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Monthly Archives: June 2012

Computers and Technology: Shop for Insurance Responsibly

Today’s advancements in computers and technology make many tasks easier than they were years ago. Computers and technology aid us in our personal lives as well as professional lives. Most young people probably can’t imagine a world without computers and technology, and most older people probably can’t imagine going back to that world. Thanks to computers and technology, we work online, we play online – we do just about everything online!

A popular trend today is the act of purchasing insurance policies online. Health insurance, life insurance, automobile insurance – you name an insurance, and it can probably be purchased online thanks to computers and technology. This is a great convenience for some folks. Think about it: who wants to make a detour on their commute home from a long day of work to talk with an insurance agent about purchasing an insurance policy? Wouldn’t most people rather go home to spend time with their families and relax before the next day begins?

While computers and technology make it much easier to spend more time enjoying these kinds of leisurely activities, they also make it much easier for us to lose connection with real people. By purchasing insurance online, you’re saving time and effort, but you’re also losing the important, yet overlooked, benefit of speaking with an insurance agent one-on-one, face-to-face. At the very most, the only human interaction you’re going to have by purchasing insurance online is speaking with a representative over the phone.

This isn’t to say that you should avoid the perks of today’s computers and technology, such as purchasing insurance online; however, you should make sure you have the chance to get some one-on-one time with an insurance agent – even if that one-on-one time is only over the phone. Rather than the conversation consisting solely of a brief synopsis of the coverage and your credit card number, ask specific questions, and make sure to get thoroughly detailed answers.

Linux Training for People New to Linux – How to Use Linux Command Line Components

Linux Commands – The great thing about Linux commands is that they are virtually identical from one Linux distribution (version) to another. So the way the real pros do Linux administration is to work at the Linux command line and run Linux commands.

Learning how to run a Linux command can be very difficult for someone new to Linux, so here are some Linux tips that will help you to learn how to use Linux commands when working at the Linux command line prompt.

There are three main parts of a Linux command:

1. The Linux command name

2. Options that can be used with the Linux command

3. The “item(s)” that the Linux command is being run “on”

When you run a Linux command, spaces are used between: the Linux command name, the command options and the “item” the command is being run “on”. The “item” could be a Linux directory, file, user or some other Linux software component.

For example, you run the Linux command named ls (for list) “on” a Linux directory to see a list of files in the directory. You run the Linux command named rm (remove) “on” a Linux directory to remove the directory from the Linux file system.

To run a Linux command, you type in the name of the command, and any other parts of the command, such as options, and press the Enter key.

You can see an example of the Linux command that is used to create a new Linux user below. The useradd command is being run “on” the bthatcher user name to create this Linux user.

Linux Tips: Linux commands are run at the Linux command line prompt and this prompt is shown as ]# at the left of the command. You don’t type in the prompt, you type the Linux command at the right of the prompt.

Linux Tips: The Linux command prompt may also appear as: ]$ or as another symbol, instead of # or $.

]# useradd -c “Becky Thatcher” bthatcher

This Linux command creates a new Linux user named bthatcher with the full name of “Becky Thatcher”. The -c (for comment) option is used with this command to add the full name as a comment to the Linux user name of bthatcher.

One of the easiest and best ways to get Linux training is to see Linux commands being run in Linux video tutorials. With this method – you see, hear and do.

With a Linux video tutorial, you see and hear how to run a Linux command and see and hear a description of the output of the command. You can also pause the video so you can run the Linux command yourself!

Copyright © 2007 Clyde Boom

Linux Training for People New to Linux – How to Use Linux Command Options

Most Linux distributions (versions) have Graphical User Interface (GUI) utilities that you can use to do Linux administration. However, these “point-and-click” Linux utilities are slow and cumbersome and they are different from one Linux distribution to another. Therefore, to learn how to use Linux, don’t spend time learning Linux GUI utilities.

As part of your Linux training, one of the best benefits of learning Linux commands is that they are basically the same from one Linux distribution (version) to another. And since there are over 130 different versions of the Linux OS (operating system), learning how to use Linux commands is the best way to learn how to use Linux to do Linux system administration.

Linux Tips: When you are new to Linux and need to get Linux training, learn how to use Linux commands, not GUI utilities.

Learning how to run a Linux command can be very difficult for new Linux users. So, here are some Linux tips that will help you to learn how to use Linux commands to administer the Linux OS (operating system).

Running a Linux Command

To run a Linux command, you type in the Linux command name at the Linux command line prompt and press the Enter key.

The ]# in these examples represents the Linux command line prompt. You don’t type in the prompt!

Below is an example of running the Linux command named ls. The ls stands for list and is used to show you a list of files and directories.

]# ls

No options were used with the Linux command above.

Linux Command Options

To use options with a Linux command, you type in the letter(s) of the option, proceeded by a – (dash).

The Linux command below uses the l (el) option. The l stands for long and gives you a more detailed listing of the files in the current directory. The l option is preceded by a – (dash, or minus sign).

]# ls -l

You may also need to type in the name of an “item” that the Linux command is being run “on”, such as the name of a
directory in the Linux file system.

Linux Tips: The Linux file system is all the directories and files on the hard disk(s) a Linux system.

Running a Linux Command “On” an Item

The command below is being run “on” the directory named letters. It gives you a long listing and shows all the files and directories in the letters directory.

]# ls -l letters

An excellent way to learn how to use Linux commands is to watch Linux video tutorials, to actually see how to run a command, hear a description of what is being done, and see the output of the command.

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