UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

First let me say that SUN used to be and may still be a great OS but they seem to be on the way out... imho. Don't let me skew your opinion of SUN. Just my observations based on company actions...

Hehe please no flames from you SUN SAs...

Read this post for general unix links I have at the bottom.

NEWBIE Links!!


Most colleges are going to have you start with some basic Logic courses...called Problem solving, but you dont have to follow a program if you dont declare a major.

I would take an intro to unix course of some kind then take the followup to it. They usu cover the OS and loading packages and Os trouble shooting and some minor scripting for managing your system.

Many of these classes will teach using LINUX of some flavor. I woudl suggest loadingi an Linux partition on your home PC. You can get one for $30 at Barnes and Noble or any larger bookstore.

Then take a few scripting classes... Any Shell ksh/sh course will do. and maybe Perl... learning Awk/Sed...

Here are a few great books you can find used either online or local reseller...

"The AWK Programming language" by Aho/Kernigan/Weinberger ((AWK if you didnt know))

"Unix System Administrators Handbook" AKA "THE RED BOOK" by Nemeth/Snyder/Seebass/Hein...

"Unix in a Nutshell" by O'Reilly...

dont many jobs like to see at least an associates degree in computer science? and for that youd have to declare a major.

No need to declare a major until your sophmore or junior year. If you are part time student they wont bother with that stuff anyway usu...

And yes you probably need to have at least a 2 year degree in most cases.

Although I got my current job with no Degree only having been enrolled at a Junior college... I got in at the right time in 2000 when they were hiring anyone and everyone... but I did ahve 2 years exp with unix...

Don't let the degree thing throw you off. My degree has nothing to do with computer science (M.S. Astrophysics if you're wondering). If you know how to do the job is what counts.

Some companies have policies that you must have a degree of some kind just to get the first interview, but I've rarely seen companies who will demand a degree just in computer science for their tech people. That would exclued the vast majority of experienced IT folks from the pool of applicants! Most of the co-workers I know have either no degree or one in somehting other than computer science.

I guess what I'm saying is it sure couldn't hurt, but I wouldn't consider it required, and I wouldn't let not having a comp. sci. degree stop you from trying to do Unix administration.