[ubuntu-uk] Learning Ubuntu....

[Philip Stubbs]

2009/3/5 Liam Proven <lproven at gmail.com>:
> 2009/3/5 Philip Stubbs <philip at 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