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Ubuntu As A Begineer

Since I am a newbie to Linux, I would like to write what I felt based on what I familiar with Windows. There are several things I was not familiar so I would introduce what those are. 

Unity Interface


The most common interface on Ubuntu would Unity. Desktop term was confusing me so here are definition of each part of Unity interface. 

Desktop is the blank part, which would be used when any applications are launched. Dash is a sort of Search in Ubuntu. Panel shows us menu of an application, which is launched once.

Version Management - Standard Releases vs. Long Term Releases (LTS)


It is said a new release of version would be distributed every April and October. There are two different releases; Standard and LTS (Long Term Release). Support period for normal ones would be 9 months while LTS would be 5 years. And each release has its own code name.

Most of recent releases are listed on tables with code name at wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases. It is represented with nice graphs at www.ubuntu.com/info/release-end-of-life.
When you are on certain release of Ubuntu now, the end of support period can be checked with a simple command like ubutu-support-status above.

Directory Structure


Once any Linux is installed, you might notice it has quite different directory structure than Windows. Here is what I have learned while using Ubuntu for a while. Most of Linux have common directory structure but a specific distro may have a bit unique structure.


  • / - It is called the root directory and it is different from /root directory. Since all of files and directories are under /, it is equivalent to C:/ in Windows. If another partition, like D:/ drive in Windows is made in Linux, another / will be seen. 

  • /bin - It is called binary folder and it contains the essential binaries of important system programs and utilities such as bash shell. And /usr/bin includes binaries of applications like Firefox while /sbin contains the essential system administration binaries. 

  • /boot - This contains files that needs to start up the system including Linux kernel (vmlinux), GRUB (boot loader). The configuration files which utilise these files are not included in but in /etc folder.

    • /cdrom - Conventional mount point for CD-ROMs and it is default one in Ubuntu.

    • /dev - Contains all real device files like USB or SATA as well as virtual devices, which do not actually correspond to hardware like /dev/random or /dev/null. 

    • /etc - Includes system-global configuration files, which affect the system's behaviour and all programs. It contains the configuration files for boot-time, network and and so on. 

    • /home - This includes your user named folder like /home/tahee all the time and it contains user-specific configuration files. It would be equivalent to C:/User folder in Windows. 

    • /lib - Contains dynamic libraries and kernel modules, which support binaries in /bin and /sbin. This would be equivalent to DLL's in Windows.

    • /media - Intended for external devices like floppies, CDs, or USBs. It would indicate real physical devices, which should be attached to affiliated mounted folder.

    • /mnt - A place for specifically temporarily dedicated devices like floppies or CD-ROM's. Since it is temporarily mounted directory, each folder under this must be attached to physical storage devices before the folder turns to be accessed properly.  

    • /opt - Optional add-on or package folder. It is commonly used by proprietary software that does not follow the standard file system hierarchy. 

    • /proc - Process Information folder, which includes processes and kernel information as files. Since it is virtual one, it does not exist but stays in system memory only.

    • /root - System sensitive files like .gnupg or .cache. This folder is different from "/", which is called root as well. And /root would not allowed to access with normal user starting with ~$. Once it is changed to ~# with sudo -i command, you can access this folder.


    • /run - This directory gives applications a standard place to store information like sockets and process IDs. 

    • /sbin - See /bin above. 

    • /srv - Service Data folder contains services provided by the system. If Apache web server is used, associated website's files would be stored in the folder. 

    • /sys - System-specific Information folder includes kernel's view of the system.

    • /tmp - Temporary Files includes files stored by applications and generally deleted whenever system is restarted or by utilities. 

    • /usr - User Programs folder contains user application.
      • /usr/bin - Non-essential command binaries for all users. It is not needed in single user mode.
      • /usr/include - Standard include files.
      • /usr/lib - Libraries for the binaries in /usr/bin/ and /usr/sbin/.
      • /usr/local - Tertiary hierarchy for local data. 
      • /usr/sbin - Non-essential system binaries. 
      • /usr/share - Architecture-independent or shared data.
      • /usr/src - Source code like the kernel code with header files.

    • /var - Variable Folder includes variable data such as logs, databases, websites and etc. 
      • /var/cache - Application cache data.
      • /var/lib - State information. Persistent data modified by programs as the run. 
      • /var/lock - Locked files keeping track of resources currently in use. 
      • /var/log - Various log files.
      • /var/mail - Users' mailboxes.
      • /var/opt - Variable data from add-on packages. 
      • /var/run - Run-time variable data.
      • /var/spool - Spool for tasks waiting to be processed. 
      • /var/tmp - Temporary files to be preserved between reboots.

    Installed Software List


    When I got started playing with Ubuntu, I could not find out anything similar to Windows' "Uninstall or change a program" in Ubuntu. 

    There is Ubuntu Software Center, which is similar to Windows' "Uninstall or change a program" and plus Apple's App Store. Installing/Uninstalling programs would be available with Ubuntu Software Center but it is not like Apple's App Store, all of applications are not available in Ubuntu Software Center. So these kinds of software applications like Google Chrome or Microsoft Minecraft should be downloaded from the Internet. 

    A bit further advanced version of this is available; Synaptic, which can be downloaded in Ubuntu Software Center. You may refer to https://help.ubuntu.com/stable/ubuntu-help/addremove.html for a bit further details.



    # References


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