22 messages in com.ubuntu.lists.ubuntu-ukRe: [ubuntu-uk] Learning Ubuntu....| From | Sent On | Attachments |
|---|---|---|
| John | Mar 4, 2009 3:09 pm | |
| Simon Wears | Mar 4, 2009 3:53 pm | |
| red | Mar 4, 2009 4:50 pm | |
| Colin McCarthy | Mar 5, 2009 12:11 am | |
| Philip Stubbs | Mar 5, 2009 12:35 am | |
| Liam Proven | Mar 5, 2009 4:57 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 5:01 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 5:03 am | |
| Ian Betteridge | Mar 5, 2009 5:13 am | |
| Tony Arnold | Mar 5, 2009 6:12 am | |
| Tony Travis | Mar 5, 2009 8:54 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 9:03 am | |
| Steve Flynn | Mar 5, 2009 9:07 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 9:10 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 9:17 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 9:25 am | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 9:29 am | |
| John | Mar 5, 2009 12:08 pm | |
| Philip Stubbs | Mar 5, 2009 12:50 pm | |
| Sean Miller | Mar 5, 2009 1:04 pm | |
| Alan James Jenkins | Mar 5, 2009 3:27 pm | |
| Liam Proven | Mar 5, 2009 6:19 pm |
| Subject: | Re: [ubuntu-uk] Learning Ubuntu.... | |
|---|---|---|
| From: | Philip Stubbs (phi...@stuphi.co.uk) | |
| Date: | Mar 5, 2009 12:50:36 pm | |
| List: | com.ubuntu.lists.ubuntu-uk | |
2009/3/5 Liam Proven <lpro...@gmail.com>:
2009/3/5 Philip Stubbs <phi...@stuphi.co.uk>:
Read man pages. The first UNIX like system I used was a VAX-VMS system.
Er, VAX-VMS was not remotely UNIX-like and did not have a "man" command, nor "ls", "cd" or any of those.
Ok. I can't remember what the command on the VAX system were. I suggested those commands as being something useful to know for a person using the command shell on a Linux box for the first time.
Indeed back in the day I used VAXstations with VMS and DECwindows - there's one downstairs, waiting for a new hard disk, in fact - and I don't think they even had an "xman" command.
Were you perhaps thinking of Ultrix or something?
No. I guess my memory could be wrong, but I am certain I was using a VAX VMS system running some form of X windowing system and it had the xman program. I can picture myself at the machine I used, and in that part of the office all the machines were VAX VMS based. The only other machines were some state of the art 25 MHz 386's :-) and a couple of IBM RS6000 boxes running AIX. It was a little while before they would let me play with the IBM's as they were the new toys.
Your general point - that reading man pages is a good way to learn - I entirely agree with, but your example is incorrect.
Thanks for that. For some reason, I find it interesting to hear how people tackle learning to use a computer or Linux for the first time. As we have discovered, my memory may not be that great, and I can't remember what I went through to learn some of the stuff that I now take for granted. I find it really hard when people ask questions to things that I think should be self evident. Having a complete newbie document what they find, and how they struggle with and overcome issues helps me to keep a fresh perspective. Also, it helps to make clear what aspects are not as transparent as they could or should be.
Thats all.
-- Philip Stubbs