Linux for the Absolute Beginner...

[Mongoose]

What resources exist (both online and books) that introduce Linux to the total beginner?

I have just begun to start learning about Linux by reading some online articles. I have a very basic understanding of this OS and would like some advice.

I have determined that Red Hat will be my distribution. Now I wanted to purchase a book that clearly lays out a solid and easy to follow foundation for the absolute beginner- a person who has no knowledge of UNIX or command-driven operating systems. I have done some online research and most reviews seem mixed on most publications sold.

One very basic sight that I have found easy to follow in my first baby steps is linuxnewbies.editthispage.com. If other like website exist, please post them.

The little I have learned so far has intrigued me and now I desire to start my real learning of the OS is strong.

Thank you for your reply and attention.

_

[Trillian]

Hey Mongoose,

I always find google a good errorsolver. Just google the error you get, and a lot of forums, discussiongroups, and just random sites will pop up. All of them may have the solution to your problem.
About the books.
There is the O'reilly serie, which has about.. well, a whole lot of books. For example:
UNIX in a Nutshell: System V Edition, 3rd Edition
Understanding the Linux Kernel, 2nd Edition
Running Linux, 4th Edition
Linux Network Administrator's Guide, 2nd Edition
Linux in a Nutshell, 4th Edition
Linux Pocket Guide
Linux Security Cookbook
Linux Unwired

There are a whole lot of magazines as well, such as the Linux Magazine and Linux Journal.

Online stuff:
http://www.linux-mag.com/
http://linux-magazine.com/
http://www.linux-mag.com/2000-06/websites_01.html <fairly interesting, with a whole lot of links
http://magazines.designerz.com/linux-magazines.php and this one gives you info about linux books, mags and dvds.


Forums can be very helpful as well, and I especially like linuxquestions.org: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/index.php


Well. If you want to know just how a command works, you have the man-pages (manual-pages). The man pages are one big dictionary, for example:
You want to know how the command mount works. Just type:

man mount

Then a manual will appear. If you're done reading the manual, just type "q". This will exit the manual. For more information about manuals, type:

man man

There also is a more informational manual, it's called info. Whenever you want more information than man gives you, type:

info [command]

(You just replace "command" with the command you want to have information about.)

If you want just a small reminder about a certain command, typre:

"command" --help

(You just replace "command" with the command you want to have information about.)

Most of the time, this gives you a short summery about how to use a command.



If you are still flabbergasted about what the heck a command does, you can always google for a howto. Linux is very famous for its howto's, text documents that explain things in normal human language.


And last, but certainly not least: The Linux Documentation Project
http://www.tldp.org/docs.html
http://www.tldp.org/guides.html
http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/
For RedHat:
http://www.redhat.com/manual
http://www.tldp.org/links/p_books.html


There are some irc channels as well, but you'd have to google them yourself, since I don't really use irc a lot.

Well, I probably forgot some resources, so if anybody else can fill this up?



Goodluck!