The Linux Command Line
Jan 27 2023
I have long wanted to delve deeper into the mysterious command line. I've only superficially scratched the surface of what can be accomplished because I usually search the web for command examples that will achieve something I'm trying to do. This is not always successful and occasionally it is not clear to me how to modify the example to make it work for my situation. What is obvious though, there are many facinating capabilities lurking underneath this powerful interface for those willing to discover its secrets.
Enter William Shotts and his site LinuxCommand.org, which he wrote to get people started with the Linux command line. Further, indepth coverage can be found in his book The Linux Command Line available at local bookstores, public libraries, and as a downloadable PDF file. His second book Adventures With The Linux Command Line is only available as a PDF file on his site.
Clicking through the site for a preview, I think am pretty familiar with the commands in the Learning the Shell examples but what I am really interested in is Writing Shell Scripts. Each of these lessons are explored more fully in the first book. I plan to read both. Although they are both offered as PDF files, I intend to purchase the first one at a local bookstore. I really prefer owning a real book when possible.
I did download both books in PDF form and typed a few of the examples in the first chapter of the first book into the terminal. For learning these concepts, I feel it will be more efficient to follow the examples and type them into a terminal while looking at the book. Switching back and forth between a terminal window and a PDF reader feels like a kludge. Even though you can tile windows together, either horizontally or vertically, this doesn't really work well. If you tile the PDF file horizontally it becomes hard to read because you have to side scroll alot when keeping a readable font size. If tiled vertically it is hard to scan the sentences and paragraphs that come before and after the text in focus. Alas, tiling windows seems to be another kludge. With the book, I can easily scan back to prior material to make sure I am following along correctly. Also with the book, I can reread completed material away from the computer to reinforce what I learned.
A long journey begins. I expect it will be a little frustrating but always interesting.