Websites Offering Free Linux Courses Online
Higher Education Articles April 7, 2013Below is a list of best free online Linux courses. In this article, students will learn about the topics that are covered and what types of courses are available to discover the course, which is right for them.
General Requirements and Information on Online Linux Course
Online Linux courses that are free, whether affiliated with colleges/universities or not, usually do not offer academic credits and typically intended for self-study. Depending on the materials, some will be provided through schools’ OpenCourseWare (OCW) projects. The majority of Linux course materials include screenshots, video, and PDF. Usually, content is directed toward first time users of Linux systems, the University of California at Davis and the IBM offerings cater to intermediate users. In order to complete some lessons, students will need to have access to their own computers running Linux.
University of Surrey – UNIX /Linux Tutorial for Beginners
This school offers eight free tutorials on basic exercises and definitions for Linux and UNIX systems. Students are also taught useful tasks such as how to ensure the security and redirection of file systems, how to get help, how to strip needless code, how to kill a process, how to copy and move files, and how to use directories. A helpful summary of commands and their meanings is provided by each tutorial.
University of California (Davis) – UNIX and Linux Tutorial Center
These materials aim to equip intermediate and novice students with a large variety of Linux and UNIX information. Beginner to intermediate levels are covered with PDF files, including the application and definition of shells, along with how to modify, create, and view directories and files. Tutorials include C programming and text editors. The website also has beneficial links to other software tutorials for related programs such as Perl and Java.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – Programming Technique II: Introduction to Linux
An understanding of the Linux operating system is imparted to students enrolled in this free OCW course. They also learn how it interacts with different computer programs and computer hardware. Basic commands used in Linux programming are also introduced to students who also learn about setting up directories and files.
IBM – LPI Exam 201 Prep: Linux Kernel
Individuals can use this free series of tutorials in preparing for the Linux Professional Institute Intermediate Level Administration (LPIC-2) Exam 201. Students are guided by the first tutorial through various details related to a Linux kernel including its patching and customizing, compiling, and its components. Troubleshooting, hardware, web services and system maintenance are among other topics covered in the series.
The Open University – The Linux Effect: 20th Anniversary
Information on the Linux operating system and its advancement through the years is offered as a podcast by the Linux Effect. The connection between cloud computing and Linux, the use of Linux in our daily lives, and how Linux originated are all covered in coursework that requires students to have Adobe Reader or other PDF viewer to complete this coursework.
University of South Carolina – Introduction to Linux
Basic information about Linux is shared through the coursework which includes an introductory tutorial comprised of slides in PDF format. The course also gives information about how to access and use the various versions or distributions of Linux. Some of the tools and topics covered in this course include writing script, commands, pages, folders and files.
The Embedded Linux Quick Start Guide through YouTube
Students enrolled in this free tutorial that lasts no more than sixty minutes are given an introduction to the Linux environment. This first video of a three-part series on Linux is a narration that Chris Simmonds made when he attended a 2010 Embedded Linux Conference Europe. Students are taught about the four fundamental elements of Linux; these are user space, kernel, boot loader and tool chain.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia – Computational Physics
This course focuses on teaching students about doing physics calculations by employing a computer as a calculator. They are also taught Java programming in a Linux environment. Through external website links, this online course teaches students about working within the Linux operating system and using algorithms.
Harvard University – Building Dynamic Websites
Students can learn how to build a website by taking this online OCW course. A variety of video lectures are used in this tutorial to teach students how to use Linux to build a website and a variety of other frameworks. Students are also taught about setting up domains, designing databases, programming with Java and building web pages through the use of CSS (cascading style sheets) and XHTML (extensible hypertext markup language). The course also offers sample projects in PDF format.
Novell – Back to Basics: Linux Fundamentals
Students who want to use self-directed study to learn Linux basics should enroll in this free tutorial. They will learn how to manage the Linux desktop and log in and out of it, and how to restart and shut down the Open Enterprise Server. Students will also be given access to a cheat sheet that includes the most common command terms employed in Linux.
