I have been using Linux as my daily driver for quite some time (around 5-6 years) and usually manage to get whatever needs to be done. However, I now wish to learn it in a more structured manner, which includes understanding utilities and the workings of Linux. What resources should I look out for?
I’m honestly kicking myself for using arch instead of something without systemd.
I used Arch to learn Linux and ended up just learning systemd really well.
As much as a very vocal subgroup hates to admit, systemd is a pretty core aspect of modern Linux.
That said if you really want to learn an alt init system gentoo lets you pick, and I think Slackware is still sans systemd.
I’m using FreeBSD as is, I’ve got a 20 year old PC I’m learning on and FreeBSD afict is my best bet on this system.
It really depends on what init system you want to learn.
Right now, you’re learning BSD init. Which is not the same as the non-sysd init systems in use on Linux. Perfectly fine system mind you and they share some overlap with their Linux cousins.
That’s what I’m finding, there’s some overlap but not enough that I can confidently administer the system yet. I’ve had the FreeBSD Handbook open in links for days 😅.
I’m starting to get the hang of things, there’s a few things I wish there were analogs for on FreeBSD that I’ve used on Linux for modifying swappiness and other minutiae but I suppose eventually I’ll know enough to be the change I wanna see in the world and just write the kernel extension to do it myself.
Now that I think about it, I believe Slackware actually uses a BSD style init if you want to try and bridge the gap. It’s been eons since I used it so not 100% sure
I have my reasona for using FreeBSD, the system I’m using is ancient, about 20 years old. Its a decommissioned corpo unit, HP/Compaq DC5700S with 2 gigs of RAM and a dog slow Celeron D processor. I’m actually compiling a custom kernel right now to match my hardware because I’m severely limited on RAM and in true UNIX fashion it needs to only be doing what I tell it to, and not a damn thing more.