Linux Essentials

Introduction xvii Chapter 1 Selecting an Operating System 1 What Is an OS? 1 What Is a Kernel? 1 What Else Identifies an OS? 2 Investigating User Interfaces 4 Using a Text-Mode User Interface 4 Using a Graphical User Interface 6 Where Does Linux Fit in the OS World? 8 Comparing Linux to Unix 8 Comparing Linux to Mac OS X 10 Comparing Linux to Windows 11 What Is a Distribution? 13 Creating a Complete Linux-Based OS 13 A Summary of Common Linux Distributions 14 Understanding Release Cycles 17 The Essentials and Beyond 18 Chapter 2 Investigating Linux's Principles and Philosophy 21 Linux through the Ages 21 Understanding Linux's Origins 22 Seeing Today's Linux World 24 Using Open Source Software 24 Understanding Basic Open Source Principles 24 Linux as a Software Integrator 27 Understanding OS Roles 27 Understanding Embedded Computers 27 Understanding Desktop and Laptop Computers 28 Understanding Server Computers 29 The Essentials and Beyond 30 Chapter 3 Understanding Sof tware Licensing 33 Investigating Software Licenses 33 Copyright and Software 34 Using Licenses to Modify Copyright Terms 36 The Free Software Foundation 36 Understanding the FSF Philosophy 37 Free Software and the GPL 38 The Open Source Initiative 39 Understanding the Open Source Philosophy 39 Defining Open Source Software 40 The Creative Commons 41 Using Open Source Licenses 42 Understanding Open Source Licenses 42 Understanding Open Source Business Models 44 The Essentials and Beyond 45 Chapter 4 Using Common Linux Programs 49 Using a Linux Desktop Environment 49 Choosing a Desktop Environment 50 Launching Programs 52 Using a File Manager 54 Working with Productivity Software 56 Finding the Right Tool for the Job 57 Using a Web Browser 58 Using Email Clients 59 Using Office Tools 60 Using Multimedia Applications 61 Using Linux for Cloud Computing 62 Using Mobile Applications 62 Using Server Programs 63 Identifying Common Server Protocols and Programs 63 Installing and Launching Servers 67 Securing Servers 68 Managing Programming Languages 69 Choosing a Compiled vs. an Interpreted Language 69 Identifying Common Programming Languages 70 The Essentials and Beyond 72 Chapter 5 Managing Hardware 75 Learning About Your CPU 75 Understanding CPU Families 76 Identifying Your CPU 78 Identifying Motherboard Capabilities 78 Sizing Your Power Supply 80 Understanding Disk Issues 81 Disk Interfaces 81 Partitioning a Disk 81 Understanding Filesystem Issues 85 Using Removable and Optical Disks 88 Managing Displays 89 Understanding the Role of X 89 Using Common Display Hardware 90 Handling USB Devices 92 Managing Drivers 93 Understanding Types of Drivers 93 Locating and Installing Drivers 94 The Essentials and Beyond 95 Chapter 6 Get ting to Know the Command Line 99 Starting a Command Line 99 Launching a Terminal 100 Logging Into a Text-Mode Console 102 Logging In Remotely 103 Running Programs 103 Running Text-Mode Programs 104 Running GUI Programs 105 Running Programs in the Background 105 Manipulating Files 106 Obtaining File Listings 106 Changing Directories 108 Using Absolute and Relative File References 108 Using Common File Manipulation Commands 110 Using Shell Features 111 Using Command Completion 111 Using Command History 112 The Essentials and Beyond 114 Chapter 7 Managing Files 117 Manipulating Files 117 Creating Files 118 Copying Files 118 Moving and Renaming Files 120 Using Links 121 Deleting Files 122 Using Wildcards 123 Understanding Case Sensitivity 123 Manipulating Directories 124 Creating Directories 125 Deleting Directories 125 Managing Directories 127 The Essentials and Beyond 127 Chapter 8 Getting Help 131 Using man Pages 131 Understanding the Purpose of man Pages 131 Locating man Pages by Section Number 132 Searching for a man Page 133 Reading man Pages 134 Using less 135 Using info Pages 138 Understanding the Purpose of info Pages 138 Reading info Pages 139 Finding Additional Documentation 140 Locating Program Documentation on Your Computer 141 Locating Program Documentation Online 144 Consulting Experts 145 The Essentials and Beyond 146 Chapter 9 Using Programs and Processes 149 Understanding Package Management 149 Linux Package Management Principles 149 Understanding Package Systems 150 Managing RPM Systems 152 Managing Debian Systems 153 Understanding the Process Hierarchy 154 Identifying Running Processes 155 Using ps to Identify Processes 155 Using top to Identify Processes 157 Measuring Memory Use 159 Using Log Files 160 Locating Log Files 160 Producing More Verbose Log File Entries 162 Examining the Kernel Ring Buffer 162 The Essentials and Beyond 163 Chapter 10 Searching, Extracting, and Archiving Data 165 Using Regular Expressions 165 Searching for and Extracting Data 167 Using grep 168 Using find 170 Using wc 171 Redirecting Input and Output 172 Using Basic Redirection Operators 173 Using Pipes 175 Generating Command Lines 175 Archiving Data 176 Using tar 176 Using Compression 179 Using zip 180 The Essentials and Beyond 183 Chapter 11 Editing Files 185 Understanding the Role of Text Files 185 Choosing an Editor 187 Launching an Editor 189 Editing Files with pico or nano 189 Using Text Editor Conventions 190 Exploring Basic nano Text-Editing Procedures 190 Saving Your Changes from nano 193 Editing Files with Vi 193 Understanding Vi Modes 193 Exploring Basic Vi Text-Editing Procedures 194 Saving Your Changes from Vi 197 Using Configuration File Conventions 197 Editing Formatted Text Files 199 The Essentials and Beyond 200 Chapter 12 Creating Scripts 203 Beginning a Shell Script 204 Using Commands 204 Using Arguments 207 Using Variables 208 Using Conditional Expressions 210 Using Loops 212 Using Functions 213 Setting the Script's Exit Value 214 The Essentials and Beyond 215 Chapter 13 Understanding Users and Groups 217 Understanding Accounts 217 Understanding Account Features 218 Identifying Accounts 220 Understanding Groups 222 Using Account Tools 223 Discovering Your Own Identity 224 Learning Who's Online 225 Working as root 226 Why Work as root? 227 Acquiring root Privileges 227 Using root Privileges Safely 230 The Essentials and Beyond 232 Chapter 14 Creating Users and Groups 235 Creating New Accounts. 235 Deciding on a Group Strategy 235 Selecting a Good Password 236 Creating Accounts Using GUI Tools 239 Creating Accounts from the Shell 241 Modifying Accounts 244 Deciding When to Modify Accounts 244 Checking for Logged-in Users 245 Modifying Accounts Using GUI Tools 245 Modifying Accounts from the Shell 247 Deleting Accounts 250 Avoiding Account-Deletion Pitfalls 250 Deleting Accounts Using GUI Tools 251 Deleting Accounts from the Shell 251 Managing Groups 252 Managing Groups Using GUI Tools 252 Managing Groups from the Shell 253 The Essentials and Beyond 255 Chapter 15 Set ting Ownership and Permissions 257 Setting Ownership 257 Understanding Ownership 258 Setting Ownership in a File Manager 259 Setting Ownership in a Shell 260 Setting Permissions 261 Understanding Permissions 261 Setting Permissions in a File Manager 266 Setting Permissions in a Shell 266 Setting the umask 267 The Essentials and Beyond 268 Chapter 16 Navigating the Linux Filesystem 271 Understanding Where Things Go 271 User Files vs. System Files 271 The Filesystem Hierarchy Standard 273 Important Directories and Their Contents 274 Using Special Permission Bits and File Features 277 Using Sticky Bits 277 Using Special Execute Permissions 279 Hiding Files from View 280 Viewing Directories 281 The Essentials and Beyond 282 Chapter 17 Managing Network Connections 285 Understanding Network Features 285 Configuring a Network Connection 287 Deciding Whether to Use DHCP 288 Creating a Wi-Fi Connection 289 Using a Network Configuration GUI 293 Using Text-Based Tools 295 Testing Your Network Connection 299 Checking Your Routing Table 299 Testing Basic Connectivity 299 Finding Breaks in Connectivity 300 Testing DNS 302 Checking Your Network Status 302 Protecting Your System from the Bad Guys 303 The Essentials and Beyond 304 Appendix A Answers to Review Questions 307 Chapter 1 307 Chapter 2 308 Chapter 3 309 Chapter 4 310 Chapter 5 311 Chapter 6 312 Chapter 7 313 Chapter 8 314 Chapter 9 315 Chapter 10 316 Chapter 11 317 Chapter 12 318 Chapter 13 319 Chapter 14 320 Chapter 15 321 Chapter 16 322 Chapter 17 323 Appendix B LPI's Certification Program 325 The Linux Essentials Certification 325 Certification Objectives Map 326 Index 329