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Do you know where Linux came from and why it's become so popular? Have you ever wondered why there are so many different Linux distributions to choose from? In this lesson, you'll discover the Linux basics and explore the topics that the LPI Linux Essentials exam covers. You'll then learn about how studying for these topics can help you with your Linux career regardless of whether or not you decide to take the exam.

This lesson is all about graphical interfaces for Linux desktops. You'll learn how Linux detects your monitor and graphics cards and review the graphical desktops available in Linux and why there are so many of them. You'll become familiar with launching applications, creating and using desktop icons, and managing files on Linux systems. Last, you'll take a close look at customizing the Ubuntu Unity desktop, since that's the desktop you'll be using in this course.

In this lesson, you'll learn about Linux applications and the different types of software licenses that exist. You'll also learn about application software packages. There are lots of packages to choose from, and knowing about the most popular and useful ones can help save you some time in your software hunt. Finally, you'll take a look at some software management packages. Once you start installing lots of different software packages on your Linux system, you'll want to make sure they stay up to date with the latest patches and updates.

In this lesson, you'll explore a great feature of Linux: the command line interface (CLI). The real power of Linux comes from working with the kernel, and the CLI gives you an interactive way to access the kernel by entering commands. You'll take a close look at the Linux shell, which plays an integral role in this process, and you'll learn how to access the CLI from both the graphical desktop environment and a text-oriented server. You'll also learn the different types of commands that you can use, as well as how to edit and modify the commands in the CLI. By the end of the lesson, you'll be the commander of the command line!

The Linux file system can be a little confusing for Linux newcomers. This lesson demystifies how Linux handles storage media, including hard drives, USB memory sticks, and CD and DVD drives. You'll learn how Linux places files and folders on different media devices, and you'll find out what core folders are on your Linux file system. You'll see how Linux uses a single virtual directory to refer to files and folders, and you'll use both the graphical and command line interfaces to find your way around the Linux directory structure. After you master this lesson, the Linux file system will transform from overwhelming to easy.

In this lesson, you'll learn about the unusual way in which Linux handles files. Then you'll go over the different types of files that Linux supports and how to identify them. You'll learn the rules of Linux filenaming and how to create and update files. You'll also see how to find files on the Linux system using a variety of versatile command line commands. By the end of this lesson, you should feel very comfortable working with Linux files.

In this lesson, you'll build on what you just learned in the previous lesson about handling Linux files. First, you'll see how to use a graphical file manager to copy, move, delete, and rename files. Then, you'll learn how to perform these same functions with the Linux command line interface without the use of a graphical tool. Manipulating files from the command line is an important part of the Linux Essentials Exam, and the lesson will give you a solid foundation.

You'll fully immerse yourself in the command line in this lesson, learning how to work with text data files from the Linux command prompt. First, you'll learn how to display and examine data stored in standard text files. Then you'll explore how to search for data contained in text files, taking advantage of some rudimentary database functionality built right into the Linux command line. Finally, you'll see which popular file archiving options you can use. By the end of this lesson, you'll know the Linux command line like the back of your hand!

When working in a Linux server environment, it's crucial that you know about users and permissions. In this lesson, you'll learn the basics of managing user accounts and permissions on a Linux system. You'll see how Linux supports multiple users on the system by assigning different types of user accounts, and you'll learn how to harness the mighty power of the special root user account. The root user account can create other user accounts on the Linux system, as well as restrictions on those accounts when they access files and applications. After seeing what the root user account can do, you'll want to know all about how to use the Linux system administrator's secret weapon!

Your goal as a Linux administrator is to make sure everything runs smoothly, so in this lesson you'll learn how Linux handles the applications that are running on the system. Linux keeps track of a lot of different programs, all running at the same time, and you'll find out exactly how Linux does this. You'll also discover how to take a peek at real-time application information using both graphical and command line tools. Finally, you'll find out what to do if you encounter a runaway program with a mind of its own!

These days, just about everything you do on a computer requires network access. This lesson will walk you through the basics of networking by imagining it as four separate layers. You'll learn how to use both graphical desktop tools and the command line to configure your Linux system to use the network. Unfortunately, while you always hope your network will run smoothly, sometimes you'll run into problems. For that reason, you'll learn how to troubleshoot common network issues and be ready to dive into any network situation.

Linux system administrators often need to perform the same tasks over and over, such as checking disk usage or creating user accounts. Instead of entering multiple commands every time, you can write shell scripts to do these tasks automatically for you. In the final lesson of this course, you'll learn how basic shell scripts automate everyday activities on your Linux server, as well as how to get the most from your Linux system by writing your own scripts. Once you finish this lesson, you'll be writing shell scripts that can help you perform the most mundane tasks quickly and easily!