Introduction to Linux

About This Course

In this six-week online course, you'll master the free Linux desktop system, which can perform all of the functions you currently do with Microsoft Windows or Apple Macintosh.

We’ll start with the basics of Linux as we practice using its graphical environment to manipulate files and folders, create user accounts, and set up hardware devices. Then we’ll delve into the many free programs that come preinstalled on your Linux system, including the popular OpenOffice.org office productivity software. This exciting application allows you to read and create word documents, spreadsheets, and presentation graphics that are compatible with the Microsoft Office suite. Next, we’ll cover the Linux multimedia programs that can play, rip, and burn CDs, as well as play DVDs and video files. We’ll also discuss Linux audio-editing tools that enable you to create your own masterpieces.

After that, we’ll walk through using your Linux desktop to access the Internet. You'll see how to connect to your ISP and use your ISP to read and send messages with Linux’s e-mail software. Finally, we’ll explore keeping in touch with friends and family by using common Internet Messaging hosts, as well as how to browse your favorite Web sites with the popular Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Get ready to discover why so many people think Linux makes their computer easier, cheaper, and more fun!

About The Instructor

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Richard Blum.

Richard Blum has been an IT industry professional for over 18 years, working mainly as a network and systems administrator. During this time, he has worked with Microsoft, Novell, Unix, and Linux servers, and has created Web sites using a variety of different programming languages. Blum is the author of several programming and systems administration books, including Professional Assembly Language, C# Network Programming, PostgreSQL 8 for Windows, Sendmail for Linux, Postfix, and Network Performance Open Source Toolkit.

Syllabus

A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

Week 1

Wednesday - Lesson 01

The Linux desktop operating system is quickly becoming a popular choice for both computer professionals and casual home users. In our first lesson, you'll find out the reasons for its popularity. You'll learn exactly what Linux is and why there are so many different Linux packages available. Then you'll discover how to select the Linux package that's right for you. And finally, we'll walk through installing and running the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 Linux distribution, examining how to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with Linux.

Friday - Lesson 02

Now that you have Linux installed on your PC, you have a desktop full of unfamiliar icons and menus. So in this lesson, we'll explore the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 KDE desktop environment. You'll see how a Linux desktop differs from Microsoft Windows or Apple Macintosh. You'll also learn how to customize your desktop with shortcuts and menus so you can always have the items you need right at your fingertips.

Week 2

Wednesday - Lesson 03

No matter what programs you run on your computer, at some point you'll probably need to work with files. Today's lesson describes how Linux handles files and folders and shows you how to access them using Linux's graphical tools. The way Linux handles files is different from Microsoft Windows, and knowing about these differences is crucial to enjoying your Linux experience.

Friday - Lesson 04

In this lesson, we'll delve into how Linux manages file security. We'll discuss users and groups, and how you can set permissions to files and folders. You'll use various Linux tools to create new users and groups, and assign them permissions on your Linux desktop. You'll find out how to restrict access to your personal files, and then you'll set up a group to share files among several users.

Week 3

Wednesday - Lesson 05

Today, you'll learn how Linux handles desktop printers. You'll see how to configure Linux to support your printer, and how to use your printer with common Linux applications.

Friday - Lesson 06

In this lesson, you'll find out how Linux's OpenOffice.org packages can replace all Microsoft Office software products. Not only will you be able to create word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentation graphic documents, you'll be able to read and modify existing documents that were created using Microsoft Office software.

Week 4

Wednesday - Lesson 07

We live in a multimedia world. No modern computer would be complete without the ability to play audio and video files. So today we'll cover how to use the tools available in Linux to perform all of your multimedia needs. You'll learn how to play CDs and DVDs on your Linux system, how to rip music, and how to burn your own CDs.

Friday - Lesson 08

This lesson is about using your Linux PC to connect to the Internet. There are many ways to connect to it, and Linux supports them all. If you already have a dial-up or high-speed connection, today you'll find out how to use it with your Linux PC. We'll also walk through the software available on your Linux PC to surf, chat, and transfer files.

Week 5

Wednesday - Lesson 09

To many people, the most important feature of the Internet is e-mail. Today, you'll learn how to connect your Linux PC to your ISP e-mail mailbox. We'll discuss setting up and using Linux's popular KMail package.

Friday - Lesson 10

In this lesson, we'll dig a little deeper into the Linux world. We're going to explore using command lines. By using system commands, you can manually extract information about your operating system. This is often easier and faster than relying on fancy graphical tools. So we'll go over a few simple commands you can use to examine your file system and see all of the applications that your system is currently running.

Week 6

Wednesday - Lesson 11

Even though Linux distributions generally include lots of software, at some point, most users come across additional software they'd like to have. So today, we'll discuss the various ways you can install software on your Linux PC. We'll cover installing it manually, as well as installing it by using graphical installation programs

Friday - Lesson 12

In our final lesson, you'll learn some basic system administration techniques to help you when things go awry with your Linux system. We'll talk about backing up data and file archiving. You'll discover how Linux logs system events, and how to examine the log files to help troubleshoot any problems that occur. We'll also examine an interactive tool for watching system resources in real-time mode—seeing how the CPU and memory are performing, and how the programs you're running affect your system's resources.

Requirements

This course requires that you have a basic knowledge of using Windows or Macintosh, and are comfortable with working in a graphical PC environment. You must have a PC available to run the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 Linux operating system, either from the hard disk or from a live CD. That PC must meet the minimum requirements for the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 Linux distribution: A PC with an Intel Pentium or equivalent processor, a bootable CDROM drive, at least 2GB hard drive, and at least 64MB of RAM. If you have a high-speed Internet connection, such as a cable or DSL modem, you can download a file of the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 CD free of charge. If you have a dial-up Internet connection, you can order the SimplyMEPIS version 6.5 CD for a minimal cost—approximately $15. You will receive further instructions when your class begins. To access your lessons, you will need Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).