Tutplus.com – Andrew Burgess – Advanced Command Line Techniques [32 WebRip (MOV)]

I absolutely love the command line, and it is one of the main things I look for when searching for IT courses. I work in IT and I can say that the command line is becoming more and more important in the IT industry, and new technologies like Microsoft Lync require command line knowledge to be properly implemented and managed. Being able to manage efficiently a system using the command line is a big asset, and I am always on the watch for courses like this.

This course is fantastic: simple, practical and straight to the point. I can say that if you watch and practice what is explained in this course as well the CompTIA Linux+ videos you will know enough to teach some lessons to some Senior Engineers.

Description:

The command line (i.e., all-text display mode) is a key part of any truly modern computer operating system.

Because graphical user interfaces (GUIs) have become very easy to use in the past decade or so, it is no longer common for most computer users to utilize the command line, especially for simple tasks such as word processing, searching the web and sending e-mail. Thus, the command line is frequently perceived as being unnecessary, intimidating and even obsolete. A GUI is a display mode that contains images, windows and menus and which is manipulated primarily with a mouse.

However, the command line, also referred to as the shell (although the shell is actually a program the provides the command line), can be quite easy to learn and use, and its value soon becomes apparent after a little practice. Even a basic familiarity with it can make computers easier to use and facilitate performing tasks that might be difficult or impossible with a GUI. Such familiarity can also lead to an improved understanding of how computers actually work.

Many people who are new to the GNU/Linux command line will be familiar with the command line used in MS-DOS and think that the two are similar. However, the similarities are largely just superficial, and there are vast differences. The GNU/Linux command line is far more powerful (i.e., it is much more flexible and can do many more things), and in some ways it is much more user friendly.

Studying the GNU/Linux command line provides an education in much more than just how to use a specific operating system. One reason is that the Linux command line is virtually identical to the command line used on every other Unix-like operating system, e.g., Solaris, FreeBSD and Mac OS X. Thus, multiple operating systems are being learned simultaneously.

Studying the command line also provides insight into how computers really work. This is because the command line is much closer to the internal functioning of computers than are GUIs, which are generally just front ends for the commands used on the command line. Moreover, the underlying commands typically have greater flexibility than their GUI counterparts, they can easily be combined with other commands, and they can be used in situations where a GUI is not available (e.g., making system repairs) or is not functioning properly.

Want to learn some more advanced command line tips that will help you with Bash and Zsh shells? That’s what this course is all about, and we’ll even write shell scripts along the way.

About the author: Andrew Burgess

Hi! I’m Andrew Burgess, a Staff Writer here on Tuts+. I’ve been hanging around the Tuts+ since early 2009; I discovered the site when I was looking for an introduction to jQuery. Since discovering the site, my web development skills have skyrocketed; I think that’s the default experience! Now, I’ve been writing for Tuts+ regularly since late 2009. I’ve been working with the computers since I was pretty young, and with the web since 2006. I’ve dabbled with over a dozen programming languages, but I’m most comfortable in javascript and Ruby. Currently, I’m a university student, studying computer science.