Linux can fulfill almost any need you have for the operating system on a desktop computer, but you must be able to tell it what you want to do in a way that it understands. You need to know common commands and how to access the help pages.Common Linux commands Command Description cat [filename] Display the file’s contents to the standard output device (usually your monitor).

To get Ubuntu Linux up and running, get help provided in the Boot Prompt Function Keys section and take advantage of the straightforward, helpful commands.The boot prompt function keys in Ubuntu LinuxYou can choose from several options to control the startup process when booting from the Ubuntu CD-ROM. When you see the Ubuntu startup menu (the first menu option is Start or install Ubuntu) you have the option to select an alternative.

Linux can seem like a very daunting environment. But it doesn’t have to be! With the two topics in this cheat sheet—the commands you’ll use on a daily basis and the useful help pages—you can easily navigate your Linux environment. © MIND AND I /Shutterstock.comLinux CommandsAlthough you can do most things in Linux these days by pointing and clicking, you still may want to try using Linux at the command prompt.

Welcome to the world of Linux, the operating system developed by thousands of people around the world! In this article, you find out about Linux itself — what it is, where it comes from, and why it gets so much attention. Prepare to have your assumptions challenged about how software must be developed and sold, and your mind opened to new possibilities.

The Ubuntu installation process is one of the simplest in the Linux world. Ubuntu guides you through all the steps required to set up the system, then installs the entire Ubuntu system without prompting you for too much information.You can start the installation process from two locations after you boot from the Live DVD or USB stick: Directly from the boot menu without starting Ubuntu From the Install desktop icon after you start the Ubuntu Live system Both locations start the same installation process, which guides you through several steps of options.

Troubleshooting is like reading a mystery novel. You have some facts, symptoms, and details, but you don’t know whodunit. You have to take whatever information you have, work with that data, weigh the various possibilities, and then narrow them to a single suspect. Finally, you need to test your theory and prove that your suspect is the guilty party.

Simplicity has become the hallmark of the GNOME 3 desktop environment for Linux. There aren't any long menus from which you need to select things from, nor do you need to go digging through folders looking for files, but getting comfortable with the new interface may take some time. This discussion walks through the basic features of the GNOME 3 desktop so you can maneuver your way around.

If you only have a single hard drive available in your PC, you need to create separate areas (called partitions) on the hard drive for Windows and Linux. This article walks through the process of how to do that, but first, you need to understand how partitions work.Three types of partitions are available: primary, extended, and logical.