The Pakistani Spectator

I am recently trying to get my hands smooth on Linux. Fortunately I found a very good book (Linux Administration Handbook) to help me out in this process. The book is not any distribution specific rather covers almost all major distributions. Well I chose Redhat Linux-4 for two reasons. First and the dominant is the availability of software and secondly I was told that it is user friendly. Normally Linux is not associated with the term User Friendly but I think otherwise. I am not an expert just a newbie but the thing I felt during this short experience of mine is that it’s all matter of familiarity. We used Windows from day one and never tried Linux or UNIX not even Mac. Windows has become the trademark as for as using Computer is concerned but it is self made. There is no harm in trying others and getting familiar with other desktops. But I must admit that Windows is easier to use then Linux but Linux is not all that difficult as well if you try to use it without taking Windows in your mind. Break the psyche and that’s it.

And look Linux really cares about you as well. If you are from Mac background then it has got Gnome for your ease and if your background is Windows then you have got KDE. Mainly my focus is on administration side that I will be in need of at some stage during my Oracle DBA career. And I am feeling much comfortable and fun then it is on Windows. Mainly it is because of the flexibility and power that you have in your hands while doing all that stuff. It’s also known as Rootly Powers (term from the book I mentioned earlier).

A very good early lesson that I have learned is that Linux gives you the option of modifying system files by hand. This is lots of fun but be careful because if anything went wrong you will have yourself in series troubles and biggest of them all is there is no restart and get OK option here.