Start Learning the Linux

[JiaPei Jen]

I have been using the Windows all these years. Now, I have to get myself familiar with the Linux. The distribution I use is the CentOS and I was told to use it as the development platform. Please guide me from the starting point. Thank you.

[Tim McGuire]

Hi, Do you have CentOS installed already?

I would start by installing VMWare player in your windows and downloading a CentOS or other VMWare appliance. This will give you a ready-to-go linux environment to start learning in, without fear of losing time if you screw up the install or something.

Then, get familiar with
navigation, http://www.linuxconfig.org/Filesystem_Basics
search, http://content.hccfl.edu/pollock/Unix/FindCmd.htm

editing files with vi http://www.linuxclues.com/articles/08.htm

beyond that, ask a specific question and you will get a prompt answer here.

[JiaPei Jen]

Thanks very much for the information.

[JiaPei Jen]

I am undertaking my first task - editing the "hosts" file in the "etc" directory.

First, I opened a command line window:

[root@my_username ~]# find / -name hosts

/etc/avahi/hosts
/etc/hosts
/etc/sysconfig/networking/profiles/default/hosts

My questions are:

1. how do I go to the "etc" directory?
2. how do I open the "hosts" file?

[JiaPei Jen]

I forgot to say that I am in the root directory -

[root@my_username ~]# pwd
/root

However, I tried to go to the "etc" directory, I got:

[root@cjen ~]# cd etc
bash: cd: etc: No such file or directory

[Balu Sadhasivam]

#cd etc
# cat hosts  // to open the file (readonly)
# vi hosts // to edit the file , before opening in vi editor check out links as you require to know commands to quit even

here "vi" is the editor , there are other editors as well. check out Vi basics to understand the basics.

[JiaPei Jen]

My problems has been resolved. Somehow, the commands that I issued worked. Thank you.

[Jesper de Jong]

JiaPei Jen wrote:I forgot to say that I am in the root directory -

[root@my_username ~]# pwd
/root

However, I tried to go to the "etc" directory, I got:

[root@cjen ~]# cd etc
bash: cd: etc: No such file or directory

The "/root" directory is not the same as the root directory "/" of the file system. The etc directory is in "/", not in "/root". Try this:

[root@cjen ~]# cd /etc