Lab 1(UH): Getting Familiar With Wiliki

Objectives

The objectives of this lab are to get familiar with the systems and software you will be using in this course. Unix, the operating system you will be using for this course, is a powerful operating system (which actually works! :-)). While the features and capabilities of Unix is a never ending learning process, with just a few basic commands and concepts, you can become productive in Unix very quickly. The goal of this lab is to get you started. As the semester progreeses if you see something new in lecture or the lab, or see others do useful things with Unix, ask about how to do that. You will quickly see the power, consistency, and usefulness of Unix. During this lab, the TA will show you how to do the steps described below and give you a chance to try them for yourself. Don't be afraid to explore and try different things in Unix, and ask the TA if you get stuck.

Lab Tasks

Identify Your Teammates

TAs will assignTeams of 3. Teams of 2 will only be allowed if there is not enough people. If you are having trouble please ask your TA. Teams will not be used for this Lab but this will give the instructor time to inspect the team sizes and adjust before the start of Lab 2.

Logging in

• From a Mac, use the ssh command in a Terminal command line window; for Windows, use PuTTY.
• One of first things you should do is to set up your environment so you can use the commands specific to EE 160. Open a wiliki window and do the steps described in the "Setting Up Your Environment" section of Homework 0.

Exploring Unix

• To explore the commands below, do many examples on your own.
• Explore navigating in the Unix file system using commands like:
  • pwd
  • cd
  • ls
  • cat
  • any other commands you may have seen during lecture.
• Explore managing files and directories using commands like:
  • mkdir
  • cp
  • mv
  • rm
• All the commands above have a manual that can be access by the man command.
• Try the following
  • man pwd
  • man ls
  • man mkdir
  • man cp
  • man rm

Exploring text editors

• You will write code this semester using a text editor (not a word processor). In wiliki, you have a choice of using either vi or pico as your text editor. Pico is easier to learn because it is more pc-like, and is fine for sending email and creating text files. It can be used to edit program files, however vi is much better for programming. You may use whatever editor you like in this course, however, it is a good idea to be familiar with the basics of vi.
• vi has a steeper learning curve, but is much more powerful for editing code, and as you become familiar with it, you will be faster and more productive in editing programs. To get started, you can run a tutorial for vim (an improved version of vi that is the default vi on wiliki). Run the follwoing command and follow the steps there:
• vimtutor
• 
  

Exploring email

• What is your email address on wiliki?
• What is your TA's email address on wiliki?
• Send an email to the three classmates you found in the previous section to introduce yourself. Make sure they received the email and respond to any emails you receive from classmates so they know you got their email. (Note: you may use either elm or pine as your email application).
• Send an email to your TA telling him the names of the three classmates you corresponded with above.

Finish Homework 0

• Copy the info file from the ~ee160 directory and edit it to answer the questions there as described in the "What You Turn In" section of Hw0
• Send your edited info file to chris.uh.class@gmail.com

Exploring sources of information

• Spend some time to explore how to find out more about Unix, including:
  • The Unix manual (the man command).
  • Unix is very similar to Linux; read more here and here
  • A unix cheat sheet image is available here. You can search online for one or you can make your own.

If you have questions about how these systems work and how you can use them, be sure to ask your TA, during this lab, as well as throughout the semester.