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Linux Fundamentals: Help Resources

Linux Fundamentals: Help Resources. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0802551.

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Linux Fundamentals: Help Resources

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  1. Linux Fundamentals:Help Resources This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0802551 Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author (s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation

  2. Lesson Overview Navigating a computer and accessing the tools you need has become easier and more intuitive in the last decade, but the growing complexity and functionality of a computer requires constant learning. Consequently, software providers have made a wealth of resources available to help end-users navigate their programs, use them effectively, and troubleshoot them when problems arise. Additionally, an entire community of help providers and collaborators are now available through blogs, wikis, help forums, support centers, documentation projects, FAQs (frequently asked questions), search tools, tech volunteers, and general web searches to help anyone willing to invest the time and resources to explore a solution or learn a new skill. In this lesson, you will explore the various help resources and system documentation available in Linux including man pages, info pages, web resources, and program documentation files. Learning these help resources will help you find the best answers to specific tech problems you may encounter in your duties as a Linux administrator.

  3. Objectives – Objective Objective Given a problem to fix or a procedure to complete in Linux, the student will be able to choose the appropriate help options to get the answer he/she needs to resolve the problem or complete the procedure correctly.

  4. Lesson Outline During this lesson, you will explore:

  5. Help Resources:CLI & GUI Help • Help resources in Ubuntu Linux are available in a standard graphical user interface (GUI) or through the command line interface (CLI). • A GUI is a standard interface with windows, menus, icons, and other graphical elements optimized for mouse clicks. When you use a web-based search engine such as Google to find information, you are navigating using a GUI. On the other hand, when you search using a text-only environment by entering commands using a keyboard, you are using a CLI. • Help in Ubuntu will be discussed using both approaches. CLI help will focus on man and info pages, while GUI-based help will explore more graphically-pleasing help resources optimized for mouse events.

  6. Help Resources:Help Options As you progress in your knowledge and use of Linux (or any other operating system) you will find that questions needing clarifications will be asked and the need to troubleshoot may become be a regular task. Where do you go to seek and find solutions? You can always ask a peer, but if you do not have access to knowledgeable technician or if you want to make sure the information given is accurate, you will need to review and rely on Help resources. As you have already learned, Linux is an open source operating system; therefore, many of the help resources for its use can be found in the form of man pages, Info pages, release notes and white papers, the graphical user interface, and even directly from Web-based sources.

  7. What is a Man Page? Linux is a comprehensive operating system (OS) that offers many features and functions. To help you navigate the OS, its authors and contributors have included many helpful resources and documentation to help you master its various components. Some of these tools are stored within the OS and can be accessed on the local computer, but the most abundant help resources are available on the Internet. Man pages (short for manual page) are extensive documentation that is preinstalled on almost all substantial Unix-based systems. Man pages serve as a quick reference for commands or basic information. For example, a man command would reveal the available switches or options for a command, or the format of a configuration file. Ubuntu manpages stores copies of man pages from every Ubuntu release. Consequently, you can access release information in a web friendly format by accessing the Ubuntu repository.

  8. Help Resources:Man Page Options • MAN refers to manual pages that can be accessed from within the command line interface of a Linux system. At the command line prompt type man and the command for which you would need additional information. • The information provided for commands through man pages include: • a synopsis (syntax) of the command • a description of the command • available options that can be used with a command • bugs, history, standards • other relevant information such as the name(s) of the author(s) that developed the command

  9. Man Page Sections To view a demonstration of a man page, select PLAY below. • Man pages provide summaries of program functions. Each man page is divided into the following sections: • 1. User commands and shell commands • 2. System calls provided by the kernel • 3. Subroutines & library functions • 4. Device files • 5. File formats • 6. Games • 7. Miscellaneous • 8. System Administration run by root • 9. Kernel • 10. New • Select the Play button on the right for a demonstration of a man page. View Video: VideoLesson4ManCommand(C1L4S17).swf

  10. Help Resources:Man Page Documentation • MAN refers to manual pages that can be accessed from within the command line interface of a Linux system. At the command line prompt type man and the command for which you would need additional information. • The information provided for commands through man pages include: • a synopsis (syntax) of the command • a description of the command • available options that can be used with a command • bugs, history, standards • other relevant information such as the name(s) of the author(s) that developed the command

  11. Info Pages Linux’s info page system is similar to man pages, however info pages use a hyperlinked format similar to web pages but the information is presented in a hierarchical format known as nodes. Info pages display complete and up-to-date information on GNU utilities and commands. Frequently, the information in man pages is similar to the data in info pages, however, when differences exist, info pages usually provide more substantial and recent updates compared to man pages. The info browser runs in text mode (CLI) which is not well optimized for mouse clicks but works well with cursor keys on a keyboard in addition to keyboard shortcuts. You may also use the “whatis” and “apropos” commands in the CLI to get a basic description of a command. These tools are handy when you forget the purpose of a command. To view a demonstration of an info page, select PLAY below. View Video: VideoLesson4InfoCommand(C1L4S19).swf

  12. Help ResourcesGUI In addition to help from the command line interface, Linux also offers help in a graphical (GUI) format that is familiar to most users. GUI is short for Graphical User Interface and includes a system of windows, menus, and icons that can be moved, resized, selected, and manipulated in other ways. The Linux OS accommodates many different kinds of GUIs. Two of the most popular are GNOME and KDE. GNOME is free software and is part of the GNU project developed to give users and developers ultimate control over their desktop, software, and files. GNOME also offers various help features to explore files and folders. KDE is similar to GNOME but offers its user even more control than GNOME. Some users welcome KDE’s flexibility, others find it more complicated. Both GUI variants offer extensive help resources built right in the OS. To view a demonstration of GUI help, select PLAY below. View Video: VideoLesson4GUIhelp(C1L4S20).swf

  13. Help ResourcesWeb-based Help • In addition to the documentation you find on your computer, • the internet provides a wealth of information related to • Linux. • Most flavors of Unix have Internet based web sites that • provide further documentation, such as README files, • Portable Document Format (PDF), white pages, release notes, wikis, community blogs, and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) pages. For example, you can enter an error message into a search engine such as Google, and you will find information on the problem and how to fix it. To receive a more detailed result, put quotation marks around the topic you are searching. • Select the links below to explore the help resources available: • Linux Documentation Project • Linux Online • Linux Kernel

  14. Help ResourcesEvaluating Web-based Help Web-based help are abundant. However, you should be careful when relying on critical information you discover on the Web. Is the information reliable? Are the sources reputable? Please review these guidelines as you evaluate a website. You will find the following web links helpful: GNU manuals Archives News Online support Global support teams

  15. Help ResourcesWhite Papers & Release Notes • Release notes are documents that summarize changes, bug fixes, enhancements or important information about recently released software. Release notes are also issued for products in development or in beta status. • White papers are substantial documents that provide information about a product, program, or software application. The information in white pages is more substantial than a brochure and will often reveal detailed information about the product. • Review release notes and white papers for important help information on new products, bug fixes, and updates on software applications. • Select the links below for important information: • Ubuntu Release NotesRedhat release notes • Linux white papersLinux magazine white papers

  16. Help ResourcesSystem Documentation As you begin using and updating Linux systems, you should actively document your work, changes made to computer systems, updates, program versions, and recent software installations that you apply. System documentation is very important but is frequently overlooked. The information you document will quickly help you identify version numbers, packages installed, patches applied, software updates, and any troubleshooting concerns that arise. You can also use the information you document to diagnose problems, identify faulty installs or updates, and make system changes when necessary. Keeping accurate, updated information is a useful resource that all Linux administrators should implement.

  17. Help ResourcesDistro Help Linux help is generally published by users who are excited to share their knowledge of the operating system. You may choose to use some resources that have been created by individuals or you may choose to use sources that are “distro specific.” Distro specific help resources are sources that provide help for specific versions of Linux distributions. Examples include RedHat, KDE, SuSe, Ubuntu, and other software developers that have created specialized versions of Linux and offer various levels of support.

  18. Help ResourcesChoosing a Help Option As you gain practice and experience with Linux, you will begin to rely more on specific versions of Linux that you use daily at home, work, or for entertainment. You can find information from DistroWatch which publishes news about recent release versions of Linux distributions including hardware compatibility lists, comments, and meeting times for a variety of Linux groups that meet locally and worldwide.

  19. Summary • The Linux OS, regardless of flavor, is well documented. Each variant has built-in help systems that explain various commands and procedures. • Additionally, program and procedural documentation is available at online and can be found exploring the OS developer’s website. Help is usually found at within their support, community, or documentation projects. • A community of users around the world are also contributing heavily to Linux and are providing help resources through wikis, howtos, forums and dedicated websites. Consequently, help with Linux is readily available.

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