Chapter 4. Getting to know your system
Part of the fun of Linux is that you get to learn how your computer really works. After a while, you’ll feel the same pleasure fixing your computer that you might feel completing a puzzle or finishing a big Lego project. It’s much like the difference between driving a vehicle with a stick shift or one with automatic transmission. With the stick, you really feel like you know your vehicle. And after some time with Linux, you’ll really feel like you know your computer.
It’s tough when you bring your car to a mechanic and can only vaguely describe the problem, maybe making a sound or using imprecise terms to tell the mechanic what the issue might be. Linux is self-supported, in the sense that you—the user—are responsible for fixing any issues with the system. There’s no support desk to call or email.
One of the tougher things for new Linux users to learn is that the better they can understand and describe their issue, the better the chances the issue will be fixed. This isn’t to say that you need to learn to code to use Linux. It just means you need to learn a few basic processes that will help you understand where the problems with your system may lie.