[Novalug] Linux beginner project

Kevin Cole dc.loco@gmail.com
Thu Jul 17 12:42:47 EDT 2008


On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 09:32, Greg and Rebekah Wehner
<grjwehner@mac.com> wrote:
> I've received a lot of good advice to my noob request, thank you all.
> One of the most basic suggestions was "what do you need to do? Learn that and grow ;) ".
> I have no pressing needs for Linux - I just really enjoy learning.  So a question back to you would be:
>
> "What is a good beginner project for a user looking for hands on experience with Linux?"
>
> I realize this question requires something to work with so I will provide the following:
> I have 3 comps - 1 Debian Etch, 1 SuSE9 (for my intro to Linux class) and 1 Mac with OS X Tiger.
> All comps are on a single router in my home network.  I have cable internet.
> I have intermediate knowledge of SQL (with MS SQL Server, not MySQL) so I could go down that road.
> Only "coding" i have experience with is VBA.
> My wife is an amateur photographer, so that may be a source of projects
>
> I guess I am looking for something that provides a basic introduction to a minimum of core programs/languages.
>
> I am interested in your feedback - thanks!

Python.  Easy to start with, lots of room to grow.  Increasingly used
for scripting Linux stuff.  (There's also Perl and bash itself.)  And
it's native to a lot (most?) linux distro's, Mac OS X, and an easy get
for a Windoze system.  It's being used quite heavily with the
Fedora-based XO laptop from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC)
Foundation, as well as having a lot of interest from the Ubuntu crowd.

Python resources on-line include (but are not limited to):

http://docs.python.org/
http://www.openbookproject.net/py4fun/
http://www.openbookproject.net/pybiblio/
http://www.openbookproject.net/thinkcs/python/english2e/
http://ibiblio.org/g2swap/byteofpython/read
http://www.briggs.net.nz/log/writing/snake-wrangling-for-kids/
http://www.diveintopython.org/
http://www.pygame.org/

-- 
Ubuntu Linux DC LoCo
Washington, DC
http://dc.ubuntu-us.org/



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