Linux, Unix, /etc/

$ To set up this Linux system, do I really have to type long,
cryptic, frequently inconsistent and undocumented commands with
occasional long strings of hex digits?

# Yeah. You got a problem with that?

Linux, Unix, /etc/

(cartoon of a condescending Unix computer user)

Linux & I

I have been using Linux as a desktop OS since 1994. My heavily-modified installation has seen a lot of changes since that year, when I installed SLS 1.03. I'm currently on Slackware 11.0.

My first technical article, an introduction to Linux, was published in 1995; my last (to date) came out in 2000. Publications I have written for include PC Support Advisor , Linux Journal, UnixWorld Online, PC Network Advisor, .EXE, Performance Computing, LinuxWorld, Corel Linux Community, IBM developerWorks, SunWorld. These pages collect my published articles together with some unpublished pieces, with the intention of sharing some of my experiences with Linux over the years. Since the whole point of Linux for me is that it's a "Unix-a-like", Unix users will probably find most of what's here useful too.

And so, read on!

Articles

A selection of articles, published and unpublished, on Linux, Unix, etc.

Newbies

Back in 1995, I wrote two introductory articles to Linux, for the now-defunct .EXE magazine, and for a trade journal called PC Support Advisor. Largely of historical interest now, I suspect, though still useful for giving the basics.

Shell

Getting the most from your shell is an important part of using Linux to full advantage.

Here's some pages devoted to shell scripts and scripting resources.

Tools

You can think of Linux as a "software toolbox". One of the most useful sorts of tool in that box is the filter.

The m4 macro processor is an unsung hero of the Unix world. Here's an introductory article.

Everyone has their favourite editor. Mine is vi: here's why.

Userspace

E-mail

I like nmh: it does e-mail the unix way.

Spam is an increasing problem for all e-mail users, but under Linux there are effective ways and means of fighting it.

Web Browser

Why I Like Lynx.

Admin

Taking care of a Linux box requires some work. TCP Wrappers is an essential defensive tool for any server. mail filtering with procmail is an valuable added extra that every mail server administrator should consider providing. By now, everyone is using shadow passwords, but just in case you aren't, here's an article about them.

Networking

The most common use of Linux is probably still as an Internet or Intranet server, a router, etc. Several years ago, way back in 1997 in fact, I wrote a series from the now-deceased Unixworld Online, on how to set up a Linux Internet server. It got noticed on slashdot, no less! Some of the information here is now out-of-date, but its still a useful overview.

The usefulness of dumb terminals should not be under-estimated. Here's a guide to adding terminals to your linux machine.

Hardware

No sound card? You can still have sound, through the marvel of the Linux PC Speaker driver.

Windows

Like it or not, the various flavours of MS Windows and NT are still the dominant platform, as they were six years ago when these two articles were written: an introduction to the GNU environment ported to windows, and a comparision of Unix and NT.

Though a bit long in the tooth now, this guide to getting samba up and running may still prove of some use — it's years since I did it myself (thank God).

Book Reviews

One of the best ways to avoid inventing the wheel is to do what you're doing now, reading about what others have done before you. But there's more to reading than the Web, you know!

A few years ago, I put together a bunch of extended book reviews, the collection being called the Essential Linux Bookshelf.

An updated and adapted version of this became my reading list for linux newbies. This is also published at linux.ie.

Here are some other reviews of Linux and Unix-related tomes.

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Other Linux Resources

The inevitable list of links.

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