how to get started in linux
BTW I Use Arch
Hello everyone! In this post, I would like to go over my tips for how to get started in Linux.
A Brief History of Linux
So what is Linux you ask? Well in short, it is the underlying kernel or system architecture that the operating system rests on. It was created by Linus Torvalds in 1991. To this day, he is actively developing the kernel, with the most recent version at 5.2.0. You can learn more about it at https://kernel.org . The kernel is free and open source and is listed under the GNU (general public) license. This means that anyone is free to use it, modify it, and/or share it. Of course, the term Linux is also (confusingly) a term to describe the broader scope of desktop environments and distributions available to use. A distribution (distro for short) is an entity that packages together a collection of software based on either a package management system or a philosophy and released with a desktop environment. A desktop environment is the GUI (graphical user interface) environment that contains a window manager, an init system, a login manager, and some theming elements. An example of a distro would be Ubuntu. An example of a desktop environment would be Gnome.
Other distros include:
- Linux Mint
- Elementary
- Manjaro
- Solus
- Debian
- OpenSuse
- RedHat
Other desktop environments include:
- KDE
- XFCE
- Mate
- Cinnamon
- Budgie
- Deepin
TIP #1 Find a distro and/or desktop environment that suits you.
You can go to https://distrowatch.com/ to see all the different distros that are available to you. Each one will offer distinct versions of desktop environments. Gnome in Ubuntu looks completely different than Gnome in Fedora or even in Manjaro. There is something out there for everyone.
TIP #2 Install it in a Virtual Environment.
Before you go and blow away your Windows partition, It would be a good idea to load your choice of Linux into a virtual environment. I personally use and recommend VirtualBox. You can get it at https://virtualbox.org. It is free to download and use. VirtualBox provides a way for you to install and test any operating system you like without actually installing it on your hardware! There are really good guides out there for how to install it. You do need to grab the .iso file for whichever operating system you decide on using from their website. I generally give about 2GB of Ram, and 15GB of hard drive space for each virtual machine and that is usually plenty.
TIP #3 Install it on a secondary machine.
After you have played around with it in a virtual machine and you decide to install it on hardware. I would install it not on my main machine but on a secondary one. That way if something goes wrong, you can still get your work done on your primary machine. I don’t recommend dual booting because it can be complicated to setup and even if you set it up correctly, there is still a chance that something can go wrong preventing you from accessing your Windows partition.
TIP #4 Backup your data!
I cannot express enough how important it is to backup your data before attempting to install Linux on your main machine if that is what you decide to do. I personally have more than one drive in my main machine. I backup my pictures, videos, documents, and music to a secondary drive. I also have a server that I backed everything up on. It doesn’t hurt to have more than one venue for backing up your stuff. What is important though is that you do.
TIP #5 Have fun and learn!
Switching to Linux has opened my mind to things I never even considered. I never used the terminal in Windows because there was never any reason to. Now I use it all the time. It has introduced me to many useful tools and text editors that aid in learning to be more productive. Also I learned that there is actually a community of people out there willing to help you figure out any trouble you run into. That is, as long as you read the manual first! You can find help on reddit forums, irssi, any Linux related wiki. Even if you don’t use Arch, the Arch wiki is one of the best out there to find help. Also, don’t forget to use YouTube. Some of the knowledgeable Linux YouTubers I follow are DistroTube, Luke Smith, HexDSL, Switched to Linux, Joe Collins, gotbletu, budlabs, Wolfgang’s Channel, Irushluck Linux, quidsup, InfinitelyGalactic, LearnLinux.tv, Spatry’s Cup of Linux, and Matt Hartley.