Guide to using the Unix/Linux system at lu.umu.se.

Mats Nylén

Thomas Öhman

Peter Olsson

This document is a brief introductory guide to the Unix/Linux system at the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University.

The reader is encouraged to try out each command that is discussed, even if no specific exercise is given.

You will certainly need more information than what is given in this document. Chapter 10 gives clues to how to find such information.


Table of Contents
1. How to read these instructions.
Typographic conventions.
2. Logging in and changing password.
Starting up and logging in.
Changing your password
Finding the online version of these instructions
Logging out
3. Files, directories and Unix commands
Unix commands for files and directories
Options in Unix commands
Some files of interest
4. The shell
Command line editing
Wildcards
Environment variables
The PATH variable
Programs, processes and the shell
Job control
Redirection and piping
Aliases
5. emacs
Basic editing
Emacs modes
Copy, paste, and cut
Learning more about emacs
6. Compilation through gcc and make
To compile a single file
Two source files: compile and build
Built-in rules
Simple program: firstprog
7. Gnuplot
8. LaTeX
Running LaTeX from the shell
Running LaTeX from within emacs
Local style
How to learn more about LaTeX
9. Graphics with the g2 library
Snapshot
Moving objects
10. Finding the online documentation
The info system
The man command
Interactive help
Documentation available on the world wide web