“Linux thrives on text files. From configuration files to Web
pages to program source code, text is king. You absolutely have
to learn to use a Unix text editor to get anywhere with this
OS.”
“The joy of text files is that they’re portable, viewable,
searchable, and can be easily modified. They can also be
“commented,” allowing you to document your scripts and
configuration files in ways that will mean something when you
revisit them in six months. Text is the Unix Way. No troublesome
Microsoft registry files here. Just pure text. Revel in it.”
“To assist you in your reveling are a broad spectrum of text
viewers and editors. Viewers (also known as pagers) provide you
with a safe way to examine files… You will find a version of More
on every Unix system.”
“Unix has a reputation for hard-to-learn text editors… but
there are a number of easy editors you can use.”
“Because Unix is based on text files, Unix editors and utilities
have been designed to manipulate text in uncommonly powerful ways.
Hence it is worth your while, if you want to move beyond a
beginner’s level, to start working with these tools. You will want
to learn how to use grep and its variants (type in man grep) and at
least one of the classic Unix text editors: Vi or Emacs. Of the
two, I’d recommend Vi as your first conquest.”