Do I really need to know how to compile the Linux kernel?
Most lists of things we do to learn Linux ignore the bits you don’t really need to do. Here is one I can suggest you...
5 Linux commands you should never run (and why)
Sometimes we run into articles on other sites that we wish we'd written. This one on ZDNET is an excellent example. There are some commands...
Book Errata
There's a bit of clarification needed in Volume 1, Chapter 4, Preparation, of my book series, Using and Administering Linux – Zero to SysAdmin: 2nd...
A little Vim trick I learned today
I learned a neat new trick today that greatly improves my work with Vim when I'm editing code. I like to copy and paste snippets...
Secure electronic document disposal with Linux
We can't be too careful about ensuring that our personal data is safe, both paper documents and electronic ones. I'm sure I don't need to...
Using Python and Ollama on a Linux desktop
Continuing my exploration of using a locally hosted Ollama on my Linux desktop computer, I have been doing a lot of reading and research. Today,...
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 08 — Always use shell scripts
Author’s note: This article is excerpted in part from chapter 9 of my book, The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, with some changes to update the...
Write a guessing game in ncurses
Use the flexibility of ncurses to create a guess-the-number game on Linux.
The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins, Tenet 07 — Automate Everything
SysAdmins are most productive when creating the shell programs that automate the solutions that they have conceived while appearing to be unproductive. The more automation we have in place the more time we have available to fix real problems when they occur and to contemplate how to automate even more than we already have.
Terminal size and ncurses
When programs like vi first came along, terminals had a predefined size: usually 80 columns and 24 lines (actually 25 lines, but the last line...
Searching text files from the command line
The find command is a powerful and flexible tool to locate files under a path.
Random numbers from the Linux kernel
Let the kernel generate random numbers for you using ‘getrandom.’
Working with Ollama
Now that I'm working with Ollama, I needed to figure out how to locate the models on my storage medium and determine the amount of...
Beachy thoughts: Many ways to solve a problem
I'm always thinking about solving problems and the beach doesn't change that. It's kind of the way my mind works. It's also the way life...
A gentle introduction to ncurses
You can create your own programs that use a text user interface to control the screen.
Sharing Linux with a friend
I volunteer with Meals on Wheels once a week, and one of the clients on my route is a man my age. We frequently spend...