How to learn more about an operating system
From ArticleWorld
For some of us, operating systems are a fascinating piece of software. Will-be administrators often indulge in countless hours of just exploring their operating systems for the pleasure of it.
Understanding the inner working and configuration of the operating system is a rewarding experience and a valuable asset. Here is how to go about it.
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Steps
- Start by reading any documentation about that operating system. This will provide starting points for you to explore. Try to learn what makes that operating system unique compared to others, so that you can start exploring it from that point on.
- Look through the configuration files and try to understand what they do. You may find some that are not documented. If so, try to guess and take some hints by re-reading some documentation or searching the web. If it fails, see the next step.
- Set up a sandbox environment so that you can try things out without damaging your base system. This can be another computer, but you can also try using an emulator, like QEmu or VMware.
- Try to integrate that operating system into a network that contains other operating systems as well. Interfacing them may teach you a lot about the innermost parts of the operating system.
- Share your experience with others. You may often miss some interesting parts of it. This is why you should join forums and mailing lists. Sometimes, you may not even need to post. Reading is often enough to expand your knowledge.