CS105 - Notes and Resources

Text: "Guide to UNIX Using Linux" by Michael Palmer et al


General Hacker Stuff

The Jargon File 
This is the place to go to learn 'hacker-speak' if you're so inclined.  There's also a print version but the online one is updated more frequently. 

IBM DeveloperWorks - A great resource for developers and system administrators, with articles, tutorials and links to software. Good resource for Linux tutorials

O'Reilly.Net - An excellent technical resource for just about every platform you can think of.

Course-Related Links

The Linux Documentation Project - Your one-stop shop for all tasks involving Linux.  It can be read online or you can download it to your own computer.

Debian GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide - A nicely written manual taking you through initial installation and describing nearly every common task you might want to perform as a Linux desktop user.

An Introduction to CLI Editors - (CLI stands for Command Line Interface) - A friendly overview of Linux text editors.

CLI Magic: One-liners - Quick little one-off commands to make your Linux experience easier.

Customizing Your Bash Environment - Bash is a popular CLI environment you'll be using in Linux.  Here are some tips to make it your own.

Tools

OpenOffice.org- The OpenOffice.org project is producing a free, open-source competitor to Microsoft Office.  OpenOffice.org can read and write Microsoft Office files and has database and drawing tools as well.  Bonus features: built-in export to PDF and the ability to export presentation files to Flash format.

Cygwin - This is a set of UNIX programs that have been ported to Windows.  They're free and open source.  They add a lot of useful functionality to the Windows command prompt.

Essays on Programming and the Profession

How to Write Unmaintainable Code - This tongue-in-cheek essay is a guide to writing maintainable code and is an amusing and informative read.

Deleting Code - A deceptively simple essay on what to do with code you're no longer using. (It's more subtle than you may think. A recommended read. )

The Tao of Programming - A well-done, tongue-in-cheek look at computer programming in terms of Eastern mysticism.

Quotes on Program Development - Like the title says....

Code and Personality - How to tell what kind of person you are from looking at your code.

Problem-Solving Strategies - Not specifically about programming, but a good set of rules-of-thumb for dealing with technical problems.

Tutorials and HOWTOs


Learn the Linux Command Line - A nice, online tutorial on using the Linux shell, suitable for both beginners and folks who want to brush up their skills.

Advanced Bash Scripting Guide - This is the best online guide to bash I've seen yet. In addition to in-depth examination of tools and techniques, there are tons of sample scripts for you to learn from.

Basic Linux Commands - A nice little memory refresher.

Commands for Guru Wannabes - From the folks who gave us 'Basic Linux Commands' above, here are some more heavy duty tools.

Beginner Commands for Server Administration - Last, but not least, some basic but powerful command line tools for administering Linux services.

Tutorial for using vi - This was written by Bill Joy and Mark Horton when they were graduate students at Stanford and they developed the vi editor.  It's supposed to be a gentle introduction.

UNIX 101: vi Editor - Another beginner's tutorial.

Organizations/Projects

Mozilla - The Mozilla project is producing the next-generation Web platform.


Virtual Network Computing - Remote desktop software similar to PC-Anywhere, except it runs on every platform you can name and it's free.

General Resources

ComputerWorld - If you want to see how computers are really used in real businesses, this is a good source. Essentially an offshoot of Computerworld magazine (available as a free subscription if you can convince them that you influence buying decisions where you work) , this site is pretty platform independent and has a decent career section, as well as a 'gossip' column where actual IT folk write in anonymously and describe the various ways that management can screw up the techies.

SoftPro Books - This is an excellent source for computer and networking books. You can order online or go to one of their local stores. (They have one at Yosemite and Arapahoe in Englewood and another in Boulder.) You can usually get 10-20% off the list price and if you join their 'frequent shoppers' club (it's free) you can get additional savings. 

Online References

Webopedia - Stuck trying to figure out an acronym or computer term? This is a good site to look it up. 

igrep - advertised as the first search engine for technical people.

Just for Fun

RiffTrax - From the folks who brought you Mystery Science Theater 3000, this site offers hilarious commentary tracks for popular (and some not-so-popular) movies.

Klingon Fairy Tales - Features such classics as "Goldilocks Dies With Honor at the Hands of the Three Bears"

Television Without Pity - Recaps, reviews and discussions of popular TV shows, sometimes very snarky and funny.

Computer Stupidities - This site collects actual dialogues between real users and real tech support folk. The range of misunderstandings and confusion is frequently hilarious.

Peter's Evil Overlord List - Thinking about a career as an Evil Overlord? Think you have what it takes to be the next Darth Vader? Check out this site for a collection of SuperVillain Do's and Don'ts including 'My ventilation shafts will be too small to crawl through'.

Stupid Plot Tricks - Expanding on the Evil Overlord lists, this contains lists of rules for henchman, good guys/gals, bad guys/gals and even sidekicks.  Very funny read.

Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics - This site examines many popular movies to see if the action is in line with real physical laws.  An interesting, entertaining and even educational read.

Movie-a-Minute - A very funny site, with brief summaries of many popular films. As a sample, here's their treatment of "The Matrix":

Keanu Reeves
Hey everybody, look! Look at me! I'm in a movie that doesn't suck!
Audience
GASP!
Keanu Reeves
Yes, it's true! Not only that, despite my total lack of acting ability, I very nearly didn't suck in this movie!
Audience
(faints)

THE END

Book-a-Minute - From the folks who brought you 'Movie-a-Minute'. Here's their treatment of Frank Herbert's "Dune":

Frank Herbert
I'm lots smarter than you are. I challenge you to understand even one of my paragraphs!
Reader
Gee, Frank Herbert is smart. I can't even find the plot.

THE END

 

Notes Problem Solutions and other Code
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