- Imbroglio
- Mar 8, 2013
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I'm starting my foray into linux and programming today after thinking about it on and off for a few years and would like to dink around in VIM and python while learning Linux.
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Instead of frying my os's and storage drives due to trivial mistakes/typos and never getting my AMD card or sound working when trying to install Gentoo like an idiot for a few days, I'd like to know if there is a persistent programmer friendly USB based Linux that has vim that I can experiment on. I don't need all the bells and whistles and I know the bare-basics of command line. I'm curious if I really can get to a point where I do pretty much everything from command line.
I just want to be able to listen to some music or something while going through my python tutorials and books, I downloaded those free MIT comp science courses as well. SliTaz didn't support my keyboard for some reason, I chose US non accented IDK.
I'm know a bit about systemrescuecd and am currently running calculate linux desktop xfce off a 4gb flash drive.
I'm going to do my Learn Python The Hard Way Exercises after I finish vimtutor, I also tried that vim adventure, but I'm not going to pay for it.
I tried using Levinux-master in windows, and while I appreciate it for what it is, I'd rather use a real operating system if possible.
Really anything would work I guess, but It would be cool to have some persistence so I can focus on the exercises and also so I can get an idea of the Linux experience that I enjoy for later.
If you would rather boot from a flash drive, it might be worth finding a second flash drive to store files on.
Pretty much any variety of Linux should be programmer friendly and they should all have vim. I would recommend using one of the more popular Linux distributions because they have better hardware support, more extensive documentation, and more people who will be able to help you. Debian and its derivatives (Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Linux Mint, etc.) are all good choices.
Another option, if you want to get really proficient with the command line, is to run a server yourself and connect to it with ssh. Amazon will host a small server for you for free for a year under their free tier: https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/
You can put an ssh client on a flash drive and connect from anywhere. This might be a good option after you have learned the basics.
quote:
Any other advice for a new guy like me? I guess I could have posted this somewhere else probably, but I'm planning on learning the VIM way on my own for awhile and maybe taking a coding bootcamp after a year or two as a backup or new career. I'm poised to make lower end programming wages anyway after completing my 3 year Union Ironworker apprenticeship, but that will break my body down possibly.
- Whatever you do, do not use the escape key to exit insert mode. I like to remap caps lock to escape, but there are a lot of other approaches.
- I like this tutorial a lot, especially the part about vim being a language: https://danielmiessler.com/study/vim/
- Don't try to learn too many things at once because you will not remember them. It takes time and practice to build muscle memory. I used vim for several years before I understood all of the things covered in that tutorial.
- Programming and vim both have steep initial learning curves, but once you get over the hump, they're both extremely powerful and enjoyable skills.
- Something that I wish somebody had told me when I started programming is that repetitive strain injuries are real and they can happen to anyone. Spend a few minutes reading about ergonomics and take breaks. If you feel any sort of pain, numbness, or discomfort while typing, you should address it immediately and see a medical professional if it persists. I have been forced to do nearly all of my programming with dictation software for the past year because I ignored the early warning signs of RSI. Don't make the same mistakes that I did!
- On a more positive but related note, vim allows me to edit code as fast or faster than my coworkers without using my hands, because it is so expressive. The efficiency gains are real, I promise we aren't just a cult of text editing masochists.
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