``A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'' This old saying can be applied to just about any endeavor; we're going to apply it to learning to use your Red Hat Linux system. Learning to use a Linux system effectively can be a long, rewarding journey, where you find that you can easily do things that people with other operating systems can only dream of. But like all journeys, you've got to start somewhere, and take that first step.

And the first step you need to take is to get yourself some documentation! This cannot be stressed enough; without documentation you will only become frustrated at your inability to get your Red Hat Linux system working the way you want.

Here's what you should look for in terms of Linux documentation:

• An brief history of Linux -- Many aspects of Linux are the way they are because of historical precedent. There is also a Linux culture that, again, is based to a great deal on past history. A bit of knowledge about the history of Linux will serve you well, particularly as you interact with more experienced Linux users on the Internet.

• An explanation of how Linux works -- While it's not necessary to delve into the most arcane aspects of the Linux kernel, it's a good idea to know something about how Linux is put together. This is particularly important if you've been working with other operating systems; some of the assumptions you hold about how computers work may not transfer from that operating system to Linux. A few paragraphs that discuss how Linux works (and particularly how it differs from the operating system you're used to), can be invaluable in getting off to a good start with your Red Hat Linux system.

• An introductory command overview (with examples) -- This is probably the most important thing to look for in Linux documentation. The design philosophy behind Linux is that it's better to use many small commands connected together in different ways than it is to have a few large (and complex) commands that do the whole job themselves. Without some examples that illustrate the Linux approach to doing things, you will find yourself intimidated by the sheer number of commands available on your Red Hat Linux system.

As you gain more experience using your Red Hat Linux system, you'll probably find that you'll need more in-depth information. Continue reading the next section to find out more about the kinds of documentation that will help you at that point.

If you've used other Linux distributions, you probably already have a basic grasp of the most frequently used commands. You may have installed your own Linux system, and maybe you've even downloaded and built software you found on the Internet. What sorts of information will you need?

• An extensive list of available commands -- While you can find this sort of information on-line in the man pages, you might also want it in book form. While there are several such books on the market, Red Hat sells the Linux Complete Command Reference. This book contains the man page entries for hundreds of commands, system calls and file formats, all formatted for easy reading. Best of all, there is a comprehensive index, and a searchable version of the book on CD-ROM. A book like this is invaluable for:
  • Finding the right command for a particular task.

  • Learning how to use that command properly.

• Task-oriented information -- Many times, you'll find that you'd like to configure your Red Hat Linux system in a certain way, but you're not sure where to begin. In this case, it's often a big help to see what others in similar circumstances have done. This is where the Linux Documentation Project (also known as the LDP) can come in handy. Each of their HOWTOs document a particular aspect of Linux, from low-level kernel esoterica, to using Linux in an amateur radio station.

  If you selected one of the various howto packages when you installed Red Hat Linux, you'll find the HOWTOs on your system in /usr/doc/HOWTO. If, on the other hand, you'd like a printed version of these documents, Red Hat Software sells Linux Undercover, which is a compendium of the most popular LDP documents.

If you're a long-time Red Hat Linux user, you probably already know that the following pretty much says it all when it comes to documentation:

There are times when you'll just have to sit there and look at the sources to understand things. Fortunately, because of the freely available nature of Linux, it's easy to get the sources. Now if it were only that easy to understand them...

Now that we've covered documentation, let's look at some of the most commonly-performed system tasks.