The Linux Command Line, Revisited

Posted by on 03/02 at 01:30 PM Permalink
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The Linux command line. It strikes terror (or, at least, queasiness) in some. It’s arcane, it’s not point-and-click, it just doesn’t look good. But as a previous TechTip explained, if you’re running Linux on your desktop computer or laptop computer, a knowledge of the command line can make your life much easier.

While the previous TechTip explained the basics of the command line, this one looks at several useful commands and functions that you can use in a terminal window.

    Posted by Ron  on  03/02  at  09:24 AM

  1. Over the last 10 years of having gone through installations of Red Hat, Suse, Debian, Free BSD, and now UBUNTU (fairly painless) I’ve always run into the problem of adding or changing hardware or not something not being recognized & installed during the install.  Without fail at some point the Kernal has to be recompiled, unless I just don’t understand what it is that needs doing to get the system (and sometimes software) installed and working.  At this juncture I get totally lost due to the many distros, command variants, syntax, etc… over abundance of documentation not release or distro specific or maybe I’m using the wrong terminal (sometimes I get a response to the effect I don’t have rights).  In the end I always revert back to a Windows variant.  I’d like to see the areas of recompiling the Kernal, Hardware driver install, Software in stallion, define .tar files, etc.... covered in a future release of tech-tips.  Maybe some of the haze will lift.

    2. Posted by Bill  on  03/03  at  12:31 AM

  2. The linux command line tips you mention aren’t JUST for linux; most of the same commands will work in a MAC OSX “terminal” window, and you can even install a unix compatibility shell and utilities on windows (called CYGWIN.) While this may seem silly at first glance, there are reasons to do so; the unix scripting capabilities are generally quite powerful, for example.

    3. Posted by Charlie  on  03/03  at  06:53 AM

  3. I find it interesting that you make it sound like only Linux/Unix have command line interfaces. Windows/MSDOS also has a command line. It is not as strong as the Linux variant, but still very useful and some commands are faster than the graphical counterparts. I started when the MSDOS command line was the interface.

    I currently use an enhanced command line interface called “Takecommand” when I have to run MS Windows. It has a very strong set of commands very similar to those available under Linux BASH.

    4. Posted by I_Myst  on  03/03  at  01:41 PM

  4. Thank you for reminding me of still another reason I should steer clear of Linux…

    5. Posted by Rick  on  03/04  at  03:08 PM

  5. Thanks for the tips and keep them coming. It’s a shome that MS people (average User) thinks that Linux is tough. Unfortunately they also don’t realize that they need the command line for Windows also in order to perform certain functions.

    6. Posted by Ron  on  03/04  at  04:03 PM

  6. I see a lot of assumptions made here.  Lets get something straight; I’ve been familiar with DOS since the old x286 days with a math coprocessor, been through the MCSE courses in the NT 4.0 days, and am familiar with the CISCO IOS command line interface, I do not have a tendency to shy away from a command line structure.  I don’t have a mentor or someone I can “ask” or get some guidance from regarding Linux, there is obviously something I just don’t get or maybe I don’t know enough of the pieces yet.  Both my home desktop and laptop dual boot into Windows and UBUNTU (which thankfully has made most software installs simple) and I’ve been able to get around most of it. Last week, for instance, I was resurrecting an old legacy notebook by opting for & installing Debian (UBUNTU wouldn’t install), located drivers for the wireless NIC and had no idea of how to install no matter what literature I read, after 6 hours of reading, various attempts, and a lot of cussing, I’d had enough and went back to Windows the following day.  I keep trying but the haze hasn’t cleared......  I would just like to see more Linux based articles and appreciate what has already been forthcoming.  Every little bit helps.

    7. Posted by PC Health Checkup  on  03/05  at  04:07 AM

  7. Thanks for Giving Such useful commands and functions.

    8. Page 1 of 1 pages

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