Linux/Unix Users' Tutorials, References and Other Documentation

• Edinburgh Uni's online Unix help is aimed at Unix in general, rather than Linux specifically; a good basic tutorial and reference on using Unix.
  
  
• The Unix Reference Desk: a reference meta-site with links to: general unix stuff; GNU Texinfo pages; applications; programming; IBM AIX; HP-UX; Unix for PCs; Suns; X Window System; Networking; Security; and Unix Humor [sic];
  
  
• Unix Guru Universe: loads of links for those new to Unix: history of Unix; getting unix (free); getting unix ($$$$); getting started; commands; FAQ; books.

The most common user-interfaces/environments used with Linux are GNOME and KDE:

• Learn to use GNOME
  
  
• KDE Documentation
• KDE FAQ

• www.gnustep.org
• Doc
• FAQ
• Window-Maker (window manager).

The following books and other substantial documents are available for free download:

• Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition (600 pages) available via sourceforge) I quote:
  
  This book covers GNU/LINUX system administration, for popular distributions like RedHat and Debian, as a tutorial for new users and a reference for advanced administrators. It aims to give concise, thorough explanations and practical examples of each aspect of a UNIX system. Anyone who wants a comprehensive text on (what is commercially called) ``LINUX'' need look no further--there is little that is not covered here.

Each Linux distribution comes with its own documentation:

• SuSE:
  • 7.2.
  • 8.0.
  
  
• RedHat:
  • 7.2
  • 8.0
  • Current Version
  
  
• Debian

For the most part Linux documentation comes in five forms: "READMEs", text files which come with installation files of an application; Guides --- longer, more in-depth books, HOW-TOs --- subject-specific help and FAQs --- Frequently Asked, and answered, Questions, and man pages --- help on individual commands (available on your machine!).

The Linux Documentation Project is an umbrella for the above. The following links are to the Manchester mirror. (The LDP is mirrored at the MCC.)

The Guides, include:

• Installation and Getting Started Guide

• Users Guide

Linux HOWTOs are documents which describe in detail a certain aspect of configuring or using Linux. For example, there is the Installation HOWTO, which gives instructions on installing Linux, and the Mail Administrator HOWTO, which describes how to set up and configure mail under Linux.

• HTML
• PDF

The LDP provides some FAQs, here. There is also the Linux FAQ.

There are several source of man pages; there are at least two search interfaces too. This way.