[ale] How useful is Raspbian for Newbie Learning Linux?

[Leam Hall]

A Raspberry Pi will help you get started, and you'll have fun. Your POS 
and Windows (not in the redundant sense) expertise will help, as you 
likely understand HDMI ports and various other modern hardware things 
some of us had to go learn.

The main thing is to make it your primary desktop. That will force you 
to learn the basics.

As DJ-Pfulio says, the server and desktop mindsets are different. It's 
easy to try the server goal and get overwhelmed. Server's aren't always 
as fun, either.

So yeah, starting with the RPi is possible. I'm going to write up my 
notes in a few days. My process has been to get a CanaKit Extreme, a 
couple of female HDMI to DVI converters, and some extra MicroSD cards. 
My goal is to run an RPi desktop using a non-systemd based Linux distro, 
with Void being the next target. Moving to it as my primary desktop.

In the US, the big shops tend to use Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). 
When you start doing server stuff, get CentOS 8 (centos.org), it is RHEL 
in all but name.

Which is not to say RHEL is the best, just the enterprise choice. Other 
options are SuSE Linus (SLES) and Ubuntu Server. Actually, there are 
lots of Linux choices, but if you look at larger shops, RHEL is the 
lingua franca.

Leam

On 1/9/21 1:59 PM, Mark Ogilvie via Ale wrote:
> Someone asked what my specific learning goals were.
> In a nutshell I am open to whatever career opportunities a knowledge of 
> Linux will provide.
> At present I install and service workstations and point of sale 
> machines, but sometimes need to help with servers. My lack of Linux 
> skills is severely limiting my ability to help customers in this arena. 


-- 
Systems Programmer         (reuel.net/resume)
Chronicler: The Domici War (domiciwar.net)
General Ne'er-do-well      (github.com/LeamHall)