New to linux

[moks107]

Hi guys!umm im kinda new to linux and im really planning on moving on to the linux environment and i just got some questions umm is it true that u dont need a antivirus?and dat u dont need to defrag ur files?hows that?well i was just wondering and one more question do you know any references i can get so that i can be able to get used to the terminal line coz i dont know how to install stuff here so what i do is just search it in the net how to install stuff i would really appreciate your help

[aven]

There are not many viruses written for Linux yet but that doesn't mean Linux doesn't have its own share of problems. People patch the exploits fairly quickly as it is open source but I don't know at what degree this holds true to. I didn't install an antivirus because of the very idea that the hackers haven't yet targeted Linux at a large scale.

Linux's default and newly stabilized Ext4(from Ext3) is a journaling filesystem and it is made to be fragmentation resistant. Though plans are made for a defragmenter for Ext4.

Before I tell you about how to find stuff on the net to help you with your journey of using Linux, I recommend using an easy distribution for starters, like Ubuntu and Mint Linux. Type in "ubuntu" with whatever problem you have and you should get a result. XD

Oh yea, I bet you'll love this. Go to a site called distrowatch.com
they have a ton of distributions on their site that they track as well as how up to date their programs are in the latest version. For Ubuntu, you can selectively update your programs for Ubuntu by going to a site called getdeb.net

[Nick09]

Well the reason why Linux is not targeted by viruses is because Windows is used by 90% of people with a computer. Though there is a firewall for Linux called Firestarter. It's a graphical frontend for Linux's built-in firewall.

A few guides to get you started with the terminal:
LinuxCommand.org: Learning the shell.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Us...UseTheTerminal

Shortcuts you can make use of in a terminal:
Linux keyboard shortcuts

If you want a easy experience then you should burn ubuntu to a cd and you can try Ubuntu before you install it. If you like it you can set the installation to make multiple partitions on the HDD(if you are unsure about this you can search "how do you install ubuntu with windows").

About installing programs, Ubuntu has a graphical Add/Remove program on the Applications menu. It allows you to install many types of programs easily.