UNIX Knowledge is an Asset: Acquisition

#1

Knowing UNIX and/or Linux is a major plus when trying to get your first job in the field. I hear it from professionals, I see it in the Required Skill Sets area of job postings for production houses. The problem I’m running in to is how to go about learning these lofty operating systems at home, before I enter the field. I use 3ds max (Win only) and Photoshop (Win, Mac). Those are my primary programs that I use every single day.

Now, I have looked into M$ Services for UNIX, Cygwin, Bochs, and Virtual PC. However, from what I’m told by my friend, those are only going to take me so far and I’m not entirely sure that I will benefit from them. See, in my mind UNIX is like anything else; you need a use for it before you will use it. I’m not a programmer. I’m not a scripter. I don’t compile software. I see code and I go crosseyed. I use my mouse and Wacom tablet to make art… that’s about it. HOWEVER (and this is a big however), that doesn’t mean I am unwilling to learn if it is necessary for me to get work. I’m more than willing. But again, my friend tells me that learning Cygwin will be just that, learning Cygwin, and it won’t help me if I sit down at an IRIX rendering machine; I need to learn UNIX.

First of all I guess the obvious question is this: When companies ask you to have UNIX or Linux experience, what are they asking for? I’m not going for programming jobs. I’m an artist. Regardless, they seem to want me to know something about it. What do they want, exacly? Do they simply want me to be able to get around in the OS, akin to how one might use Windows Explorer to locate, move, and copy files in Windows? Do they want more? I’ve heard talk of shell scripting. Don’t know what it is, but is that something they would want me to know how to do? Maybe I’m going for an entry level position as a render tech assistant or something. What do I need to know how to do? What are my options for learning what I need to know at home using the equipment and graphics software that I already have?

I don’t have a second computer, nor can I afford one. Otherwise it would be a simple matter to work on my Windows box and do all of my web searching, instant messaging, mail, etc on the UNIX or Linux machine. Ok, so given that I can’t do that what do you guys recommend that I do?

No flames or jokes please. This pertains to helping me get a job and I take it very seriously. Thank you.

  • Dustin Brown
#2

trying to keep things short and simple :

  • buy Unix for dummies and not only read, but practice
  • register in an OS architecture or CS 101 course

the “UNIX knowledge required” often means that they don’t want people so clueless about computers that they do not understand size units (Gb/Mb/Kb) and are incapable of operating in a command line based environment (believe it is a lot more productive than any fancy file management UI i have seen to date). quick summary of topics :

  • basic unix shell commands and their options (cd / rm / cp / mv / ln / more / grep…)
  • basic shell syntax ( * ? . `` “” ; )
  • basic file system understanding (sym links / permissions / no trash can)
  • network operations ( login / rlogin / telnet )

slightly more advanced topics :

  • disk mounting and networked file systems (fstab / mtab / NFS)
  • basic shell scripting (shell script or PERL or Tcl - doesn’t have to be at guru level)

anyway - that’s my take on it.

#3

You already mentioned Cygwin. This is definitely the best way to learn without breaking your OS. Your friend who tells you this will be useless is wrong.

Just try not doing anything outside of the Cygwin shell for a month. i.e. all you file operations, starting programs etc. You will quickly learn how to navigate, and can probably learn the basics of scripting for doing things like renaming large sets of files. As long as you resist the temptatation to reach for the nice, shiny, clickable ui you will quickly learn.

Once you get good in the shell, you won’t want to go back to explorer. it’s such a slow way of working…

When a company says they want you to have *nix experience, they just mean they want you to be able to sit down, log in and start up maya without having a panic attack. They won’t expect you to install software, compile the kernel, or manage the network.

If you really want try out the whole *nix experience, just deploy linux on a seperate partition and dual-boot.

#4

Thanks guys. It’s good to at least know what these companies are asking from me. I think what I will do is read a book I already have, the Sam’s Teach Yourself UNIX in 24hrs book. I read their book on networking and it was pretty informative and easy to understand. Then if I want to learn more I have access to a couple of O’Reilly books on learning UNIX through a friend.

I also plan to sign up for the UNIX I class at my local community college. You have to love cheap, yet effective education :stuck_out_tongue:

And I’ll start running Cygwin and force myself to avoid the GUI. The problem with a dual boot is that I know myself and I won’t ever go in to it because I won’t have a direct NEED to do so. Oh sure I could do all my mail and stuff through that, but I usually do that stuff while I’m working on projects, where I would click over for a second then go back to work. It would be too much of an inconvenience. So I’ll try Cygwin and see how far that gets me.

  • Dustin Brown
#5

I hope you guys don’t mind helping me along a little. I installed Cygwin this morning and have been scouring the web for basic commands: cd, cp, and mv I’ve got down pretty well.

What I’m up against now is that I would like to be able to actually USE my computer. That, naturally, means opening various file types: image files, mp3’s, etc. But, sticking to my goal, I want to do it all from within the command line. I don’t want to cheat and use the UI. I also want to keep on using IrfanView to view image files and Winamp to listen to my music. I can’t figure out how to open files or execute software. Help!

-Dustin

#6

mmm mumble…
WINamp? infarview? under linux? :curious:
FREEAMP! Any of the milion program to watch picture unted linux bat not infarview!

I don’t have undestand if you are using only command line (text mode) or if you are using a console into a graphic interface (KDE or gnome)
the best way to use command line is to use it into the gui, so you can open many console and have the total control of the system.
Command line is use for configuration porpouse, to listen music and watch picture GUI is preferred.
You can also start a program that play music from console but I don’t advise you. You should write something like that:

/etc/x.13/program/freeamp/freeamp ~/music/ironmaiden/thetrooper.mp3

or add any program you use in the path (very low security)

To start program simple type the name of the program, ex:
“vi”
(vi is the most basic text editor under linux. vi is the path)
“ls” is also a program that show the content of directory.
if you want run a program in you current directory type “./” followed by the name of your program, ex:
./myprogram
under unix there no extention so you should know what file are program a what file are data, tipically user are helped by color

For beginner the best command of all is “man” that show you the help!

Sorry for my awfull english, I hope you undestand me!

#7

I remember logging into linux for the first time, and feeling completely lost in the file system structure. It’s good that you haven’t been daunted… keep it up!

The problem is that you’re using Cygwin on top of a Windows system. Although Cygwin may look like a UNIX system, it’s still just Windows with an abstracted layer on top so that UNIX types of applications can run. So when you’re using Cygwin to control your Windows applications, you’re learning by staying in a UNIX like environment, but it’s still not quite unix. Anyhow, from what I can remember, you can access your Windows drives (C:, D:, whatever) by (maybe) accessing the /cygdrive directory. Each Windows drive should be located under that directory. So, if you wish to run c:\my_apps\app1.exe then look for something like /cygdrive/c/my_apps/app1.exe.

Shehbahn had the best advice. Try to learn the tools required to work in a networked UNIX environment. Basically, anything that the average Windows user would need, learn it for UNIX. Mapping Drives = mounting NFS partitions, etc. Learn how to change your password, keep your files organized, zip files, etc etc. Basically, learn how to keep your house clean.

Anyhow, it seems like you’re on the right track. If you do enroll in a local College, they’ll likely provide you with a student account on a UNIX server that you can play with on a level unavailable through Cygwin.

Good luck!

Oh, one other thing. Under UNIX, everything is treated like a file. There are no multiple drives (C, D, E, etc) but just the “root” directory: " / ". Any physical drives are found under the /dev drive, and those physical devices are mounted to a directory under " / ".

Ie. You may have two partitions on your primary IDE drive. So you would have “/dev/hda1” & “/dev/hda2”. The first could be applications, and the second could be data files. So you could mount those drives to say “/usr/local/my_apps” and “/usr/local/my_data”. So now your two partitioned drives look like they exist on one large drive. And yes, everything looks like a file, from RAM, to your sound card. It’s a very interesting system design.

#8

Uh… he’s not using Linux - he’s using Cygwin (a *nix-like environment for Windows)

#9

Cygwin… oh yes! I heard about that, but I never use it.

What happen is I try to open a win progam under Cygwin?

The first time I’m try to learn Linux I have used a live CD distribution

liveCD is a special version of linux (like knoppix) that start only from CD and don’t break your system.
Insert CD, linux start, make what you wanna do, after you have done your exercise you can shout down linux and restart with windows…

#10

That’s an interesting idea, Troy. I may have to look into a solution that runs off of CD.

  • Dustin Brown
#11

Knoppix is pretty cool for those purposes. I use Mepis here - which doubles up as a full system and a cdrom based portable system

#12

Every experience with *nix like os help! I have to use windoze for customer care work but for net admin, nothing beats *nix. I use both Linux RH7.3 and Solaris 9 (Intel, Sparc). They both rocks but Solaris on Sparc rocks just for the rom check and debugging!

Read all you can about *nix and shell scripting. Shell scripting is great for basic regular backup and day to day clean up. What I mean by day to day clean up is simple: you will notice files that appears out of nowhere ( *.core) and old log files… You create a script to delete the *.core and delete the older log files et voilà!

Enjoy *nix,

#13

Did you say, Mac? :thumbsup: As in… OS/X?

Guess what! That’s Unix!

#14

That’s technically true. But try putting an OSX user in front of an IRIX workstation and ask him to send an email.:slight_smile:

#15

so… are you telling us that osx users are all braindead and therefore unable to double click an icon that’s labeled mozilla or netscape and switch to that app’s builtin mail-software? :wink:

#16

The great thing about OS/X is that it does a pretty good job of insulating the user from the underlying unix system. Unix is there and you can use a OSX box to learn unix but just sitting in front of one is not going to constitute unix knowledge…

#17

What icon? :slight_smile:

#18

and what DOUBLE click? :slight_smile:

#19

not my desktop, btw.

#20

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