Book recommendations for learning Linux for a beginner?

[Shalafi]

Anyone got some solid recommendations? I'm interested in learning how to use Linux at a beginners level and maybe move from there to being proficient in using it.

any suggestions, my fellow forum members?

 

[oliver]

you could always just install gentoo by following the handbook

 

[Ion Silverbolt]

Gentoo is for hard-core learning.

Your needs will determine what you need to look into. There are a lot of levels to understand when it comes to linux, but it's not necessary to know them all.

If you just want to have a working desktop, nothing will teach you better than just doing it. Download and burn an Ubuntu or Mint Live CD and play with the OS without risk to the system. If you like it, install it. It's very straight forward. Especially if you have ever installed any OS before. (Including Windows) You don't really have to be an expert to run either of these linux distros, and it's not even necessary to use a command-line anymore. What you can do is install either one of them, and then use the command-line at your leasure when you want to learn more.

The linux.org site has a nice beginner tutorial if you want to get familiar with the command-line more. They focus on installing Debian, but you can apply many of the lessons there to Ubuntu or Mint considering Ubuntu is based off of Debian and Mint is based off of Ubuntu.

The lesson starts off easy and helps you understand some basic command-line commands and also explains the linux directory structure.

http://www.linux.org/lessons/

 

[Shalafi]

I hear that, I'll check that out, I was hoping for a good beginners book so I can read and then apply what I learned. Really, I learn pretty well from books. If anyone knows good books or other sites than the one Mr. Silverbolt was kind enough to mention, that'd be fantastic.

 

[ameoba]

What do you mean by 'using Linux'? If you just want to do standard desktop things at a basic level, it really isn't that big of a jump from using Windows. Reading a book would probably be a waste of time - just explore a bit & ask Google about the things you get stuck on.

OTOH, if you want to learn the shell, run some sort of server or get into development, those are more involved & you might want to do some sort of reading up on them. Even at that, some of the best documentation you're likely to find will be online rather than in dead tree.

 

[neotheo]

I learn linux by putting an old pc together and doing one project after another from Howtoforge.com. Very easy guides to follow and as you do them you will become familiar with most of the common linux server apps.

 

[Carlosinfl]

you could always just install gentoo by following the handbook

Now theres a nice way to scare away a newcomer to Linux. Seriously I laugh at people who recommend this distribution for newbies.

As for reading. I recommend you read www.wiki.archlinux.org or any other Wiki that looks interesting for how you can successfully install and use Linux.

 

[berky]

the best advice i can give is make sure you have a purpose. i struggled with this in the beginning when i first started tinkering with various distros. i installed distro after distro just to check it out, but i didn't have any reason to use it. every time it led me right back to windows.

so, pick a distro and run with it. try to set it up for some purpose. the only real reading you need are the forums and wiki documentation. then again, maybe you learn better with a textbook, in which case, i apologize that I don't know a good beginner's textbook to recommend.

 

[l00segravel]

I would recommend downloading Ubuntu and dual boot or use it on an old computer because they have a very active and helpful forum. I learn better by testing and playing with the OS instead of just reading about it. Virtualbox is also useful for testing different OS's without doing anything to your current partitions.

 

[flyingturtle]

Ditto what l00segravel said. Yeah downloading Ubuntu and just playing with it is good. I bought a book a long time ago, I think Linux in Nutshell, or something like that? It talked about how shell programming and stuff but didn't go through it.

Although I probably the learned the most when actually setting up a Linux server. I have a VPS account via Linode and the Linode tutorials where really great in setting up the server. (I love Linode, being able to add extra ram and HD space on the fly, per hour or monthly usage, being able to choose the datacenter, able to clone your server almost instantly).

If you went the VPS route, it would be more fun, as you could use it as an IRC server, web server, gaming server, etc, but it would cost monthly, although Linode (and Slicehost) offter $20 a month packages for beginning VPS. But if you don't have the cash, definitely just dual-boot Ubuntu on your machine, or archlinux.

If you are set on learning via book. I did like A Practical Guide to UNIX(R) for Mac OS(R) X Users, but you'll need access to a Mac.

 

[Billybob51106]

Gentoo is for hard-core learning.

Your needs will determine what you need to look into. There are a lot of levels to understand when it comes to linux, but it's not necessary to know them all.

If you just want to have a working desktop, nothing will teach you better than just doing it. Download and burn an Ubuntu or Mint Live CD and play with the OS without risk to the system. If you like it, install it. It's very straight forward. Especially if you have ever installed any OS before. (Including Windows) You don't really have to be an expert to run either of these linux distros, and it's not even necessary to use a command-line anymore. What you can do is install either one of them, and then use the command-line at your leasure when you want to learn more.

The linux.org site has a nice beginner tutorial if you want to get familiar with the command-line more. They focus on installing Debian, but you can apply many of the lessons there to Ubuntu or Mint considering Ubuntu is based off of Debian and Mint is based off of Ubuntu.

The lesson starts off easy and helps you understand some basic command-line commands and also explains the linux directory structure.

http://www.linux.org/lessons/

You beat me to it!

-Bill

 

[goalong]

Linux has been about the same for a long time. Don't be afraid to pick up an older book for cheap. You could learn to drive a 59 Buick and then be able to drive a 2010 Lexus.

Linux Format is a nice mag you can find at bookstores. It's clearly written for most audiences.
Alongside them you may find thick magazine style Linux "starter kits" which include a DVD and tutorials to get you up and running. I like these a little better than the books for starting people new to Linux. Magazines are fun, and have nice pics as compared to a book which is more like homework, and seems like "What?! I have to read all this to use Linux?!"

I'll start you with this:
http://www.tuxradar.com/linuxstarterpack

Once you are going and want more information then pick up a book.
However I think your learning will be more fun if you get going with the link I gave you and then use google to drill down and learn specific tasks. Like some of these fun projects.
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/nine-linux-projects-90-minutes
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/7-cool-linux-projects

You might also set yourself up some RSS feeds for some popular Linux Sites
They you'll get a couple headlines for some new stuff to learn that interests you:
http://www.tuxradar.com/
http://www.linux.com/learn/new-user-guides
http://www.linux-mag.com (which I stopped buying after they did a huge add for Microsoft)
http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/

Here's some video:
http://ubuntuclips.org/
http://screencasts.ubuntu.com/

 

[QHalo]

Linux has been about the same for a long time. Don't be afraid to pick up an older book for cheap. You could learn to drive a 59 Buick and then be able to drive a 2010 Lexus.

Linux Format is a nice mag you can find at bookstores. It's clearly written for most audiences.
Alongside them you may find thick magazine style Linux "starter kits" which include a DVD and tutorials to get you up and running. I like these a little better than the books for starting people new to Linux. Magazines are fun, and have nice pics as compared to a book which is more like homework, and seems like "What?! I have to read all this to use Linux?!"

I'll start you with this:
http://www.tuxradar.com/linuxstarterpack

Once you are going and want more information then pick up a book.
However I think your learning will be more fun if you get going with the link I gave you and then use google to drill down and learn specific tasks. Like some of these fun projects.
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/nine-linux-projects-90-minutes
http://www.tuxradar.com/content/7-cool-linux-projects

You might also set yourself up some RSS feeds for some popular Linux Sites
They you'll get a couple headlines for some new stuff to learn that interests you:
http://www.tuxradar.com/
http://www.linux.com/learn/new-user-guides
http://www.linux-mag.com (which I stopped buying after they did a huge add for Microsoft)
http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/

Here's some video:
http://ubuntuclips.org/
http://screencasts.ubuntu.com/

Thank you for these links seriously. Tons of good info here. I recently made the move to start phasing out my Windows machines at home and start learning different OS' and this info is awesome.

 

[goalong]

Sure thing. Linux is a very worthwhile [ad]venture.
There will be times when you feel like you are beating your head against the wall, but that just means you are close to a solution.

Also don't feel dejected if you need to go back to windows for a short time, or ping-pong between windows and Linux. It's cool, Linux will happily be awaiting your return.

 

[QHalo]

There are still a few things that I have to keep Windows around for which is what VMware Fusion on my Mac is good for. Other than work related the move has been pretty seamless and Ubuntu is a cinch to work with thus far.