this post was submitted on 12 Dec 2025
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So, I installed Linux Mint not too long ago, and while I've been able to do what I want to do without touching the Terminal, I am a bit curious how it works, and whether it could help me.

In particular, I am slowly getting into programming, and I've heard some people talk about strange, otherworldly things, like Vim, and Shell Scripts.

There was this PDF I downloaded called "The Linux Command Line" by William Shotts, but it is 570 pages long, and glancing through it, it seems to go into many different things, and I am afraid I'll end up learning a hundred things while only ever using ten of them, if you get my meaning.

So yeah, anyone who has some tips, or resources for a Linux newbie, please let me know.

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[–] psycotica0@lemmy.ca 1 points 21 hours ago

Yeaaaaaaah, I wasn't sure whether or not to put that somewhere or not, and eventually decided not. I devalued all env vars, which I would feel like I had to move up to get into the PATH. I love the path, and I do agree with you that is important for understanding how the system really works, and how you can add your own commands, but I guess I figure that's a good Shell 201. For someone who wants to start using it, and isn't sure what a grep is or why a cat is involved, I figure they're not yet primed to care where these things live on their disk.

But soon after, for sure! And obviously others can disagree with me.