Linux! Learning! ~ Oh my!

When I was in high school, I couldn’t stand learning. Like most teenagers, I thought I already knew everything I needed to get by. Schools had this tendency to teach from textbooks that were way out of date, and honestly, a lot of them still do.

But over the past few years, I’ve discovered a passion for learning that I never thought I’d have. I even talked about this in my Learning Docker post from about two weeks ago. While I haven’t finished that book yet, I hit pause on it to dive deeper into Linux, figuring it’d be better to grasp some of the fundamentals first.

I use Arch btw

Okay, confession: I don’t actually use Arch, though I love the joke. I did install it once, though, and since then, I’ve fallen down the Linux rabbit hole like Alice in Wonderland. My first encounter with Linux came when I bought a cheap laptop for school. It was running Windows 10, but barely—it was on life support with its hardware. So, I started looking into alternatives to breathe some life back into the thing.

That’s how I found Linux and its massive community. At the time, I was attending community college, working toward an Associate’s degree in Computer Information Systems (CIS). You’d think that a degree with “Information Systems” in the name would focus more on, well, systems—but nope, it was mostly programming and business classes, with very little math. Now I’m in my final year of university, finishing up my Bachelor’s in CIS, which is aimed at turning students into Systems Analysts.

I’ll admit, I regret diving into this degree so quickly. At the time, it was either this or Computer Science, and I wasn’t a fan of math. I recently learned that Western Governors University has degrees with certifications in mind. TL;DR: I didn’t learn much about Linux through my education; I had to go out and learn it myself. That turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. Linux is everywhere—from cars to that “fancy” fridge you bought.

Since then, I’ve tried all sorts of Linux distributions, from Debian to Fedora to, yes, Arch. My current distro of choice is Pop!_OS. It strikes a nice balance between being user-friendly and keeping the software and security up to date. Installation was a breeze, and it works great on my ThinkPad P16s Gen 2 AMD. Sure, the software discovery app can be sluggish at times, but I mainly use it for Flatpaks or checking app availability.

I know some of you are thinking, “It’s just Ubuntu with a fancy wrapper.” You’re not entirely wrong—Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu, which is based on Debian. At the end of the day, almost every distro is based or forked from another. What matters to me is that it’s user-friendly, customization, and security.

Down the rabbit hole

The Linux community is a mixed bag. You’ve got people who are super helpful and others who are… let’s just say, not. The loudest, most arrogant voices tend to get the most attention, but that doesn’t represent the majority. A lot of people are put off by Linux because it seems overly technical, which it can be—but for the most part, it’s surprisingly user-friendly.

When the Steam Deck came out in 2022, it gave a lot of people a glimpse into what Linux can really do. Sure, it can’t run every game out there, but it handles quite a few. If more popular games had native Linux support, I bet we’d see a huge uptick in users. Here’s hoping for the future. My point is, Linux isn’t hard—it’s just that people are used to Windows or whatever they grew up with. That’s true for any OS, really.

And that’s where people like me come in, or anyone who’s willing to dig into the fundamentals. My goal is to become a Systems Administrator, which is why I’m constantly learning. Plus, I genuinely enjoy it. There’s something satisfying about spinning up a game server for my friends to play on, knowing I made it happen.

This passion for learning has pushed me to absorb as much knowledge as I can—from YouTube videos to books packed with nitty-gritty details. It’s a style of learning I’ve come to love—learning to grow and learning for my future. I said it in my last post, and I’ll say it again: learning is succeeding. No one becomes an expert overnight. I learned that the hard way when I accidentally nuked my home lab and had to start from scratch.

I put my Docker book on hold to focus on UNIX and Linux System Administrator Handbook. I’m just past the first chapter, and I love the way it’s written. There’s something about tech books—they get right to the point, no fluff. I’ve got so much respect for people who take the time to teach others about technology. Sure, everyone needs a paycheck, but books like this aren’t trying to sell you a lifestyle—they’re teaching you how to get stuff done.

A never-ending library

One thing I’ve learned on this journey is that as soon as you start diving into one topic, you’re pulled into another. It’s all connected. I started with YouTube videos, moved on to Docker, and now I’m knee-deep in Linux sysadmin stuff. I’m not sure what’s next—maybe a book on the kernel or bash scripting? The point is, it’s never-ending. I won’t be a master of everything, but I’m striving to be a Jack of All Trades.

Throw a home lab into the mix, and things get even more fun. It’s one thing to read about this stuff, but being able to put it into practice is a game-changer. Eventually, I’d love to expand my home lab into a mini data center, complete with a couple of server racks. It’s not a cheap hobby, but if you do it right, it doesn’t have to break the bank. That said, I’ll admit I’ve got my sights set on the best gear—just like any other tech enthusiast.

But no smart home for me. That’s a nightmare waiting to happen. Some of those WiFi-enabled light bulbs still use the default admin:admin credentials, and I’m not about to let bad actors hop around my network like the flu.

Done right, though, smart homes can be secure. But I digress. Like I said, one thing leads to another in tech. My current home lab setup consists of an HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Mini PC running Proxmox. I’ve also got two Raspberry Pi 5s with PoE hats, but my PoE switch clashes with my parents’ router, so my Pi setup is on hold for now. Proxmox, however, lets me do VLANs, so I’m still getting some hands-on practice.

Certifications vs Degrees

If you’re aiming for the private sector, certifications are the way to go. If you want to work for the government, a degree is pretty much required. I haven’t landed a full-time gig yet, but from everything I’ve researched, this seems to be the general consensus. Ideally, you should have both. I’ve been slowly working toward my A+ certification, but balancing that with school, family, and work is no small feat. School comes first, though—it’s not exactly cheap, and I’m fortunate to have the military benefits to cover my tuition. But I’m putting in the effort like any student who’s invested in their future.

A degree, to me, is proof that you can show up, meet deadlines, and get the job done. But I do think colleges need to focus more on specialization. There are a lot of irrelevant courses I’ve had to take that feel like a waste of time. Time that could’ve been spent learning more relevant skills.

That’s why I’ve taken my education into my own hands by diving into Linux and building out my home lab. When I talk to some of my classmates, they’re puzzled about why I’m learning more than what the university requires. But I get it—they’re fresh out of high school and want to enjoy the stereotypical college experience, with parties and all that. For me, though, my future is riding on my willingness to learn and grow.

Wrapping it up

I know I went off on a few tangents here and there, but this topic means a lot to me. It’s not just a hobby—it’s my future. It’s the same curiosity that had me playing on that old yellow computer in my grandfather’s basement as a kid. Thanks for taking the time to read my rant—err, blog post.