the Linux Command Line (CLI)
General Tips & Info
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Linux CLI Bash : Tips for the Command Line
The following is a list of Linux terminal, root user, bash (Bourne Again SHell) Command expressions (CLI is shorthand for Command LIne, or Command Line Interface, in contrast to the Graphical User Interface, or Graphical Desktop Computer / Window Managed System envioronment ).
NOTE:The information found here is not an authoritatively documented resource, and far from a complete reference; barely a reminder for myself, but nevertheless– you may find something of value here. Good luck to you in your exploration of the Bourne Again Shell!
- uname -rm
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The command:
uname, with the options ” -rm “, will output your kernel version and processor type. Why would you need this info? You know what operating system you’re running, right? What good is it?Actually, knowing precisely what version of the Kernel update is running on your system, at the moment you intend to install software, is critical for the sake of installing the correct version of the software you wish to install! Typically, when using “pirut” (i.e. Add/ Remove Software) in Fedora, I opt for the search tab, especially once i’ve got my base system configured as I want it, and I’m merely in search of the latest version of some some application, such as Xine, the media play for example. Many times, I’ve selected a software title from the list of available packages, only to find out later– either via Pirut’s own warning, when checking for dependencies, or through the more frustrating revelation– to find that the installation process has resulted in mucking up the system in some way (such as loading the wrong kmod-nvidia-legacy module version for compatibility with an updated Kernel). Often, this simple oversight– having not previewed my current Kernel version, using
uname -rm, and blindly installing what appears to be the most up-to-date version number, by sight-recognition alone, I have struggled with my display settings, dumbfounded for why the ‘…darn thing isn’t working!…’– all the while, losing productivity of course, until finally i check my Kernel against my current driver module, and rue the hasty decision to have skipped theuname -rmprocess.Have a look at the following illustration. I’ve highlighted what items you want to extract from the report. In most cases, unless you’re using a relatively ancient processor (i.e. anything pre P3), your main concern is the information on the left, the Kernel version number. The number, shown here as
i686represents the processor (i.e. CPU; Intel Pentium™ AMD Sempron™; etc.). Whenever possible, you should install software packages which match both your Kernel and your Processor, however, you will often find that the application either has no processor number associated with it, or it may be available only in ani386version. The point is: run the commanduname -rm. Use the report to find the most appropriate software package compatible with your current software / hardware combination, and chances are you’ll experience very few problems with anything acting “broken”. Good luck!
- locate (a.k.a. SLOCATE)
- Concerning the effervescent debate of ‘Linux vs. Windows’ (or is that, ‘ Windows vs. Linux ’ ?), something which catches my attention as being one of the definingly superior attributes of any Linux Distrubution [which i've tried], over that of Windows (i.e. Windows XP, win32, [albeit, Windows Vista, i do not know]), is the locate command. Unlike Search, the typical method by wich a Windows®-user might attempt to locate some URI (e.g. filename) of his or her NTFS / FAT32 Filesystem, the Linux brand of searching will return a desired result in a fraction of the time it typically takes the Dog to find his bone
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