, but maybe not very, very technical books.

In addition, I like the site Linux Home Networking. A different version of similar material to the Linux Quick Fix notebook, Harrison’'; now the focus of this book is mainly networking (and written around Redhat/Fedora, but I find it easy enough to translate), but probably you’ll find networking one of the more knotty things at first.

The other thing to look up would be package management/installing and removing software; an area that often trips up the neophyte. this should be covered in the links above and on the wiki.

The best advice is to try to do stuff; where you get stuck, get more advice and do more research.

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I just add find some books about command line, shell, and obviously, you need to know all about KDE, GNOME, the best way is trying/tweaking!!

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I recommend you read this page: old wiki - Concepts - openSUSE

That page is in the process of being updated here: new wiki - Concepts - openSUSE but unfortuantely the update is not yet complete, so the old page is better.

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Thanks a lot everyone. That is a lot of information to process all at once, but I think I’ll eventually need to know a good portion of all of that.

RE: caf4926:

Thank you for the links. I read through a portion of that before I installed openSUSE 11.3. I will definitely try to read more.

As for LXDE version of openSUSE 11.3, I think I am going to stick with the standard version for a while, and try to learn more before exploring other versions. My computer seems already to be doing better, faster and more quiet. I definitely appreciates the quiet part.

RE: DenverD:

I think “Part II. Basics” of the openSUSE Start-Up was a lot of what I was looking for. I haven’t had much chance to explore Rute User’s Tutorial and Exposition or TLDP yet. I have bookmarked them for later exploration. Thanks a lot.

RE: markone

I have 1 GB of RAM on my computer. I think openSUSE 11.3 is running fairly well on it. It’s faster, and quieter. So, I think I am okay for now on the computer front. I guess eventually I should get a better machine. But, I am dreading how to migrate over to a new computer, and still keep the software and files just as I like it. So, openSUSE would also be a test for that, since right now I am using dual-boot, and can go back at any time.

I have bookmarked Linux Home Networking and downloaded Linux Quick Fix notebook. I have yet to delve deeply into them. Right now, openSUSE automatically made my internet work, so I am all set networking-wise for now.

I think it’s a good point that the method to get to a place depends on where that place is. I’ll try to be more specific in asking my questions and asking for help. Thanks.

RE: alexdbars:

I talked for a friend of mine who uses Linux. He gave me almost exactly the same suggestion. This just confirms what I probably should do. Thanks for your help.

RE: oldcpu:

Thanks a lot for your help!

I read your NEW Users – SUSE – 11.3 Pre-installation (general) – Please Read thread and Multi-media and Restricted Format Installation Guide. I can play my pre-existing media files, and browse the web. I can basically function, with want of nothing – except to know more…

I have just began reading the concepts page. I am finding it an interesting read.

Like markone pointed out, how to get to a place depends on where that place is. I think I have come to know Linux a bit more now. I think I would like to become a system admin … someday. Although I don’t think I want to work as one, but I think it would be fun to be one for a home network … someday.

I think I ultimately want to be able to interact with the computer and the web in a more rational way, by understanding how the hardware works, how hardware gets controlled by the kernel, and how kernel relates with shell and GUI (I am not sure if I got all the connections right, but I think it’s enough to suggestion the general idea of what I want to do). I probably don’t need to know all that for be functional, but I think it would fun and reassuring knowing that.

E.G. I run a virus scan everyday when starting Windows XP. I know the program is trying to find and eliminate viruses, spyware, trojans… etc. But, I don’t know how it’s doing that, why it works, and if it really helps. Everyday, I run the program because I fear I’ll get a virus, yet each day I get a 0 harmful stuff found. Meanwhile, it takes a lot of time and energy to run the scan, during which I am not sure what’s happening and if it will have any effect. I hope I could remedy it by learning more; by finding out that it does help and accept the necessity, or it does not and don’t run the scan again.

So, that’s my motivation, and what I want to do.

I think by reading all of your replies, and talking with my friend, I’ll need to learn command-line, shell, scripting, and read concepts and overviews of the structures of Linux. Since openSUSE 11.3 recognized all of my hardware and gave me internet, and going through the Multi-media guide made all of my files basically playable, I guess all that’s left is to explore.

A thought just struck me. I was thinking about alexdbars’ and a friend of mine’s suggestion of learning by doing. Since all my files (the ones I used at least) work, I was at a lose for where to start. Then, I remembered I had a list of to-do items in Windows. Then, I discovered that I could not alter the files on the hard-drive that Windows was installed on, and thought it would be a good project to find how I can access files on both OS from the each OS. As for how, I remembered the guides that I found with only how-to and could not quite understand why they worked – they will show me. Thus, I think I came full circle. I thought it was an interesting experience and might help some other people. I could not really work it into what I wrote previously, so I’ll leave it here.

Anyway, I think what I’ll need is to learn command-line, shell and file organization on Linux to start. Could someone more experienced tell me if that’s the right track based on my goals, and if there is a better way?

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I think you are off to a great start with all the good advice from the above posters.

One suggestion I would make is to find a pet project that you want to do with Linux. It could be something like digitising your vinyl records, learning to make DVDs from home movies, write a program to do <something>. Let the demands of that pet project drive your learning. It will keep things concrete.

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In case you don’t have this sorted, there is a guide here: SDB:NTFS - openSUSE

In essence you simply need to do a minor edit to the /etc/fstab file (which defines how your PC’s partition’s under Linux will be mounted).

The policy of SuSE-GmbH for openSUSE is to have MS-Windows NTFS partitions mounted (by default) as read-only, although some of us are pushing to have that changed to have NTFS partitions mounted as read/write by default. Until (and if) the policy is changed, such an edit to the /etc/fstab file is needed.

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Hi there,

A great book that I found very resourceful is the “OpenSUSE 11.0 and SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server Bible” ISBN: 978-0-470-27587-0

Hope it helps.

Cheers

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RE: ken_yap:

You are right. I think I am beginning to see that it was how things are “supposed” to go. I think I have a couple of projects in mind now. Hopefully, I’ll learn more while doing them.

RE: oldcpu:

I already had that problem solved. I actually used the exact guide that you recommended. However, do you know any good links to information about security and privacy protection under openSUSE?

RE: henkasdf

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll see if my local library have it. Hopefully, I can find it there. Being a poor student can be a pain…

Thank you everyone how have responded. I think I have gained some knowledge to get me started.

I think I am on the right course now. I’ll try to start learning more of openSUSE by starting my own pet project of trying to secure my computer, and hopefully can get a couple of good books on command-line and shell to get a systematic introduction on that. I’ll look into the appropriate sub-forum for security questions.

Thanks again everyone.

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I think I am on the right course now.

Totally. Good luck and have a lot of fun.