Linux Foundations S1

Session: S1

First contact: SSH and the lay of the land

Today you get a real account on a real Linux server.

The Contract

This course is not about memorizing commands.

It is about learning how to ask the machine clear questions.

If you can read what Linux says back, you can keep going.

Your Identity

One handle.

The same handle is your Unix username.

Pick something you can live with.

Create Your Account

Hands-on now: everyone follows this on their own laptop.

Windows: open Windows Terminal from Start.

macOS: open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.

No SSH client? Use the browser registration page.

ssh new@lf2607.kolamayermakers.org

The kiosk creates your real account, prints your real SSH command, then disconnects.

new never gives you a shell. It is only the door.

Reconnect As Yourself

Hands-on now: stop using new; rerun the personal SSH command the kiosk printed.

No SSH client? Reconnect with browser SSH.

Your personal-account prompt is not decoration.

It tells you who you are, where you are, and whether the shell is waiting.

Mental Model: Talking to Linux

SSH connects you to a remote computer.

A shell is the text program waiting at the prompt.

command option argument
ls      -la    /docs

You type a command. The shell runs it. Linux prints a result or an error.

Ask The Machine

Hands-on now: type each command and read the output before moving on.

whoami    # show current username
hostname  # show machine name
date      # show current date and time
uptime    # show server uptime and load

No magic. No guessing.

Commands go in. Text comes out.

Do Not Panic

Hands-on now: run guide and ask it one question.

guide

guide is your course tool and AI tutor. Use it throughout class and between sessions for help, objectives, quests, answer submission, and progress checks.

In a terminal, guide requests always start with guide:

guide now
guide check
guide answer <your answer>

In an IRC DM to guide, send the request without guide: now, check, or answer <your answer>. A passing check records your progress.

Your recovery kit:

• Tab completion
• Ctrl-C to cancel
• Ctrl-L to clear the screen
• man <command>
• tldr <command>
• read the error

IRC and guide

IRC is the public classroom backchannel.

Hands-on task: join IRC now at the classroom IRC page.

Use #lf2607 to ask for help during class or between sessions.

Use #kolamayermakers for general chat.

DM guide for help from the AI tutor. It is the same tutor as the guide command.

Do not paste passwords, private keys, or tokens.

The Filesystem

/
├── home/
│   └── <you>/  your home: ~
├── docs/       course materials
└── etc/        system settings

Every file and directory belongs somewhere below /.

Filesystem Map

Hands-on now: move slowly. The goal is to know where you are.

pwd         # show current directory
ls          # list files
ls -la      # include hidden files
cd ~        # go home
cd ..       # go up one directory
cd /docs    # go to course materials
tree        # show directory structure
find /docs  # list everything under /docs

/docs is your course-material playground. Read anything in it and follow what interests you.

You are not inside an app. You are inside this filesystem.

Reading Files

Hands-on now: open files, then practise leaving less with q.

cat /etc/os-release      # print operating system info
less /etc/services       # read one page at a time
head -n 5 /etc/services  # show first five lines

Files are how Unix systems explain themselves.

Your Page Goes Live

Hands-on now: build first, understand the script later.

build-website

Check your page at https://lf2607.kolamayermakers.org/~<username>/, replacing <username> with the username you chose.

For example: https://lf2607.kolamayermakers.org/~johndoe/.

You will not understand the build script yet.

That is fine. Use it first. Read it later.

After Class

Use quests between sessions for highly recommended reinforcement or catch-up.

Run guide now to get the current session objective. After you complete it, guide now shows your current quest. Ask the guide for help, submit prompted answers with guide answer <your answer>, and run guide check after practical work to record progress.

If stuck outside class, read the S1 recap or self-study guide, then ask in public help.

Read the full course as formatted web pages at lf2607.kolamayermakers.org/docs.

Autonomy starts today.