The Command Line Crash Course

Hi again!

Currently I am going through The Command Line Crash Course.It's basically a free online book made by the awesome Zed A. Shaw, also known as the author of Learn Python The Hard Way. I won't link to it because TCLCC is from the same website! :)

So why am I learning the basics in messing around with my computer's shell?

Why? Because if you want to learn to code, then you must learn this. Programming languages are advanced ways to control your computer with language. The command line is the baby little brother of programming languages. Learning the command line teaches you to control the computer using language. Once you get past that, you can then move on to writing code and feeling like you actually own the hunk of metal you just bought.-- From The Command Line Crash Course

Basically it's more than a little bit overdue. I took a few computer science papers at my university, and in my very first one we were told to learn a few things using the command line. Then followed that up with "Oh, don't worry. It's not examinable." Being the lazy and uninspired student that I was, my reaction was "Screw it. I don't need this." I then had a genius friend of mine do my command line stuff, and I worked through all the non-command line stuff later.

I kinda regret this now.

I'm a hardcore nerd/geek hybrid wannabe. And it kills me when I see people do cool awesome things on their computer that I don't know how to do. For the record, the list of things I don't know how to do could fill up the contents of a full series of encyclopedias but no matter! I wanted to learn. I wanted to be a super geek who could mess around as a root user and do crazy things to my operating system.

So here I am going through the book!

I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn the basics (and then some) of command line 'coding'. Whether you're a Linux babe, an Apple junkie or a Microsoft cultist, the book can teach you command line. Clean and simple. Follow the instructions. Understand what everything means. DO THE EXERCISES.

Also, whether or not you've programmed anything before, go ahead and try out the book's exercises. :) You'll learn something (provided you're not already familiar with shell/command line!), and you'll be better for it.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, I do the exercises on my Ubuntu Linux 12.04 terminal. Currently my laptop is running Windows and Ubuntu, but I prefer Ubuntu's terminal more (so much cleaner!), and I love the customisability and the ---- Wait, that's another article entirely. :)

Strawberry kisses, 
Pattee