UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Is there any sort of documentation that translates windows commands into linux commands?

...just the basic stuff that you would do on your win PC translated to linux?

For example in windows to configure your network card you would...
Settings > Control Panel > Network Connections > Local area Connection.

and in RedHat Linux you would...
use LinuxConf in X windows (I think).

in win to format a drive you would...
type "Format :c"

in Linux you would...
I dont know that yet...

in Win the process to install a program is...
click setup.exe and folow the prompts

in linux it is...
I dont know this one as well

in win you can set, change, view all your hardware in the control panel.

in linux to do this...
I think you use LinuxConf

in windows changing the settings of your GUI is...
right click the desktop.

in Linux its...
Xconfigurator at the command line.

Iv searched the web but drew a blank. Is there anything like this about? And if not why not? It would help me and other people with a lot of basic stuff.

Here is one example which compares concepts and commands
Windows and UNIX comparison although it's more a DOS and UNIX as far as commands.

You have to realize UNIX is more a command line interface - sure, there are GUI's but most of the Sys Admins I know use GUI only 20% of the time. Shell scripts are written for anything that is done over and over. I've never used Solaris File Manager except to mount up a floppy disc - and then I go to command line to work with it.

You will probably find it easier if you start from scratch instead of trying to compare what GUI works. If you can't do command line, how are you going to fix a system that is broken and only goes into single-user mode? You don't usually get a GUI in single-user with UNIX.

Thanks for that link...thats the type of thing im thinking of.
But it would be nice if there were some more advanced commands in there as well. GUI or command line wont matter as long as it tells you what command to use, that is at least a place to start.

Consider this...

If I want to configure the Network card in Linux I have to search in XMAN for all subjects that have the word "NETWORK" in it.
Then look at every subject to see if any are what im looking for. 30 - 40 mins later I may find the command or app that I was looking for...

I and many other newbies will have to do this over and over again...

how about a simple cheat sheet of commands?

All these experts on www.UNIX.com could come together and ease the life of newbies everywhere by creating this list.

It would stop me asking all these stupid questions for one... and I got plenty more questions...

First, UNIX, unlike Windows, is not simple. It's not a point and click OS (although some versions are trying to get there). Part of the appeal is that you can change it (unlike Windows) to your needs.

Second, there are MANY web pages out there - but you have to do a search for them. Try Unix is a Four Letter Word for a start. Note that it was first started almost ten years ago.

There are many books on the subject - see the FAQ on this site for suggestions. Or a search.



If this were the Matrix, you could call Tank on a land line and have him download "UNIX". Then you could write your cheat sheet.