this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Definitely yes! Pop OS is one of the best distros for starters, along with Linux Mint. Basic tasks like web browsing, playing games, and writing docs all work well on Pop OS. If you have familiarity with macOS, you'll notice that Pop OS is very similar when it comes to layout and certain multi-touch gestures.
I've been experimening with a few beginner friendly linux distros such asUbuntu, Pop os linux mint etc in a a virtual machine. Since i don't know much about linux as i have never used it, it's quite difficult for me to get things working for now. I've been using Windows for years as it's the"default" operating system everywhere and lately I've been reading stuff about privacy and open source so i don't want to use windows for that reason and more. Where do i learn more about linux system so i can get more familiar with it? I don't want to break things up because of my curious nature so it would be nice if there was a detailedtutoriall covering basic or possibly advanced stuff.
You said it was difficult "to get things working" - identify what exactly is it that you're finding difficult, then type that into Google/DuckDuckGo and check the results. If there's anything in that results you don't understand, Google/DDG it further. Keep doing that until you understand everything that you want to about that topic. Then proceed to the next topic.
There are also IRC, Discord and Matrix chat rooms for most Linux distros out there, so if you're unable to find an answer, feel free to hop into one of those channels and ask a question.
ChatGPT is also a decent resource for general understanding - but don't type any commands it suggests (unless you know what you're doing!).
Hmmm...given the beginner friendly nature of distros like Linux Mint and Pop OS, I doubt you will find much tutorials centered around those distros (though you will definitely find a lot of commentators and reviewers talking about these distros and how "great" they are). However, if you want to learn about Linux as a whole, then there are definitely some great resources you can use to help you with that.
What is your preferred learning method? Do you like learning through reading, or do you prefer an online video tutorial where someone is simultaneously talking and demonstrating?
I tried watching courses for beginners on YouTube but most of them justshow how to install the OS andthe general overview of how to do basic things. While usingPopOss And Linux mint i tried unintalling softwares without internet and all it takes me to error page on their app store. I don't want to learn basic stuff by doing trial and error if i can learn it as a whole using a tutorial.
Well, if YouTube videos haven't been much help to you, then perhaps these books will give you what you want:
https://itsfoss.com/best-linux-books/
Thanks for the resources. I'll check them out.
Here’s a tutorial for removing packages without the app store:
https://itsfoss.com/apt-remove/
I would get comfortable with the idea of breaking things. Make regular backups of your data. The best that I'm aware of for making it easy to work backwards from breaking things is NixOS, but I wouldn't consider it beginner friendly.
You learn a lot from trying to bring a system back online. But it depends if you're trying Linux to learn it more or just to take advance of privacy.
I don't want to break my system drastically if i were to learn along the way using it without any knowledge. I want a stable os while also doing stuff I'd normally do on Windows.
It shouldn't break if you just install packages from the main app installer. It's more of a concern if you're trying to install anything from source.
Also make sure to try a live cd or live USB to make sure the OS is compatible with your hardware. VM is not sufficient for this last one. This is usually only an issue if you have very new hardware.