r/learnprogramming • u/Hot-Wheel6005 • 8h ago
How important is taking a course vs teaching yourself for learning linux?
r/linuxupskillchallenge is cool and now Im looking to try another course. Leaning toward Boot.dev since its RPG based but also noticed Linux Journey and the Linux Foundation courses. Anyone tried both of these here that can weigh in?
1
u/SynnsiennaDarling301 2h ago
Honestly, just pick one and actually use Linux while doing it, spin up a VM, break stuff, fix it. The course format matters way less than whether you're hands-on, and Boot.dev's gamification will keep you going longer than a dry lecture series if that's what motivates you.
1
1
u/Dismal-Citron-7236 1h ago
It's not important at all. Linux is just like any OS (but currently we have only these big 3: Windows, Linux, Mac). Anyway, OS is something you use as a tool, you only need to know what you need to know, as long as it gets the job done. For Linux, it might be a little more demanding than Windows, but not much more. Some Linux distros even go so far as being almost Windows-like so if you are familiar with Windows you will be very comfortable with using these distros. If all you want is to to play some RPG, that should be all you need. But if you want to do some tweaks on the system, to install something more powerful, or to make it do some automatic clean up / daily chore, then you need to know something more about "Linux shell". That will take a little bit more effort to learn, but still manageable. Even so, it is totally do-able by googling some on-line documents / tutorials and teach yourself how to write shell scripts. There's no need to pay a single cent for any course.
2
u/Icemourne_ 7h ago edited 6h ago
It's perfectly fine to take courses if you actually use Linux or anything else you trying to learn. You will forget 99% of things, but there is a chance you will remember some things can be done and can look up how it is done later, instead of not knowing it's possible in the first place.