Linux Fundamentals Course

This course is designed to teach basic Linux user skills. It covers both command line and GUI interfaces as well as installing and setting up a Linux workstation.

Students must have an understanding of operating system functionality and concepts. Experience with DOS or UNIX is helpful. No prior Linux knowledge is required.

Topics covered on the 3 day Linux Fundamentals course

Introduction to Unix

• What is Linux?
• Then What is Unix?
• A Graphical View of Unix History
• Brief Linux History
• Linux System Construction
• Comparing Linux to Unix
• Comparing Linux to Windows/DOS
• Various Linux Distributions
• Common Linux Resources

Installing Linux

• Hardware Requirements
• What You Need Before Installing
• The Install Process

Getting Started

• Logging In
• Basic Linux Commands
• Using Online Help
• Restarting and Shutting Down Linux

The X Window System

• Overview of the X Window System
• Configuring X to Start Manually
• Starting X Manually
• Starting X Automatically
• Working with Windows and Menus

Customizing the X Interface

• Adding/Removing Shortcuts
• Modifying the Gnome Panel

The Shell Environment

• Kernel/Shell Relationship
• Types of Shells
• Getting to a Command Prompt
• Executing a Shell
• Changing the Default Shell
• Variables
• The Shell as a Programming Environment

The Bash Shell

• The Home Directory
• Startup Files
• Variables Revisited
• Accessing Previous Commands-History
• Command Completion
• Colors in a Command Line

Linux Commands

• Shell Command Syntax
• The MESG Command
• Writing Active Users
• Printing Files
• Defining and Creating Aliases

The Linux FileSystem

• The Linux FileSystem Standard (FSSTND)
• FileSystem Structure
• Linux Directory Structure
• Navigating from the Command Line
• Viewing Files/Directories in X
• Viewing Files/Directories from the Command Line
• Using Wildcard Characters

Redirection and Pipes

• Standard Input and Output
• Standard Output Redirection
• Standard Input Redirection
• Simultaneous Redirection
• Pipes

Organizing Files

• The Touch Command
• Creating Directories
• Deleting Files and Directories
• Copying and Moving Files and Directories
• Moving and Renaming
• Creating Links to a File
• Organizing Files and Directories in X

File/Directory Permissions

• What are Permissions?
• The CHMOD Command
• The UMASK Command
• The CHOWN Command
• Changing Permissions in X

Working with Applications and Packages

• Installing: The Traditional Unix Method
• Installing: The Linux Package Method (RPM)

Working with Text Documents and Editors

• Viewing and Editing Text Files in X
• Viewing Text Files from the Command Line
• Editing Text Files from the Command Line
• Using the Pico Editor
• The VIM Editor
• Deleting and Changing Text

Using Floppies and CDs

• Mounting/Unmouting Filesystems
• Mtools
• Automounting in X

Power User Utilities

• Regular Expressions
• Wildcards
• Locating Files from the Command Line
• Locating Files from Within X
• The GREP Command
• Determining Disk Usage
• The WC Command
• The SORT Command
• The UNIQ Command

Network Utilities

• The Control Panel - Network Configuration
• Networking Commands from the Shell
• The /ETC/Hosts File

Process Management

• Listing Processes from Within Gnome
• Listing Processes from the Command Line
• Killing Processes from Within Gnome
• Killing Processes from the Command Line
• Background Mode Operation (&)