Getting Started With GNU/Linux
Introduction to GNU/Linux
So, the First thing is figuring out what the heck Linux is, and why should I know about it? And, even if I know about it, why should I prefer it over-bloated, extremely slow Windows, which provides effective compatibility for most software such as the Adobe Creative Suite, and provides optimal gaming performance. Well in this article I will be explaining all of these, so let’s get started.
I am assuming that if you are reading this article you already have Windows installed, or you have just installed Linux on your PC(Personal Computer) or, if you are a Mac user you can also follow along as the Linux project is just a clone of the UNIX system(which is base of the Mac OS). So, foremostly,, bear in mind that Linux is a Kernel and not an OS. I don’t know why people say that, but when you flip through its history, its creator Linus Torvalds created a kernel, not an operating system. It’s The GNU Project which gave him the base for an Operating System and hence it’s called GNU/Linux and not Linux alone, GNU contributes to its user interface and Linux is its kernel. So, now you know Linux is not an OS it’s a kernel, right? Very well then.
Now the next question is why and when should I use Linux?
Let’s answer the second part of the question first and I will answer the first part along with it. So when should I use GNU/Linux? To be honest, it’s up to you if you just want a change over your Windows or Mac just starts using it, but why should I use it? The answer is quite simple: If you want a fast operating system, don’t want to spend more on your PC, and still not compromise on the performance you should go with Linux. But wait, are these the only things for considering GNU/Linux over any others? Well, these are just simple use cases. When you use it you will explore a bundle of things and some of them are
Linux is Free
Yes, unlike some other OS, you don’t have to pay for Linux. Most of the Linux software is free. Linux has almost all free alternatives to Windows paid software.
Linux is Open source
The best part about Linux is that its source code is available to everyone. Everyone from developers to users has the freedom to modify the source code as per their needs. Even most of the Linux software is open source. This makes Linux customizable to suit your needs.
Linux lets you explore
When I switched from Windows to Linux, I wasn’t much into learning stuff like how my system boots, what are filesystems, et al. but in Linux, it’s all transparent, you can see what’s happening in your computer and in the process of using Linux you will eventually learn about working of it.
Linux is more secure
Being open-source comes with its advantage of having more eyes over the source code and therefore very fewer security issues are seen as people are actively fixing bugs in the Linux kernel. One more reason for Linux being less vulnerable is it's less no. of users(~3%) which makes hackers less interested in making viruses for Linux.
Linux is customizable
If I was to compare the extent of Linux customizations to that of Windows, I would give 1 to Windows and 50 to Linux. In Linux, you customize most of your user interface and even control some parts of your UI by writing scripts. In Linux distros, you can choose from various desktop environments like Xfce, GNOME, KDE et al. (A Desktop environment is similar to a custom UI in different android smartphones like MIUI, OxygenOS, et al. while the OS is the same). Check out this subreddit for some awesome customizations.
Better performance and can run on any hardware
Thanks to its lightweight architecture Linux runs faster when compared to Windows 10 on the same hardware. Also, you can customize specific hardware requirements in Linux, this means you can run Linux on almost any hardware. Linux manages to run absolutely fine even on older PCs with less processing power, so, yes you can give power to your old machine by installing Linux. Now ain’t that cool?
Linux can be installed on a USB drive
Yes, you heard it right you can even carry your Linux-based distro on a USB drive, which is not possible for windows. It’s cool, isn’t it?
The Terminal
The terminal is the best tool you have on a Linux desktop. You can do almost anything with it. This includes software installation, application configurations, file system management, compiling and running code/scripts, automating processes, and much more. The terminal can be a huge productivity booster. It is effectively the heart of the Linux system.
You will get to know more about Linux when you start using it. So, go ahead, give it a try, and you’ll surely love it.
For those who are new to Linux, I would suggest going with Ubuntu. Have a backup of your data ready before installing any distro. Try installing it on a Virtual Machine for the first time.
Getting Started with the GNU/Linux
Okay, lots of Gyan has already been covered, let’s start the main fun i.e choosing distros and installing Linux.
There’s been a lot of confusion among people on choosing Linux distribution, but don’t get confused, go to distrowatch(https://distrowatch.com/) and choose your Linux distro, and I would prefer to go for ubuntu as I stated above because it’s more polished and it’s very beginner-friendly.
Commands command everywhere, but people just don’t get it, it’s there.
So, the main purpose of choosing Linux over others is because of the power and control you can get through the terminal, it enables you to cut-off extra time taken by using Graphical User Interface(GUI) methods, and you can also make changes to the very core of your OS.
I would prefer to go to (https://linuxsurvival.com/) for getting expertise in this area.
Code editor
It’s a very crucial thing to have a good code editor because in the end it’s the good code which makes you a good programmer, so which one to choose, I would prefer to start with vim and you will get in love with it, no need for me to explain more here, go and explore it yourself.
Some links:
Through vim-adventures you will learn vim from a game, Interesting right?
It’s also an interactive way of learning vim if you don’t want to play the vim-adventures game(it’s tough though).
Now, everyone who read the above article very carefully would now have a very good grasp of what Linux is and what we can do with it. A Tip from my side for using Linux as your daily driver, not only this but also while programming some cool stuff or whatever you want to build is:
In this article, I have provided you with initial hints on getting started with Linux. There are numerous things to be added but it is unfeasible for me to write lengths in one article. Nevertheless, this content will provide you a base to explore more.
So, a simple Roadmap would be:
- This article.
- About how things work in Linux
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorial_series/getting-started-with-linux
- Package Manager
https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/aptitude/pr01s02.en.html
- Command Line
https://maker.pro/linux/tutorial/basic-linux-commands-for-beginners
- Getting Involved in community
https://opensource.com/article/18/11/what-open-source-community-means-me
So, that’s it for this article and some things I would say is to get ready to read a lot and don’t be afraid of introducing yourself to the community. They are very welcoming.
Until then,
Happy Linuxing :)
$ whoami
Anmol Karn
