Learn to use Unix, OS X, or Linux quickly and easily! In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, Sams Teach Yourself Unix in 24 Hours helps you get up and running with Unix and Unix-based operating systems such as Mac OS X and Linux.   Designed for beginners with no previous experience using Unix, this book’s straightforward, step-by-step approach makes it easy to learn.   Each lesson clearly explains essential Unix tools and techniques from the ground up, helping you to become productive as quickly and efficiently as possible. Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common Unix tasks. Practical, hands-on examples show you how to apply what you learn. Quizzes and exercises help you test your knowledge and stretch your skills. Notes and tips point out shortcuts and solutions Learn how to… Pick the command shell that’s best for you Organize the Unix file system (and why) Manage file and directory ownership and permissions Maximize your productivity with power filters and pipes Use the vi and emacs editors Create your own commands and shell scripts Connect to remote systems using SSH and SFTP Troubleshoot common problems List files and manage disk usage Get started with Unix shell programming Set up printing in a Unix environment Archive and back up files Search for information and files Use Perl as an alternative Unix programming language Set up, tweak, and make use of the GNOME graphical environment Contents at a Glance HOUR 1: What Is This Unix Stuff? HOUR 2: Getting onto the System and Using the Command Line HOUR 3: Moving About the File System HOUR 4: Listing Files and Managing Disk Usage HOUR 5: Ownership and Permissions HOUR 6: Creating, Moving, Renaming, and Deleting Files and Directories HOUR 7: Looking into Files HOUR 8: Filters, Pipes, and Wildcards! HOUR 9: Slicing and Dicing Command-Pipe Data HOUR 10: An Introduction to the vi Editor HOUR 11: Advanced vi Tricks, Tools, and Techniquess HOUR 12: An Overview of the emacs Editor HOUR 13: Introduction to Command Shells HOUR 14: Advanced Shell Interaction HOUR 15: Job Control HOUR 16: Shell Programming Overview HOUR 17: Advanced Shell Programming HOUR 18: Printing in the Unix Environment HOUR 19: Archives and Backups HOUR 20: Using Email to Communicate HOUR 21: Connecting to Remote Systems Using SSH and SFTP HOUR 22: Searching for Information and Files HOUR 23: Perl Programming in Unix HOUR 24: GNOME and the GUI Environment Appendix A: Common Unix Questions and Answers

Table of Contents:
HOUR 1: What Is This Unix Stuff? What Is Unix? A Brief History of Unix What’s All This About Multiuser Systems? Cracking Open the Shell Getting Help HOUR 2: Getting onto the System and Using the Command Line Beginning Your Session Seeing What’s Going On Around You HOUR 3: Moving About the File System What a Hierarchical File System Is All About Directory Separator Characters The Difference Between Relative and Absolute Filenames HOUR 4: Listing Files and Managing Disk Usage The ls Command Special ls Command Flags Permissions Strings HOUR 5: Ownership and Permissions Working with File Permissions HOUR 6: Creating, Moving, Renaming, and Deleting Files and Directories Manipulating the Unix File System HOUR 7: Looking into Files Looking Inside Files Hour 8: Filters, Pipes, and Wildcards! Maximizing the Command Line Hour 9: Slicing and Dicing Command-Pipe Data The awk Programming System How to Use cut in Pipes Inline Editing with sed and tr Hour 10: An Introduction to the vi Editor Editing the Unix Way HOUR 11: Advanced vi Tricks, Tools, and Techniques Advanced Editing with vi Summary of vi Commands Hour 12: An Overview of the emacs Editor The Other Popular Editor: emacs Hour 13: Introduction to Command Shells The (Command) Shell Game Hour 14: Advanced Shell Interaction Which Shell Is Which? HOUR 15: Job Control Wrestling with Your Jobs HOUR 16: Shell Programming Overview Building Your Own Commands Hour 17: Advanced Shell Programming Searching a Database of Filenames with mylocate HOUR 18: Printing in the Unix Environment Making a Printed Copy HOUR 19: Archives and Backups The tar Tape Archive Utility The zip Archive Utility Shrinking Your Files with compress Exploring the Unix Tape Command: cpio Personal Backup Solutions Working with Linux Package Managers HOUR 20: Using Email to Communicate Interacting with the World HOUR 21: Connecting to Remote Systems Using SSH and SFTP Stepping Beyond Your Own System HOUR 22: Searching for Information and Files Finding What’s Where HOUR 23: Perl Programming in Unix Flexible and Powerful: Perl Hour 24: GNOME and the GUI Environment Tweaking Your Inner GNOME Working with GNOME Applications Appendix A: Common Unix Questions and Answers How do I use find|xargs with filenames that contain spaces? How do I find large files on my system? How do I run a program on a schedule? How do I fix file permission problems? How do I list files that don’t match a given pattern? How do I view lines X–Y in a text file? How do I add a new directory to my PATH? How do I recover deleted files? How can I set my shell to protect me from accidental deletions? What do the shell errors arg list too long and broken pipe mean? Why use ssh instead of telnet? Or sftp instead of ftp?