6 ms·

The Command Line Crash Course (Zed Shaw)

165 points by drewda 15y ago

liuhenry 15y ago
This was posted yesterday: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3358544 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3358544 along with existing comment thread.
- zedshaw 15y ago
  Yes, I thought HN prevented this. Anyway, see the above discussion and keep in mind this is a first rough draft.
  - liuhenry 15y ago
    It should, but it's only an exact url check. Looks like the other submission links directly to the html file, while this one just goes to the parent directory.
  - hsmyers 15y ago
    Insert plea for PDF here...when you're ready of course :)
  - dlf 15y ago
    Thanks, Zed! I've been working through Learn Python the Hard Way, but I think getting this stuff under my belt first will help.
  - dlf 15y ago
    Thanks, Zed! I've been working through Learn Python the Hard Way, but I think getting this stuff under my belt first will help.
  - itgoon 15y ago
    I missed the previous link, so I'm glad it came up. I do a lot of powershell, Zed. Would you be interested in feedback? For example, while "type" still works, "get-content" is the powershell equivalent. Nice work, one way or the other. Please keep it up.
    - itgoon 15y ago
      Heh. I just checked. "Type" is an alias for "get-content". I suspect bringing all that up would just confuse the issue, and detract from your goal.
    - zedshaw 15y ago
      Yep, I don't know much about powershell so I have to go through it tomorrow to do the Windows side.
- drewda 15y ago
  Oops, my bad. I actually put this URL into the form figuring it had already been posted and I was curious to see the discussion.
benatkin 15y ago
It's been interesting to read your tweets about Windows. It's encouraging to see a fast learner get up to speed despite plenty of misgivings about the subject matter. I think it will be less confusing to some if you mention Windows Vista here: > If you don't have Windows 7, you should seriously consider upgrading. If you still insist on not upgrading then you can try installing it from the download center. You are on you're own though since I don't have Windows XP, but hopefully the PowerShell experience is the same.
- wyclif 15y ago
  "Your" not "you're." I guess I'll submit some corrections.
jnbiche 15y ago
Since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's post on "The Hard Way" command line course, I want to mention today that Zed Shaw is also working on a very nice C course for experienced programmers. I've been looking unsuccessfully for an online C course like this one, that doesn't do things like explain what functions, primitives, etc. are. Starts out a little slow with compiling and setting up your development environment, but then reveals a very well-written introductory course on C programming for experienced programmers. As an experienced Python/Javascript/PHP programmer with an interest in C, I've been looking for an online course like this for a long time. Zed: can we somehow compensate you for your works-in-progress? I've gotten a lot out of your C course. I can't wait until it's available in epub format.
- telemachos 15y ago
  >> [C]an we somehow compensate you for your works-in-progress? I've gotten a lot out of your C course. I can't wait until it's available in epub format. No idea what Zed would suggest, but there's an in-progress Udemy video course[1] of Zed's on C that you can already purchase. [1] http://www.udemy.com/learn-c-the-hard-way/ http://www.udemy.com/learn-c-the-hard-way/
  - jnbiche 15y ago
    Thanks for the suggestion -- I just purchased it. I'm not big one videos, but I'm getting so much out of the book I'm purchasing it in support of the book (and it looks like I'll receive a copy of the book whenever it's done along with the udemy purchase).
- zedshaw 15y ago
  Just tell me when you find errors so I can fix them, and then if you appreciate it buy a PDF/ePub when it becomes available. Actually selling something is way easier to explain to the tax man than a "donation".
  - Joeboy 15y ago
    > Just tell me when you find errors so I can fix them http://learncodethehardway.org/cli/book/cli-crash-coursech4.html http://learncodethehardway.org/cli/book/cli-crash-coursech4.... has 'diretories'.
tarellel 15y ago
And there he goes ago, producing yet another marvelous gem for us to admire.
LeafStorm 15y ago
While I'm glad that you aren't dismissing Windows out of hand like some people, interleaving the Windows instructions with the POSIX instructions could get a bit confusing. It may be better to maintain separate builds of the book for POSIX and Windows.
- mechanical_fish 15y ago
  I thought this looked like an interesting, possibly-unique feature, not a bug. Including Windows up-front ensures that whoever picks up the book can make use of it immediately, no matter which computer they happen to be sitting in front of. Also, as one who knows the Unix command line pretty well but knows next-to-nothing about Windows, it's good to get exposed to a similar-yet-different style of command line. And if I ever need to use Windows again I plan to try this book first: By covering both in parallel, the book might turn out to be a pretty good guide to learning one in terms of the other.
  - dredmorbius 15y ago
    It's easy enough to get a POSIX/Linux toolkit via Cygwin. Though this does assume the user is allowed/enabled to install software. Barring that, bootable CD / USB distros are also highly tenable. The default Ubuntu installation disk includes this, though there are many other options.
    - LeafStorm 15y ago
      ...Except Zed's whole point with this is that you don't have to use the fancy Cygwin/POSIXy stuff or a Linux Live CD or whatever to do programming and the command line. POSIX environments are better for programming, but you don't need them, and a lot of the people who would benefit most from learning programming don't have Linux experience and wouldn't do it if they had to do something fancy to get a UNIX-y environment.
      - deleted 15y ago
        [deleted]
non123 15y ago
I was aware that pushd and popd existed but never used it. I see how I can gain a lot of productivity from it, so I'll probably be using it from now on.
ExpiredLink 15y ago
> Just like above, here's the same list but using the Windows versions: > TODO: Need the windows version. Is there an easy way to contribute to this book? Ideally people could submit patches to be merged by Zed at his own discretion.
DanBC 15y ago
I'm not enjoying this much. I think the tone is a bit harsh. Compare to Learn Python THW: (http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/intro.html http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/intro.html) See, especially, "do not copy paste" which is firm but clearly explains why you don't copy paste.
- wyclif 15y ago
  Don't forget, this is a first draft. Since the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, expect the rough edges to be sanded down over time.

165 points by drewda 15y ago

This was posted yesterday: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3358544 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3358544 along with existing comment thread.

zedshaw 15y ago
Yes, I thought HN prevented this. Anyway, see the above discussion and keep in mind this is a first rough draft.
- liuhenry 15y ago
  It should, but it's only an exact url check. Looks like the other submission links directly to the html file, while this one just goes to the parent directory.
- hsmyers 15y ago
  Insert plea for PDF here...when you're ready of course :)
- dlf 15y ago
  Thanks, Zed! I've been working through Learn Python the Hard Way, but I think getting this stuff under my belt first will help.
- dlf 15y ago
  Thanks, Zed! I've been working through Learn Python the Hard Way, but I think getting this stuff under my belt first will help.
- itgoon 15y ago
  I missed the previous link, so I'm glad it came up. I do a lot of powershell, Zed. Would you be interested in feedback? For example, while "type" still works, "get-content" is the powershell equivalent. Nice work, one way or the other. Please keep it up.
  - itgoon 15y ago
    Heh. I just checked. "Type" is an alias for "get-content". I suspect bringing all that up would just confuse the issue, and detract from your goal.
  - zedshaw 15y ago
    Yep, I don't know much about powershell so I have to go through it tomorrow to do the Windows side.
drewda 15y ago
Oops, my bad. I actually put this URL into the form figuring it had already been posted and I was curious to see the discussion.

benatkin 15y ago

It's been interesting to read your tweets about Windows. It's encouraging to see a fast learner get up to speed despite plenty of misgivings about the subject matter. I think it will be less confusing to some if you mention Windows Vista here: > If you don't have Windows 7, you should seriously consider upgrading. If you still insist on not upgrading then you can try installing it from the download center. You are on you're own though since I don't have Windows XP, but hopefully the PowerShell experience is the same.

wyclif 15y ago
"Your" not "you're." I guess I'll submit some corrections.

jnbiche 15y ago

Since I didn't get a chance to comment on yesterday's post on "The Hard Way" command line course, I want to mention today that Zed Shaw is also working on a very nice C course for experienced programmers. I've been looking unsuccessfully for an online C course like this one, that doesn't do things like explain what functions, primitives, etc. are. Starts out a little slow with compiling and setting up your development environment, but then reveals a very well-written introductory course on C programming for experienced programmers. As an experienced Python/Javascript/PHP programmer with an interest in C, I've been looking for an online course like this for a long time. Zed: can we somehow compensate you for your works-in-progress? I've gotten a lot out of your C course. I can't wait until it's available in epub format.

telemachos 15y ago
>> [C]an we somehow compensate you for your works-in-progress? I've gotten a lot out of your C course. I can't wait until it's available in epub format. No idea what Zed would suggest, but there's an in-progress Udemy video course[1] of Zed's on C that you can already purchase. [1] http://www.udemy.com/learn-c-the-hard-way/ http://www.udemy.com/learn-c-the-hard-way/
- jnbiche 15y ago
  Thanks for the suggestion -- I just purchased it. I'm not big one videos, but I'm getting so much out of the book I'm purchasing it in support of the book (and it looks like I'll receive a copy of the book whenever it's done along with the udemy purchase).
zedshaw 15y ago
Just tell me when you find errors so I can fix them, and then if you appreciate it buy a PDF/ePub when it becomes available. Actually selling something is way easier to explain to the tax man than a "donation".
- Joeboy 15y ago
  > Just tell me when you find errors so I can fix them http://learncodethehardway.org/cli/book/cli-crash-coursech4.html http://learncodethehardway.org/cli/book/cli-crash-coursech4.... has 'diretories'.

tarellel 15y ago

And there he goes ago, producing yet another marvelous gem for us to admire.

LeafStorm 15y ago

While I'm glad that you aren't dismissing Windows out of hand like some people, interleaving the Windows instructions with the POSIX instructions could get a bit confusing. It may be better to maintain separate builds of the book for POSIX and Windows.

mechanical_fish 15y ago
I thought this looked like an interesting, possibly-unique feature, not a bug. Including Windows up-front ensures that whoever picks up the book can make use of it immediately, no matter which computer they happen to be sitting in front of. Also, as one who knows the Unix command line pretty well but knows next-to-nothing about Windows, it's good to get exposed to a similar-yet-different style of command line. And if I ever need to use Windows again I plan to try this book first: By covering both in parallel, the book might turn out to be a pretty good guide to learning one in terms of the other.
- dredmorbius 15y ago
  It's easy enough to get a POSIX/Linux toolkit via Cygwin. Though this does assume the user is allowed/enabled to install software. Barring that, bootable CD / USB distros are also highly tenable. The default Ubuntu installation disk includes this, though there are many other options.
  - LeafStorm 15y ago
    ...Except Zed's whole point with this is that you don't have to use the fancy Cygwin/POSIXy stuff or a Linux Live CD or whatever to do programming and the command line. POSIX environments are better for programming, but you don't need them, and a lot of the people who would benefit most from learning programming don't have Linux experience and wouldn't do it if they had to do something fancy to get a UNIX-y environment.
    - deleted 15y ago
      [deleted]

non123 15y ago

I was aware that pushd and popd existed but never used it. I see how I can gain a lot of productivity from it, so I'll probably be using it from now on.

ExpiredLink 15y ago

> Just like above, here's the same list but using the Windows versions: > TODO: Need the windows version. Is there an easy way to contribute to this book? Ideally people could submit patches to be merged by Zed at his own discretion.

DanBC 15y ago

I'm not enjoying this much. I think the tone is a bit harsh. Compare to Learn Python THW: (http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/intro.html http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/intro.html) See, especially, "do not copy paste" which is firm but clearly explains why you don't copy paste.

wyclif 15y ago
Don't forget, this is a first draft. Since the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, expect the rough edges to be sanded down over time.