UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I am currently studying to be a Unix programmer. I am at the very beginning stages taking an online course through guruischool. I know that this course will not be nearly enough for me to be a confident or competent unix programmer. However I was wondering what projects I can do at home that will allow me to:
1. Build confidence in my Unix abilities(with the goal to eventually get a job as a unix programmer)
2. Allow me to simulate the kinds of obstacles I will encounter out in the it world as a Unix user.
I have read the FAQ and seen the recommended books. But is there a specific order in which these books should be studied.
Please forgive me in advance if I have asked questions that seem ingnorant or shortsided. I just want to start off in the right direction. Thank you

No order.

But i would suggest learning at least 1 or 2 programming languages... Many jobs require you to be able to script... even if you wont use it extensively.

Get a good beginners book like. Also, Go to your local Junior College or College and enroll in a entry level UNIX course. You will get a good broadbased foundation there.


"UNIX System Admnistrators Handbook" by Nemeth/Snyder/Seebass/Hein

"The Awk Programming language" by Aho/Kernigan/Weinbeger

"UNIX in a Nutshell" By O'Reilly


For starters... also I might learn another language like Perl which may be very handy.

Thank you both for the great advice and helpful insight. So I was wondering now that I have started to also learn C programming, what development package would be good to get. Should I go for Turbo C++ or another suite?

Ok thank you for the quick response. I was talking about Unix I just didn't know that they had there own compiler. I see on my Red Hat linux 9 professional package that it comes with gcc. I will work on installing that and then continue with my beginners c book . Thank you. Sorry for the remedial questions but I am having fun learning.

i started off the same way about a year ago, but pursued the knowledge part and the learning experience on my own time sometimes putting in 18 hours at a time day after day.. first you have to keep reading and experiementing and second you must try and project somekind of goal for yourself that will help you achieve your goals.. I am working on creating a virtual databse that functions on operating system levels, like device files and so on.. I have been doing this for the heck of it for 1 year now and have acrued a great amount of data that I have journaled on the subject and also aquired some basic knowledge that has me holding my own in many ways.. one of the best experiences that i have had so far is researching and reading the necessary requirements to become a good programmer and I have just begun to read and study c programming cds in much the same way.. a good book to read is sams C for linux in 21 days.. perfect!. i have read read it three times.. good luck!.
moxxx68