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I love how, even after using Unix-y systems for probably 10-odd years, I still occasionally stumble upon something like this that refers to a command that I've

I love how, even after using Unix-y systems for probably 10-odd years, I still occasionally stumble upon something like this that refers to a command that I've never even heard of, and when I check (on my Mac, no less), it's right there sitting in /usr/bin. So many useful little utilities. I think the same thing happens to a lesser degree with vim features.

bewuethr 8y ago
A very boring, but instructive way is to read manuals cover to cover - for example the GNU Coreutils one [0]. This way, you become aware of the existence of a lot of tools (such as comm, which is part of the coreutils), and while reading you'll realize that some of them might be a better way of doing things than how you're doing them currently. Other boring, but instructive reads (heavily GNU biased): diffutils [1], findutils [2], the Bash manual [3]. [0]: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual [1]: https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/manual [2]: https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/manual/find.html https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/manual/find.html [3]: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual
- kqr 8y ago
  The chapter on shell utilities in the POSIX standard is another goldmine!
- sciurus 8y ago
  I'd also recommend Unix Power Tools. There's definitely some outdated content, but I learned a lot about shell usage and text manipulation from it. http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596003302.do http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596003302.do
  - Anthony-G 8y ago
    Seconded. The dead tree copy I purchased in the mid-2000s is the best technical book in my collection. I’ve read most of it and every so often I still dip in to learn something new or – more often than not – to re-learn something I’ve forgotten.

bewuethr 8y ago

A very boring, but instructive way is to read manuals cover to cover - for example the GNU Coreutils one [0]. This way, you become aware of the existence of a lot of tools (such as comm, which is part of the coreutils), and while reading you'll realize that some of them might be a better way of doing things than how you're doing them currently. Other boring, but instructive reads (heavily GNU biased): diffutils [1], findutils [2], the Bash manual [3]. [0]: https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/manual [1]: https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/manual [2]: https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/manual/find.html https://www.gnu.org/software/findutils/manual/find.html [3]: https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual

kqr 8y ago
The chapter on shell utilities in the POSIX standard is another goldmine!
sciurus 8y ago
I'd also recommend Unix Power Tools. There's definitely some outdated content, but I learned a lot about shell usage and text manipulation from it. http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596003302.do http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596003302.do
- Anthony-G 8y ago
  Seconded. The dead tree copy I purchased in the mid-2000s is the best technical book in my collection. I’ve read most of it and every so often I still dip in to learn something new or – more often than not – to re-learn something I’ve forgotten.