Use GNU/Linux

From CS113

Like most operating systems, data is organized into files and directories.

Create a directory with mkdir dirname. Delete a directory with rmdir dirname.

List the contents of the current directory with ls. Use ls -al to see extra information.

To see the contents of a file without editing it use cat filename.

To remove a file, use rm filename.
WARNING: Removed files cannot be recovered. There is no confirmation before the file is removed. There is no recycle-bin. Use rm with extreme caution. Otherwise, always use rm -i filename so it asks for confirmation.

To move or rename a file, mv oldname newname
WARNING: If a file with newname already exists, it will be replaced without confirmation. mv -i oldname newname will ask for confirmation before clobbering any existing files.

To mail a file to yourself, use mail netid@cornell.edu < filename

To kill a program that is misbehaving (infinite loop), use killall progname where progname is the name of the program you want to kill (e.g fact if you compiled and are running ./fact)

Most commands can be interrupted with <ctrl>-c. For example, if you type cat at the shell without giving it a filename (or bc, dd, etc.), you can close the command and return to the shell by pressing <ctrl>-c.

You can create aliases (command shortcuts) using alias shortcut='full command'. For example, alias mv='mv -i' will automatically substitute mv -i whenever you try to execute mv.

You can autoexecute commands to be run upon login by adding them to the file .bashrc in your home directory. Use VIM to edit the file: vim ~/.bashrc. (The ~ character is a shortcut for your home directory)

See Linux Shell Tutorial for more commands.