Linux UNIX part 1

This course suits all versions of the UNIX system

The Linux/UNIX philosophy

Working with Linux/UNIX involves a certain philosophy. The user combines the effects of several independent programs by connecting them together and manipulating their input and output channels. By selecting these combinations in a creative way, results can be obtained without the need to have new programs built, as would be the case with other operating systems. The user manipulates the computer, instead of the other way around. This philosophy is the key ingredient of the "Linux/UNIX part 1" course, but many other factual items, both smaller and larger, will be covered as well.

As with all modern systems, working with Linux/UNIX involves the use of a graphical user interface. But the real power of the system can only be unleashed with the command language as available in the "command box". The major part of this course concentrates on this command language.

Target audience

Professional computer users interested in the basic concepts, user commands and utility programs of a Linux/UNIX system.

Objectives

This course introduces you to the Linux/UNIX "philosophy" of working. It teaches the basic concepts and the elementary functionality of UNIX/Linux systems.

After the course the students will understand the possibilities of the file system, the most important file management commands and the vi editor. The students will be able to use a large selection of standard utility commands.

The strong and the weak points of Linux and UNIX systems will be covered. Details of the internal working will be explained where they are useful for the basic understanding.

The student will get some insight into the architecture of the X Window system, including the role of the window manager program.

Prerequisite knowledge

This is an entry level course for the use of Linux and UNIX, but it is by no means a technically superficial course. Some experience with the use of computers in general is required. If in doubt, please call our course administration and talk to one of our teaching staff.

Technical content of the course

The course will cover:

Welcome and introduction: general introduction, some history, Linux/UNIX and portability, Linux/UNIX versions and brands, Linux/UNIX pros and cons.
Connecting to a Linux/UNIX machine; logging in and out, elementary use of the X Window environment, general keyboard conventions (correcting typos etc.), the "command" concept, standard Linux/UNIX documentation: manual pages, the online manual, special keys.
Electronic mail (mutt), direct communication (talk).
Elementary file management: displaying the contents of directories, displaying and printing the contents of files, file manipulation (renaming, removing, copying, printing), file names - wildcards.
Searching file contents: grep, regular expressions
The vi (or vim) editor principle of operation, basic commands, advanced commands.
Advanced file management: structure of the file system, creating and removing directories, advanced file manipulation commands.
Manipulating input and output: input and output connected to terminals, input and output connected to files, pipes, the "filter" concept.
The command interpreter: the shell - an introduction: rough outline of the operation of the shell, background processes, command script files, the .profile startup script.
Process management: process management commands, job control.
File system management: information on available disk space, searching files with find, structure of the file system, devices and the /dev-directory, mounting file systems.
Filters and tools: common properties of filter programs, sorting (sort), filtering successive identical lines (uniq), counting lines, words and characters (wc), displaying the last part of a file (tail), dumping files (od), byte translations (tr), pattern searching (the grep family), comparing files (diff, cmp), the pipe fitter (tee).
Security: user id and group id, file protections and their meaning, changing protections.
Networking: general functionality, survey of the most important user-commands.
The X Window System: concepts, elementary usage.

Not covered in this course

Shell script programming, sed en awk; Please refer to our "Linux/UNIX part 2" course for these topics.
System administration and installation.

Documentation

Course attendees receive the following documentation:

An English textbook on using Linux/UNIX
A practice book containing copies of the presentaties, exercises, answers to the exercises, and background information.
A reference card with frequently used options of most Linux/UNIX commands.

Certificate

Shortly after the course the student will receive a certificate as a proof of participation.

Duration and cost

This is a three day course.

The price is € 1.180 plus 19% VAT p.p. This price is fixed for 2008.

Scheduled dates

Currently scheduled dates are: September 24, 25, 26 2008 in our location in Nijmegen.