[Gslug-general] Expert panel for new users at December meeting?

[Nicholas Heer]

	I think being able to use a command line is one of the reasons
people switch from Windows to Linux.  If you're visually oriented you like
gui's, menus and a mouse.  If you're verbally oriented you like to talk to
your computer on a command line using your keyboard.  Shell scripts and
aliases make talking to your computer easy. :)

Nicholas Heer

On Fri, 30 Nov 2007, Vernon Van Steenkist wrote:

> > I'm happy to do newbie linux topics as actual talks too, as I'm sure
> > others would.
> >
> > Maybe it would be good to come up with some actual goals for shell
> > scripting and command line usage examples to walk through.
>
> Since now even many software engineers are unable to use a command line, I
> am not sure that showing shell scripting examples is the best approach to
> introducing a newbie to Linux. I would suggest showing newbies how to do
> things by using menus would be more useful. Of course I may be completely
> wrong and newbies should chime in as to what they want.
>
> >
> > Shell script examples:
> >
> >   * find the first line of a file that contains 'gslug'
> >     - grep
> >     - head
> >     - using a pipe to connect two processes
>
> Can be done through the "Search for Files" menu through Nautilus.
>
> >
> >   * convert a gif into a jpg
>
> Can be done with "Eyes of Gnome" or "Gthumb" which automatically gets
> launched when you doubleclick on an image through Nautilus.
>
> >     - using 'apt-cache search' or equivalent to find the package you
> >       need
>
> Gnome has an "Add/remove Software" menu item which launches a menu driven
> Package Manager .
>
> Everything else below is useful only if you plan to use the command line.
>
> >     - reading a man page
> >     - using /usr/bin/convert
> >
> >   * write a shell script to convert all your .gifs into .jpgs
> >     - for loops
> >     - file globs
> >     - backticks or $()
> >     - basename
> >
> >
> > And then for general working at the command line:
> >
> >   * job control
> >     - ctrl-z
> >     - bg
> >     - fg
> >
> >   * exit status
> >     - && e.g. 'convert foo.gif foo.jpg && rm foo.gif'
> >     - || e.g. 'convert foo.gif foo.jpg || echo "Unable to convert foo.gif"
> >
> >   * history
> >     - !!
> >     - !
> >     - history editing (using !^ or using emacs/vi bindings in the buffer)
> >     - difference between 'set -o emacs' and 'set -o vi'
> >     - alias r='fc -e -' for all us ksh users ;-)
> >
> >
> >   * redirection
> >     - >   output redirection
> >     - >>  output redirection in append mode
> >     - <   input redirection
> >     - >&  output redirection to an existing file descriptor
> >     - set -o noclobber  (if you don't want > to kill files, not a good
> >       idea long term.)
> >
> >     Examples:
> >       command --help 2>&1 | grep something
> >         - when command sends help to STDERR, you won't be able to grep
> >           without sending it to STDOUT
> >
> > There are lot of simple things that 'power users' use that we can
> > get newbies to understand with taking things one step at a time.
> > The 'convert all files' above isn't a shell script to a power user,
> > it's still simple enough to be written without flaws on the command
> > line.  But if we take things slower, we can get everyone there.
> >
> >
> > --
> > Brian Hatch                  "It's not even a kludge, because
> >    Systems and                a kludge works!"
> >    Security Engineer         --John M
> > http://www.ifokr.org/bri/
> >
> > Every message PGP signed
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> > Gslug-general at gslug.org
> > http://lists.gslug.org/mailman/listinfo/gslug-general
>
>
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