Using the dmesg command
As a SysAdmin I frequently need to access the kernel log to obtain information of various types. This can range from searching for why a...
How Linux keeps time
Knowing the exact time is important to computers for many reasons. A GPS, which is a computer, needs to know the exact time so it...
Personal backups with ‘rsync’
Make backups of your personal data in case your laptop is lost, stolen, or damaged.
How to get a clean screen — on the command line
After some time using terminal sessions they can get a bit cluttered with previous commands and their output data streams. At other times, I want...
How to do updates on the command line
Keeping your Linux computer as safe as possible from various types of cyber attacks is only possible if you perform updates regularly and upgrade to...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 16 —Find the simplicity
Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 18 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with some changes to update the...
For a traditional Unix experience, try Crux Linux
The Linux operating system can be implemented in many ways, and these implementations can very generally be divided into "traditional" Unix and modern Linux. This...
Empowering Everyone: Accessibility Features in LibreOffice
LibreOffice.org is my preferred productivity suite, and I've covered how I use it both as a graphical office suite and a terminal command in the past. In this article,...
The secrets of the usermod command
Most SysAdmins use a diverse set of commands, but it's usually the same set of commands. And, most frequently, the same set of options for...
Using htop to manage your Linux system
I use a lot of tools in my daily SysAdmin role. One of the most important ones in my toolkit is htop. The htop program...
Etherpad: Revolutionizing Real-Time Collaboration
A conversation with a friend today led me to remember Etherpad. In an age of digital collaboration, finding the right tool to facilitate effective teamwork is...
Processing files with ‘find’ and ‘xargs’
Here’s how I used ‘find’ and ‘xargs’ to locate the articles I wrote and count the words.
My mom requests a Linux computer
Image by: Opensource.com Editor’s note: This article by David Both was published by Opensource.com on November 16, 2015. It’s republished here without changes by permission...
Raspberry Pi 500 — a review
I've had several Raspberry Pi Single-Board Computers in the past and used them in interesting ways. Many years ago I even used one as a...
Bitwarden: Secure Password Management
Managing passwords is no easy task. There was a time when I relied on the browser to remember my passwords. Those passwords were easily remembered...
The joy of a modular kernel
What is a modular kernel? Modern modular kernels use a relatively small core that contains only the bare minimum code required to get a computer...