Unity Tutorial Video

I came across this 27-minute Unity tutorial a few weeks back. If you you are using Ubuntu 12.04, or are considering it, check it out. It is pretty through and explains many of its hidden features.

Unity remains controversial and I have mixed feelings about it myself. I think that application discovery is more difficult when using the dash than it is using the previous pull-down menu system. Changing workspaces requires an additional step in Unity and the placement of window controls and menus in the top corner of the workspace is awkward at best.

But on the other hand, I get what the designers are trying to do. In addition to making the user interface more touch-friendly (because it's the future du jour), it attempts to reduce distraction on the desktop and make your work easier to focus on.

I have 12.04 running on my laptops and netbooks (it's a good fit for netbooks) and will be upgrading my main desktop to it soon.

Announcing LinuxCommand.org Version 3

Over the weekend I went live with a major revision to the LinuxCommand.org site. This update modernizes and improves the tutorials and simplifies the site to bring its content into sharper focus.

Both the Learning The Shell and Writing Shell Scripts tutorials have been updated and now incorporate some material from the book. The order of the lessons has also been slightly revised.

A few features of the old version of the site, such as the SuperMan Pages, Script Library, mailing lists, and RSS feed have been deprecated. If you have links to the old features, they will still work but they may go away in the future. I intend to add more links to external references (i.e. Further Reading sections to the lessons) and a few scripts to the new Resources page.

Please look it over and let me know about typos, and other screw-ups I may have missed. Thanks.

Next up: I am beginning work on the second edition of the book. If all goes well, you can expect to see that in the late summer.

How Linux Is Made

The Linux Foundation has released a short video that explains (in very high-level terms) the Linux kernel development process. It goes on to tout Linux as the dominating platform for smart phones, supercomputers, web commerce, and enterprise infrastructure.

Announcing The Linux Command Line from No Starch Press

Starting today, the printed version of The Linux Command Line will be published by No Starch Press. It is available now wherever fine books are sold, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

In October of 2010 I received an email from an editor at No Starch saying that they were impressed with my book and asked if I would be interested in commercially publishing it. This started a long negotiation with them over rights. I wasn't interested in a commercial version per se, rather I was interested in having greater reach. I know that readers outside the United States have difficulty purchasing the printed version from Lulu.com, and that I am unable to provide ePub and other e-reader formats. My publishing agreement with No Starch Press grants them exclusive rights to produce the printed version and all electronic versions except PDF and HTML. Those formats will remain mine. What's important here is that the freely distributable PDF will continue to be available, and I will continue to develop it. I plan to start work on the second edition this spring.  I'm also planning to rewrite the LinuxCommand.org tutorials based on the contents of the book which is, frankly, much more accurate and up-to-date.

So how is the No Starch Press version different from my version? It's about 99% the same. The chapter numbering is different, it's been copy edited to further improve my so-called English, and it's been reformatted to fit their typographical style. But in terms of content, it's virtually the same as the freely distributable version.

To celebrate the introduction of The Linux Command Line, No Starch Press is offering a limited time promotion when you buy the book directly from the No Starch website. Use the discount code GREPITGOOD to get 40% off The Linux Command Line. One week only! Free ebook with all print book purchases.

Further Reading

• Press release from No Starch Press
• Promotion Announcement

Evolution of shells in Linux

A brief article on the IBM developerWorks site about the history of Unix shell programs and their Linux implementations:

Evolution of shells in Linux:

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