Linux Commands - The great thing about Linux commands is that they are virtually identical from one Linux distribution (version) to another. So the way the real pros do Linux administration is to work at the Linux command line and run Linux commands.

Learning how to run a Linux command can be very difficult for someone new to Linux, so here are some Linux tips that will help you to learn how to use Linux commands when working at the Linux command line prompt. There are three main parts of a Linux command:

1. the Linux command name

2. options that can be used with the Linux command

3. the “item(s)” that the Linux command is being run “on”

When you run a Linux command, spaces are used between: the Linux command name, the command options and the “item” the command is being run “on”. The “item” could be a Linux directory, file, user or some other Linux software component.

For example, you run the Linux command named ls (for list) “on” a Linux directory to see a list of files in the directory. You run the Linux command named rm (remove) “on” a Linux directory to remove the directory from the Linux file system.

To run a Linux command, you type in the name of the command, and any other parts of the command, such as options, and press the Enter key.

You can see an example of the Linux command that is used to create a new Linux user below. The useradd command is being run “on” the bthatcher user name to create this Linux user.

Linux Tips: Linux commands are run at the Linux command line prompt and this prompt is shown as ]# at the left of the command. You don’t type in the prompt, you type the Linux command at the right of the prompt.

Linux Tips: The Linux command prompt may also appear as: ]$ or as another symbol, instead of # or $.

]# useradd -c “Becky Thatcher” bthatcher

This Linux command creates a new Linux user named bthatcher with the full name of “Becky Thatcher”. The -c (for comment) option is used with this command to add the full name as a comment to the Linux user name of bthatcher.

Written by Clyde Boom.

You can run Linux in Windows by running a free Linux virtual machine player program and opening a free Linux virtual machine!

This is fantastic for a new Linux user who needs to get Linux training and wants to learn Linux in Windows. You just download Linux in Windows as a “pre-installed” virtual machine, uncompress the virtual machine files in the Linux download file into a folder on the Windows hard disk, and then run a virtual machine player program to run Linux in Windows.

There are lots of new Linux “flavors” (versions) available as virtual machines to choose from. You can experiment with Linux commands to do Linux administration tasks - without messing up Windows on your computer system!

For example, while learning to do Linux administration tasks, you do things like: create a new Linux user, install Linux software programs, and create or delete directories in the Linux file system.

When you do these steps, you may accidentally cause the Linux system to stop working properly. If this happens, all you have to do is erase the Linux virtual machine files, uncompress the original files into their folder again, and start running Linux in Windows again!

The steps below outline how Linux is installed on a computer system, how a Linux virtual machine is created, and how to run Linux in Windows.

Installing the Linux OS on a computer system “from scratch” is a very time-consuming process. You do the following steps:

set up the system to boot from CD / DVD
boot the system with a Linux CD / DVD
run the Linux installation routine
provide several Linux system configuration settings, such as Linux networking settings and partition settings
select the Linux software programs to be installed on the system
wait while thousands of Linux software programs are copied onto the hard disk of the system

To create a Linux virtual machine, someone does the following steps for you:

all the steps above to install the Linux OS on a computer system - as a virtual machine
compresses the files that make up the virtual machine into a single file
puts the virtual machine on a Linux server as a free Linux download file

To run Linux in Windows, you just:

download and install the virtual machine player program
download a single file containing the compressed Linux virtual machine files
uncompress the virtual machine files into a folder
run the virtual machine player
open (and run) the Linux virtual machine

to run a Linux command, open a terminal emulation window on the Linux desktop to get to the Linux command line

Written by Clyde Boom.

You need to learn how to use Linux. And the best way to get Linux training is to work with it and get real, practical Linux experience. There are lots of different ways to get Linux, and lots of different versions of Linux to choose from!

You can get a version of Linux, also known as a Linux distribution (or distro for short), on CD or DVD. You can also download a Linux ISO file and burn it to CD or DVD yourself. Linux Tips: If you decide to download Linux as a Linux ISO file, keep in mind that these files are very large. Linux CD ISO files are about 700 MB and Linux DVD ISO files are about 4 GB (almost six times the size of a CD!). Therefore, only download Linux if you have high-speed Internet access.

Linux Tips: You can do an Internet search for “list of linux cds” or “list of linux dvds” and buy the Linux OS and have it delivered to you by mail very cheaply.

Some Linux distros are available as “installation” versions and some are available as “live” versions - and some are available as both!

An installation version of Linux may be on just a one CD / DVD or it may require more than one. However, a Linux live CD or a Linux live DVD version consists of just a single CD or DVD.

Linux Installation Versions

You boot a computer system with a Linux installation CD / DVD to run the Linux installation routine and install Linux on a system. This could be a system that doesn’t have an operating system on it - or it could be one that does have an operating system on it, such as the Windows operating system.

If you install Linux on Windows, you create a “dual boot” (Linux and Windows) system. Then after the Linux installation, you can either boot the system into Windows or boot it into Linux, but not both at the same time.

When you install Linux from CD or DVD onto a computer system, you run the Linux installation routine and do several steps to put the Linux OS and Linux software programs on the hard disk in a system permanently, although you can remove Linux later if you need to.

After you install Linux, you boot to Linux from the hard disk in the system. At this point, the Linux desktop appears and you can do a few simple steps to open a terminal emulation window. This allows you to go to the Linux command line so you can run Linux commands - the best way to learn how to use Linux.

Linux Live Versions

Linux live CDs or DVDs are used to run Linux “live”, for as long as the power is turned on.

To run a Linux live version, you set your system up to boot from the live CD or DVD. Then you start your system with the Linux live CD / DVD in your drive. No installation is required!

After you boot with a Linux live CD / DVD, the entire Linux OS (operating system) boots and runs automatically. At this point, you see a Linux desktop on the screen and you can run Linux software programs.

At the Linux desktop, you can also do the steps to open a terminal emulation window. This allows you to work at the Linux command line as the root user and run Linux commands. And learning to run Linux commands is the best way to learn how to use Linux and do Linux system administration.

Written by Clyde Boom.