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diff --git a/debian/README.commands b/debian/README.commands new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8e2aaf6 --- /dev/null +++ b/debian/README.commands @@ -0,0 +1,189 @@ + This is a jumping-off reference point for new users who may be + completely unfamiliar with Linux commands. It does not contain all + the information you need about using the Linux console, but instead + just gives you enough information to get started finding the + information you need. + +Linux Commands + + To run a command, type the command at the prompt, followed by any + necessary options, and then press the Enter or Return key. + + Most commands operate silently unless they are specifically asked to + say what they are doing. If there is no error message, the command + should have worked. + + The operation of most commands can be changed by putting command + options immediately after the command name. There are several styles + of options used, and you have to check the documentation for each + command to know what options it can take, and what they do. + + Linux commands are case-sensitive, and almost always are all + lower-case. ls is a valid command; LS is not. + + In most cases you can use the tab key to ask the command shell to + auto-complete the command, directory or filename you have started + to type. If a unique completion exists, the shell will type it. If + not, you can press tab a second time to obtain a list of the + possible auto-completions. + +Commands for Reading Documentation + + In the following command examples, the [ ] characters are not + typed, they mean that whatever is enclosed is optional. For + example, you can also start `info' without any subject at all. + + When a given keyboard shortcut is preceded by ctrl- or alt- , that + means hold the control or alt key down, and type the given key + while holding it down (the same way you use the shift key). A + shorthand notation for ctrl- is ^ (^C means ctrl-C). + + man subject + man shows the manual page on the command (use q or ctrl-C to + get out of it if it doesn't terminate at the end of the + text). + + info [subject] + A lot of Debian Linux documentation is provided in info + format. This is similar to a hypertext format, in that you + can jump to other sections of the documentation by following + links embedded in the text. An info tutorial is available + within info, using ctrl-h followed by h. + + help [subject] + Use help for on-line help about the shell's built-in commands. + help by itself prints a list of subjects for which you can + ask for help. + + pager filename + pager displays a plain text file one screen at a time. + Additional screens can be displayed by pressing the space + bar, and previous screens can be displayed by pressing the b + key. When finished viewing the help, press q to return to + the prompt. + + Using -h --help with | pager + Most commands offer very brief built-in help by typing the + command followed by + + -h or --help + + If the help scrolls up beyond the top of the screen before + you can read it, add + + | pager + + to the end of the command. + + zmore document.gz + zmore is a document pager -- it displays the contents of + compressed documentation on your disk, one screenful at a + time. Compression is signified by filenames ending in .gz . + + lynx [document] or lynx [directory] or lynx [url] + lynx is a text-based web browser. It can display documents + (plain-text, compressed, or html), directory listings, and + urls such as www.google.com. It does not display images. + +Commands for Navigating Directories + + pwd + Displays your current working directory. The p stands for + print, which is a carryover from when unix was designed, + before the advent of computer screens. Interactive computer + responses were printed on paper by a connected electric + typewriter instead of being displayed electronically. + + cd [directory] + Change your current directory to the named directory. If you + don't specify directory, you will be returned to your home + directory. The `root' directory is signified by / at the + beginning of the directory path ( / also separates directory + and file names within the path). Thus paths beginning with / + are `absolute' paths; cd will take you to an absolute path + no matter what your current directory is. Paths not + beginning with / specify paths relative to your + current directory. cd .. means change to the parent + directory of your current working directory. + + ls [directory] + ls lists the contents of directory. If you don't specify a + directory name, the current working directory's list is + displayed. + + find directory -name filename + find tells you where filename is in the tree starting at + directory. This command has many other useful options. + +Documentation Indices + + The standard doc-linux-text package installs compressed text linux + HOWTOs in + + /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-txt/ + + Particularly helpful HOWTOs for new users are + + /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-txt/Unix-and-Internet-Fundamentals-HOWTO.gz + /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-txt/mini/INDEX.gz + /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-txt/Reading-List-HOWTO.gz + /usr/share/doc/HOWTO/en-txt/META-FAQ.gz + + Individual package documentation is installed in + + /usr/share/doc/<package-name> + + New user website references include + + http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ + http://www.linuxdoc.org/LDP/gs/gs.html + +Recording User Sessions + + script filename + Use script to record everything that appears on the screen + (until the next exit) in filename. This is useful if you + need to record what's going on in order to include it in + your message when you ask for help. Use exit, logout or + ctrl-D to stop the recording session. + +Turning Echo On/Off + + To turn off echoing of characters to the screen, you can use + ctrl-S. ctrl-Q starts the echo again. If your terminal suddenly + seems to become unresponsive, try ctrl-Q; you may have accidentally + typed ctrl-S which activated echo-off. + +Virtual Consoles + + By default, six virtual consoles are provided. If you want to + execute another command without interrupting the operation of a + command you previously started, you can switch to another virtual + console (similar to a separate window). This is very handy for + displaying the documentation for a command in one console while + actually trying the command in another. Switch consoles 1 through 6 + by using alt-F1 through alt-F6. + +Logging Out + + exit or logout + + Use exit or logout to terminate your session and log + out. You should be returned to the log-in prompt. + +Turning Off the Computer + + Turning the computer on and off is really a system administration + subject, but I include it here because it is something that every + user who is his own administrator needs to know. + + halt or shutdown -t 0 -h now + This command shuts the computer down safely. You can also + use ctrl-alt-del if your system is set up for that. (If you + are in X, ctrl-alt-del will be intercepted by X. Get out of + X first by using ctrl-alt-backspace.) + + +To display this file one screen at a time, type + +pager /usr/share/doc/doc-linux-text/README.commands |