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Tomáš Pečený
Asked: 2013-06-07 23:33:56 +0800 CST

beginner's manuals [duplicate]

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Up to now I have used Microsoft Windows. I am a beginner with Unix generally and with Ubuntu 12.04 particularly. I have got advices to try the system by a command 'Firefox' and then to install a developers tool by a command 'sudo apt-get install gcc'. I have tried to write the command directly to the Ubuntu desktop window; a command line appeared, I have written the command 'Firefox' (without apostrophe characters and pressed Enter key), but it starts no action, though the Firefox browser starts well from an icon left at the desktop window of the newly installed Ubuntu.
I see, that about 'sudo apt-get install gcc' with Ubuntu 12.04 problems do exist and are discussed at the http://askubuntu.com . I have written the command 'sudo apt-get install gcc' to the Ubuntu desktop window, too; the system requested my password and made an icon 'Update manager'. I have installed all 211 updates, but the 'Firefox' nor the other command does not work and the 'Update manager' icon disappeared. My Canon MG5150 USB printer does not print as a 'generic printer' from the installation.

Evidently I need first beginner's manuals how to work with the Ubuntu 12.04 (pressing F1 does nothing) and what are base commands of Unix. And also how to work with the Firefox browser; I have guessed how to set a bookmark but I do not see how to call it. And also how to make FTP connections and how to transfer files to the Windows XP and from it by a net or by an USB flash. Please advise me which manuals, thanks, Tomas Peceny

command-line

3 Answers

  1. Be careful, Ubuntu and Unix in general are case-sensitive. The command to start Firefox is firefox, not Firefox.

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  2. As mentioned above the first place should be http://help.ubuntu.com but I would also add that there are free books that can help

    1. Ubuntu: Absolute Beginner's guide (PDF for free at top right corned)
    2. Getting Started with Ubuntu 13.04
    3. A Complete Beginner's Manual for Ubuntu 10.04

    That being said, I would try to answer few things installing all development essential packages for C/C++ command is

    sudo apt-get install build-essential

    About FTP, if you have experience with Filezilla, that is the best that is there AFAIK. Also you can use Nautilus to connect to variety of protocols. If I skipped any of your question you can comment here!

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  3. You can install gcc from the software center if you prefer to use the GUI. sudo apt-get install PACKAGENAME is a way to install packages on the command line. As a developer, however, you will need to get familiar with the command line.

    To use the command line, open a terminal window and type commands there. See Using the terminal in the Ubuntu community documentation.

    On that note, you'll find a lot of “beginner's manuals” as well as guides to more advanced topics on http://help.ubuntu.com/ — it holds both the official Ubuntu documentation (12.04 direct link) and the Community documentation. Use the search box to find the page on a topic (if it exists).

    Unlike Windows, Linux is case-sensitive in most places. A file or a command called Firefox is different from one called firefox. Almost all Linux commands have lowercase names. The name of a command isn't necessarily the name in the window title or in documentation (this goes for Windows too: there's iexplore and “Internet Explorer”, and there's firefox and “Firefox”).

    The Update Manager icon only appears when there are updates to install. Use the Software Center to install programs.

    As for your other questions — they're separate topics, and you'll need to do a bit more groundwork in looking up how to do things. If you can't figure things out, you're welcome to ask here, but please tell us what you tried (e.g. “I want to do X, I searched for Y and found page Z but it tells me to use this menu item and I have no such menu item”), and ask one question at a time.

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