Section V: Advanced Linux

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Chapter List

Chapter 18: Linux Shell Commands

Chapter 19: System Administration from the Shell

Chapter 20: Basic Shell Scripting

Chapter 21: Advanced Shell Functions

Chapter 22: Samba, Printing, and More

Much of this section is concerned with how to use a Linux shell. Although you can use Linux with a very slick-looking graphical interface, in fact there are several graphical interfaces to choose from, and many Linux aficionados feel more at home with command-line interfaces. The various command-line interfaces, or shells, available for Linux have far more functionality than the Windows command prompt. The reason for this is quite simple. Windows was designed to be used via a graphical interface. It was not meant to be used via a command-line interface. The graphical interface and the operating system are one. With Linux, the exact opposite is true. It was meant to be used through a command-line interface. The graphical interface is simply a tool that many Linux users find convenient.

In the next several chapters we will examine various aspects of using the shell. We will look at many shell commands, explore administering a Linux machine via shell commands, and even look into the basics of writing your own shell scripts. This section should provide you with the tools you need to be competent at using the shell to perform most tasks in Linux.

It should be noted that the following section is rather advanced. Some readers may want to skip it altogether. If you are a casual computer user who just wants basic Internet and word processing, it is perfectly okay for you to skip this section. However, if you want to use Linux to manage your small office as a server or you want to understand Linux on a deeper level, this section is for you.

The section also will show you some advanced features of Linux that can be used through the KDE desktop. This includes file sharing with Windows and running the Linux machine as a network server.

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