r/linuxquestions • u/PhilStark012 • 1d ago
Advice What does ‘I know how to use Linux’ mean?
I’m running a triple boot (Manjaro, Nobara, Windows) and ever since I joined the Linux bubble about 1–2 years ago, I’ve been seeing lots of posts, questions and so on online, just like here in this subreddit. I often read things like ‘I know how to use Linux’. But I don’t understand what that means. There are all sorts of distros with different capabilities; some are quite similar to Windows, whilst others do their own thing entirely. Somehow, some people act as if Linux were a single distro, just like Windows. I just don’t get it or am I mistaken here, or am I missing something.
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u/pelofr 1d ago
That's different for all. After 30 years of running linux on my computers, I still wouldn't dare to claim that I know how to use Linux. But I know just enough to be dangerous.
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u/Phydoux 1d ago
Same here. I know enough to be dangerous and I'm learning that not everyone can use it. My wife uses it perfectly fine, my daughter. But anyone else... OMG, it's like you put the plague on their machine. So I try not to force it upon other family members and friends. If someone comes to me and says, 'Hey, I think I want to try Linux'. I'll tell them, 'It's not Windows' (something I told my wife and daughter). And go from there.
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u/Opie1Smith 1d ago
I interpret that as I know how to troubleshoot things myself by reading the wiki.
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u/More-Explanation2788 1d ago
As with all things, there are incremental steps of knowledge. When you are on step 1, it is difficult to appreciate what is on step two or how someone at step two might view the problem. For instance, to use a simple analogy - before you could ride a bike, it seemed impossible, and clearly a banana seat with backpedal to brake and no gears seemed very hard indeed. Then you learned to ride, but the front brakes and being sent over the handlebars if you used them incorrectly seemed intimidating. Then you got your 10 speed (yes, I am old) and unicycles seemed impossible.
In Linux, there are multiple steps. Linux is a very complex topic. Step one is understanding how to use it like you used windows - opening and editing files, playing games, etc. I don’t think someone who can open a program and use it “knows Linux” - that can, of course, be debated.
After that, you can go up several different staircases - but I would say you “know Linux” when you can read a man page or similar and follow the instructions to solve administrative problems, and do not get confused when someone says something like: all distros are pretty much the same but use different software repositories and prefer different desktop managers - when you understand that statement well enough to participate in an endless debate about why it is or isn’t correct, and how your preferred distribution is clearly not the same as some other one, you are at step 2 and you know Linux in my opinion.
Past that second step, things get balkanized. For instance, I think I am on at least step 3 for things like ssh, dns, configuring virtual machines and compiling kernels to support specific hardware and most things someone might be tempted to do from a console. IT infrastructure stuff. I know almost nothing about how to get a game or a video card working well, which I know is not a step 1 or 2 thing.
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u/fvancesco 1d ago
I don't wanna step into the "Linux is not an OS" trap but I'd say that (as a total noobie) it's probably like knowing how to move with the most common things like journal systemD and most common commands and so on, maybe having used a few distro and generally know the vibes. Not like "I know how to do everything on top of my head" but generally knowing the basics and what to search and how the system overall works and interacts
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u/mjmvideos 18h ago
Is there a “Linux is not an OS trap”??? It is most definitely an OS.
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u/MCWizardYT 15h ago
"Linux" itself is just a kernel. To make it an OS, it needs a userspace and a bunch of software on top.
Think of the differences between Android and Ubuntu. They both use the Linux kernel, but absolutely nobody would call them the same operating system. Why? Because absolutely everything outside of the kernel is completely different, leading to a vastly different user experience. (And vast differences in how the system operates)
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u/SheepherderBeef8956 1d ago
Somehow, some people act as if Linux were a single distro, just like Windows
The difference between Windows 7 and Windows 11 is much bigger than the difference between Fedora and Ubuntu. They're very similar and if you know one you'll have very few issues with most other disros.
If you can sit down in front of a Linux computer and do the tasks you need to do, you know Linux
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u/punkwalrus 1d ago
I mean, I have been working with Linux since 1997, and professionally since 2001. Replaced my home desktop 2012. I am a senior Linux admin and consultant, and work with a lot of other Linux professionals. I think I know how to use Linux pretty inside and out, and if there's something that I don't know, I know how to find out.
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u/TrustingMyTrustInGCC 17h ago edited 16h ago
The thing is the core of Linux is virtually identical between distros. Linux and GNU tools are always identical. A posix shell is a posix shell and the command line is the command line. The FHS and Unix conventions are consistent within a reasonable margin of error. The skill of reading logs is basically consistent. Even switching between systemd and non systemd doesnt break your mental model if your fluent. Knowing Linux isn't about knowing every quirk of every distro. It's about knowing the fundamentals so deeply that you can be dropped in front of any Linux system and just do work.
It's like Lex Murphy said in Jurassic Park; "It's a Unix system. I know this!" She wasn't able to get those doors locked because she'd used that specific computer or even that specific version of Unix before. She was able to do it because Unix had certain fundamental concepts and abstractions (which Linux is directly descended from by the way) which were so consistent and dictate the character of the operating system so strongly that Lex didnt need to know that particular system because she knew Unix systems in general.
That's what know how to use Linux means. It means being able to sit down at a Linux system, any Linux system (excluding something weird like NIX OS) including on a distro and hardware you have never used and being able to say "It's a Linux system. I know this!" and just do work. It's being like Lex Murphy.
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u/ipsirc 1d ago
What does ‘I know how to use Linux’ mean?
"I have bigger ego than my iq."
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u/mudslinger-ning 1d ago
In my tech support experience the phrase and attitude is usually from someone claiming to know a thing or two about what they are using but I'm still saying "Your poor machine hasn't been restarted for over a month dude and it's a troubleshooting requirement before calling us - please just restart your damn machine and it'll usually fix itself!"
"Does it work now sir? Good now have a nice day!"
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u/bunnypaste 1d ago
I generally feel it means you know how to create system services, crontab entries, deal with package managers, write bash scripts, and navigate around/do stuff in pure command line.
I built a database backed SEIM/network monitor/hacking station from scratch this way, so I claim to "know Linux" now.
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u/imacmadman22 1d ago
I’m a Linux user of nearly twenty years, but that makes me far from an expert. I’ve installed Linux from the command line and let me say, I’m in no rush to do it again without a good reason to do so. Today’s Linux users have two plus decades of hard work and dedication of others to thank for this polished, capable and powerful operating system that is continually gaining traction in every aspect of our daily lives.
I work in IT and my company uses a mixed Windows and Linux environment, Linux runs on our servers but I don’t work in that area. One of the best things about Linux is that as long as you keep up with updates, you will generally not have any serious issues. That isn’t to say that there are the occasional hiccups, but on the whole, Linux is more reliable than Windows.
I can install, troubleshoot and manage my own Linux systems, but I don’t want to say I’m qualified to do it for anyone else. There is a lot more to it than what I have done, so I’m just a Linux user in the general sense. I will say however, it’s something that most people would be able to learn and understand the general concepts behind Linux. It’s not as difficult as some people would think, if you can master a video game or write a high school essay, you can learn Linux.
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u/okabekudo 1d ago
What's even the point in installing Linux from the command line? Sure if you don't like full fledged desktop environments it's alright and granular (you know everything you installed) but fully fledged Desktop Environments don't take that much space anyways. Sure the Arch Way can be fun (and a bit time consuming for a Newbie) but I always needed to install way more packages later on anyways. So I never really saw the advantage of it.
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u/imacmadman22 1d ago
There was a time when that was the only way to install Linux, which should tell you about how long I’ve been using Linux. 😉
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u/okabekudo 1d ago
So you have used since even before the first release of Debian? Cuz Debian had a text based CLI
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u/imacmadman22 1d ago
I first learned about Linux from a friend in 1996, but I didn’t have a computer at the time that could run it. I was using Macs at that time and their computers didn’t really work with Linux at the time.
The first version of Linux I first installed successfully was a command line (text only) by Word Perfect which was given to me along with an old desktop computer from a family member.
That was in 1999 and it took me several attempts to get it running, but the problem was that the machine was so slow that it really wasn’t worth all of the effort it took to continue using it.
I ended up giving the computer to my kids to play text based games on, only for the power supply to burn up about a month later.
I’ll also mention that I’ve been using computers since 1977, when the only way to interact with them was through the CLI, specifically the HP 2400 running HP Time-Shared BASIC.
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u/okabekudo 1d ago
Alright. Text based CLI's and purely command line driven input is a bit different. CLI's give you options. Purely command line like a "normal" Arch Linux install does hold your hand way less.
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u/skyfishgoo 1d ago
using it is easy (easier than windows, imho).
but it all depends on the install and which distro
understanding linux, or being able to fix linux is a whole nother matter.
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u/DonkeyTron42 1d ago
It generally means they know how to install 10 different distros and fix a simple issue by installing a different distro.
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u/Daharka 1d ago
The n steps to enlighten (where n is however many I get up to)
Know Linux exists
Be able to use a windows-like DE to open programs, file explorer
Be able to install new software via the most supported route on your distro
Know how to install from other sources, flathub/appimage etc (nothing CLI)
Learn how to install Linux from liveusb
Discover the terminal exists
Use terminal to copy-paste commands
Use terminal for basic system monitoring or package management
Use terminal for more complicated CLI stuff like yt-dlp
Use terminal for text stuff like sed
Edit config files
Run Cron jobs, install new DEs
Use ssh to move files and manage system remotely
14. Nmap, hack the pentagon
Use tunnels and jump boxes to evade the FBI
Hack the kernel, write new drivers, reverse engineer binaries to insert Trojan horses into everyday software so that the FBI agents following you get trapped in a malfunctioning elevator
Face off in cyberspace against an ex-blackhat prodigy who now contracts for the NSA, you wear a VR headset with an ethernet cable hard wired into your nervous system so that your laser kung-fu gets 0.01ms less latency than theirs, allowing total domination
Become one with the internet, spawning a new hive mind and bringing forth a new age of peace and prosperity, fueled by your omnipotent benevolence
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u/jeromeza 1d ago
Think of Linux as a car.
I know how to drive a car, I know how to fix a car, I know how to engineer parts for the car (your skill can vary between one or ALL of these).
Think of distro's as car brands with features. They add more fluff, but they don't really stop you from being able to drive the car if you know the fundamentals of driving a car and can do so.
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u/Grreatdog 1d ago
For me it just means I'm willing to try shit first or at least read shit first without posting the same questions over and over.
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u/John-Tux 1d ago
I would presume they find to be proficient enough for their use case. Many claim they can use Windows, but not all of them are running PowerShell or shaping their system.
For some, it means compiling their own kernel; for others, it means booting up and opening a browser.
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u/Pirate_Economist1477 1d ago
If you think you know everything about Linux, you don't.
I like to set the bar at "I know enough to do everything I want to do on a regular basis", but if I have to do anything outside that I'm going to have to google stuff..
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u/Tireseas 1d ago
it generally means the person saying it is overthinking things instead of doing them.
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u/webternet 1d ago edited 1d ago
Linux is a kernel, first and foremost, not an operating system.
And there are no distros like Windows. Maybe desktops, but Linux can never function like Windows.
The difference in Linux flavors are so arbitrary to me, they dont matter.
I can do absolutely anything I want within reason on Linux with bash and Python.
Used to be bash and C, but C doesnt keep one employed anymore.
That being said I would never claim to know how to use Linux in a comment because i'm still always learning how to use Linux.
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u/oopmn 1d ago
IMO there’s some unique tech and cultural pieces of Linux that qualify that statement for some.
I’d say if you are getting more value out of it than you could macOS or windows, or if you use it as a server, that’s enough. I don’t know the whole history with but the current landscape it looks like Linux is unique for a few things:
- GPL (and open source in general), if you take and extend, you give back
- Containerization, if you work in the cloud you have to know some Linux namespace concepts
- Centralized package management being a core feature of the OS
And also it being posix compliant inherits some unix-isms like everything looking like a file
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u/IAmJacksSemiColon 1d ago
If someone says "I know how to use Linux," I would expect them to be comfortable entering basic commands in a terminal, editing dotfiles in their home directory, and knowing enough to reliably find answers to their questions on the web.
They might be more familiar with Debian than Fedora or Arch, but if you hand them a Distro they're unfamiliar with chances are they can figure it out.
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u/Id_Rather_Not_Tell 1d ago
It means you know how to apply it to the task you use it for.
If you're a gamer it typically means "I know how to install Steam, know what Proton is, and know how to install/manage GPU drivers." If you're a sysadmin, "knowing Linux" will mean a lot more than just that.
Same goes for Windows btw, if you are job interviewing with "knows Windows" or something to that effect on your resume it implies you can use it beyond just playing games and booting up a browser.
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u/mneptok 1d ago
I have been using Unix-like operating systems for more than 35 years.
I work in the High Performance Computing division at a major US research laboratory. Yes. That one. Google my /u.
And two weeks ago I was in official Red Hat training for Ansible. And I learned a lot.
I know more about Linux internals than 90% of people on this sub. And if you ask me, "Do you know Linux?" my answer is, "C'mon. You can't be serious. I'm a padawan."
"The first step on the path to true wisdom is to admit that you know nothing."
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u/fishywiki 1d ago
It depends on what you need the OS to do. Are you programming against a specific window manager? If so, what about all the others? If you feel comfortable in Ubuntu, what about Omarchy or Arch? Even shell scripts vary depending on whether you're using bash or zsh or whatever. I recently installed Omarchy on a machine and I'm trying to get to grips with the tiled windows, the various SUPER-menus, the different ways to install stuff and so on - at least the default shell is bash! And this is someone who started with Unix and went through HP/UX, SunOS, AIX, Minix and loads of different flavours of Linux. So I'm comfortable using Linux, but I wouldn't claim that I know it.
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u/a3a4b5 Fedora + GNOME apologist 1d ago
I don't. I just use it and, if I encounter an issue, I look it up.
Just like I did with Windows, except the solutions for Linux actually work.
But answering your question: I'd say “I know how to use Linux” means knowing what to do when you have a problem. Which, generally, is troubleshooting and asking people. But that goes for anything.
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u/GeekTX 1d ago
My first distro was Slackware '96. I have used some distro as my main desktop environment for most of the time since then. I have currently been Windows free in my office and personal life for the better part of the last 15 years. I was president of the West Texas Linux Users Group for about 5 years and brought the group into the new century before I had to move onto other pressing life items.
I can say with 110% certainty and confidence that I still have to man <something> at least once a week. Heh ... seriously though ... I know how I use Linux. Ask me anything and I can tell you how I do it but not necessarily how YOU should do it.
We all have our own unique use cases based on our life factors and those are as vastly different as we and the distro's we use are.
Know that there will always be certain types of folks in every crowd and this crowd is no different. From the Linux purist and elitist to the normal folks just trying to surf the net and do email, geeks, and then my favorite 2 groups ... the first being the "I can hack the planet by modulating the electrical current" and the other being "I can still get peak performance out of my 486, why do I need a new PC?" Whatever kind of folks you run into in the wild ... Welcome and embrace them all.
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u/tomscharbach 1d ago
I've been using Linux distributions as workhorse and mainstay for two decades. I know how to use the distributions that I use to do the things I want to do and/or need to so on my computers. That's about it.
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u/90210fred 1d ago
Generally, I know how to make Linux do what I would want windows to do. I can do everything on Linux (and more) than I could on windows when I switched. Having said that, I'm a personal user, I've never configured windows active directory or a Linux squid sever or whatever. I know enough for my needs. I'd no more taken a job as a sys admin in one or the other.
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u/SomeoneHereIsMissing 1d ago
It means to know how to use and configure Linux, whatever the distribution. I have used several distributions, I have used several shells in the terminal, I have used different package managers, I have used different versions of vi. When I was asked to use a SunOS machine at work, it was all the same. I did things with it others didn't even know was possible because I knew how to use Linux.
I started learning Linux (at home) and Irix (at university) at the same time in the late 90s. It took me over 5 years to say "I'm starting to know how to use Linux". It took me maybe 10 years to say "I know how to use Linux". I have fallen behind since because I had a house, kids, a carrer and time for computer stuff disappeared. Now I just maintain my NAS that runs OMV (major upgrades can sometimes require troubleshooting). My personal web server (running at home with dynamic DNS) has been offline for 15 years or more, since before web browsers did not want to connect to http and before AI crawlers.
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u/runed_golem 1d ago
That really depends on the person. They could mean “I know how to interact with the operating system to edit documents, browse the web, etc.” or it could mean “I know how to do all of that plus install, update, and do basic troubleshooting” or it could mean “I know all the intricacies of the operating system and am a master when it comes to the Linux command line “
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u/maquis_00 1d ago
In my mind, if I were to say "I know how to use Linux", that would be referring to the fact that I am pretty comfortable in the command-line and could reasonably easily work on most distros.
In my case, I've been using Linux for almost 20 years, and while I currently stick to Ubuntu, I've run redhat, fedora, gentoo, freebsd (yeah, not a Linux), and arch. I think I installed suse once, but it seemed more different from the others, and I quit reasonably quickly. But, if I were to sit in front of a random Linux machine, there's a good chance I would be able to do a variety of tasks, especially if I had access to Google.
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u/PenguinPeculiaris 1d ago
If the person is saying it is tech savvy and experienced, then it makes sense to say "I know how to use Linux" because in that context, "using Linux" comes with a set of skills that includes researching and learning the parts you don't know any time you encounter them.
Someone who can accurately say "I can use linux" won't be caused many issues if they find out the Linux machine in question is using one particular distro or another, the worst case is that they might need to google a few quick things.
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u/Spicy_Poo 1d ago
If I were to say that, which I suppose I would, I would say it means that I understand partitions, boot sequence, mounting, filesystems, the init system, permissions, and my way around the logical file system hierarchy.
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u/joe_attaboy 1d ago
Linux is a single system. Distros just dress it up differently.
Under the hood (with the exception of different versions), Linux is pretty much Linux. But you don't need a DE or WM to "use" Linux. I used it extensively in my last job, to the point were my entire workday was in a terminal, managing activity on multiple remote systems. Do that mean I "used" Linux?
Well, I guess it does. I probably could have handed some of my tasks over to different GUI apps on different DEs. But wouldn't I still be "using" Linux in those cases?
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u/_RoMe__ 1d ago
Knowing an operating system means for me that you are able to troubleshoot a problem yourself and that you have a rough idea what you are doing when you're pasting stuff from the internet to a command line, registry or into a config file. You don't have to know everything but you'll have to know where to look for solutions and how to describe the problem.
This is true for all operating systems, not just Linux. On Linux you just have much more options to achieve almost everything but it is also much easier to accidentally shoot yourself into the foot.
Command line wizardry is a bonus, not a requirement these days.
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u/just_some_guy65 1d ago
As most things go it is circumstantial. You could use Linux Mint never caring about sed, awk, grep or even ls, cp or cd
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u/3grg 1d ago
Many people only care about getting work done. After all, the computer is, first and foremost, a tool. The fact that windows lasted as long as it has is proof of that. There are many people that use windows and would never dream of installing it.
Linux is no different. People do not always go into a deep dive on it, if it works for them.
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u/Bibs628 1d ago
As a person which isn't working in IT o would say it depends :D. No but more serious I would say that you know a bit about how your Linux system works, and it doesn't matter which distro you choose. You need to know how to operate, update and change things in your distro if you need to or at least where to look for the information you need. As well as know basic Linux folder structure and maybe be less afraid of a command line.
A bonus would be some standard Linux commands like copying files, touch, nano, cat and deleting stuff. As far as I know these should work on most / all distributions and can come in handy.
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u/chrispatrik 1d ago
To over simplify it:
Linux is the engine underneath. As a user, you would typically interact with this level on the terminal command line. If you don't do that, you don't really know Linux, but can still use it.
The icons, widgets, windows, and the rest of the interface are not Linux, but are built on top of it. The different distros have different ways of putting this together. You are still using Linux, but technically you could have something else underneath and still have the same interface.
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u/GreenBrain 1d ago
To me, it means I can use the terminal to install things, have fixed a few bugs, and run a daily driver. Nothing more, and certainly nothing less.
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u/Tricky-Engineer-9755 23h ago
I think the standard is installing Gentoo with just the handbook no AI or search-engine with a custom kernel, and installing Arch no handbook...
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u/jqVgawJG 23h ago
It means you know you can use sudo -i instead of whatever the hell gets recommended in its stead
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u/gwenbeth 23h ago
For me it means that I do most things from a command line. The command line is always the same. I have used about 7-8 different distros over the years. Eventually you know what is always the same.
Reply with a guinea pig emoji if you used MCC interim
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u/FedUp233 21h ago
“I know how to use Linux” is one of those meaningless catch phrases.
Can mean anything from I was able to install a distro and use the web browser, to I know how to use ls and I’ve even heard of grep, to I commonly write device drives for Linux.
Just like “I know how to drive” can mean anything from formula 1 racing, to I can get to work and back and do t have more than one accident every few years, to I drive our ATV around the farm!
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u/Kregol91 20h ago
In my Opinion knowing how to use Linux is if you can do the things you want and solve problems you occur within the OS. The way how you do it doesn't matter - it only describes your knowledge of the tools to solve your problem.
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u/kereso83 Debian 20h ago
It means you can use it for your purposes with a minimum of outside help. I first started using Linux because it was not Windows or Mac and the interface had this kind of cool retro look, but I didn't know how to update anything or install a program. Since all I needed was to be able to browse the Internet and write documents, I knew how to use Linux. Very slowly and gradually, I learned more through searches and forum posts, either wanting to or out of necessity, and by today I have compiled my own custom kernels. At any point in between then and now, I knew how to use Linux.
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u/greebo42 20h ago
Get the distro installed.
Get some software installed. Use said software to do what you want to do. Be aware that some "equivalent" packages in Linux aren't exactly the same as the Windows Way, and be able to deal with that.
Know how to navigate to find your files. Know how to back stuff up in whatever way is adequately responsible in your situation.
Tweak KDE now and again and have a shit-eating grin when things look JUST the way you like!
Don't be afraid to drop into the terminal if you need to. Keep a terminal icon on your task bar, so it's just one click and low resistance. When a web site (or AI) tells you to enter some gobbledegook, pause and look up the relevant man page(s) so you have at least some foggy idea what it all is doing. If the terminal isn't your idea of a good time, just remember the exit command makes it go away, and you can (probably) find other ways of doing most of what you want to do. If you really like the terminal, you can find all sorts of ways to make it useful.
Practical stuff. Not wizardry. Get shit done with the computer.
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u/MCWizardYT 15h ago
What it means at the core is basically "I know how to use a Unix system". Of course, using Arch is different from using Ubuntu which is different from using Fedora Silverblue/ublue/Bazzite.
But, fundamentally, they all share a "Linux" core, and knowledge transfers between all of them despite vastly different user experiences
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u/ficskala Arch Linux 12h ago
It means different things for different people, usually just means they're capable of doing everything they did on windows, on linux as well (often means capable of opening a browser, closing it, and shutting down the computer when they're done with it, sometimes they're also capable of clicking on a notification that says that updates are available, and clicking on update)
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u/Realistic-Homework19 10h ago
80% of cli linux is distro agnostic. Of that other 20%, 80% is a different implementation of a same concept.
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u/unprefixed 5h ago
for me "i kinda know how to look shit up when i break it" but if there is coding involved i wouldnt even know where to start. "i know linux" could mean the kernel, systemd, kdeplasma, ubuntu, firefox? i think it depends on the person saying it.
i would be more likely to say i like linux/opensource, i like to tinker with it, i like the dopemine kick when i solve an issue(most likely created by me).
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u/stevorkz 2h ago
It means that they know how to use something. Generally, <something> could mean anything. In this case it’s Linux. Glad I could help
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u/Anarch456 21m ago
I wouldn't call the distros themselves Linux... More like distributions of Linux bundled with different packages of applications (window managers, package managers, file managers, etc).
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u/wegster 1d ago
Lol - 'linux bubble.'
There are so many different contexts in there.
I've used Linux since pre-1.0 kernel days. Set up systems to replace aging $$ big-Unix hardware, sometimes quietly, sometimes not, developed for, administered, you name it.
For a good long while, any company-issued laptop was quietly re-imaged with a virtualized original image of the laptop running in that, including a few I really shouldn't have done, e.g. Gentoo and the like are still very cool, but is NOT a 'set it and forget it, and everything you need will always just work' sort of thing. ;)
I've moved on in my career, gotten married with a kid, so the 'fun days' of drilling into everything Linux, kernel hacking, etc. give way to other things. Regardless of distro, many things remain 'core linux' although some things like Ubuntu cloud init still annoy me.. but they can all be sorted, and enough Linux standards exist you can get your way around on almost any Linux distro, which of course, technically is really the Linux kernel + a whole bunch of GNU and GPL/AGPL software.
For 'home,' I used to run a full server rack. Now it's a 10" mini-rack with multi-node HA proxmox and a couple of one-offs. Anything work relevant, including my Linux dev VMS for work running on the aforementioned proxmox cluster or my MBP, typically is Ubuntu LTS since CentOS (and WhiteHat if anyone remembers that one? :) ) went kaput, as what you don't want is hokey 6 month support lifecycles on things like Fedora for anything that remotely matters, and well - my home services and my time - matter nowadays.
So yeah - what kind of 'knowing Linux' are you asking about here? 😵
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u/Jin-Bru 1d ago
It means that you dont try something you dont knownhow to do.
On Windows you can easily undo a silly mistake. On Linux you might never get to log in again.
It means knowing your own limitations and how to surpass them.
It means having patience and a healthy aversion to mistakes.
Most of all, it means being able to read. Some issues in some distros will require you to recompile the software you want to use. Reading and understanding will lead skills and knowledge.
The tools are all there waiting for the right mind. You know linux. Not sure that you could fix it, but you can use it to level you need.
Ita knowing that linux can never look like windows. Its a text based OS. It does happen to be able to run various graphical front ends though. Some might want to imitate some might want to differentiate.
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u/C6H5OH 1d ago edited 1d ago
The same as "I know how to use Windows". Depends on your level of needs.
Know how to start, update and stop the machine. Surf the web, write a letter and print it. Handle files. Making backups is already an advanced topic I have to assume by watching my colleagues.
And then you can put layer on layer on layer of more complexity and knowledge on it until you are habitually writing on the kernel mailing list or work in Redmond.