Tutorial

[jdow]

From: "Thomas w. Cranston" <cranston_tom at asapchoice.com>

> Control Alt F1 instantly shut my computer down. I am afraid to perform 

This is troubling. What gave you the impression it shut the computer
down instantly? Did the power go off or did you just get a totally
black screen? The latter may need some fixing. There is a single
file to use for that repair. Let us know of this is the case:
Control-Alt-F1 gives a blank screen or a blank screen with a color
boarder around it.

If this happens then use "alt-f7" to get back to the GUI system.

Unless your configuration has been utterly mangled Control-Alt-F1
should not shut your computer down. This is the canonical way to get
out of X-Windows into the virtual consoles.


That said you can go to the "start" menu and locate System Tools->Terminal.
Click on that and you'll get a console. It won't quite work the same as
the usual descriptions. But some gentle experimentation and right clicking
will show you the differences. That can be used as a starting point for
learning. Bash, the shell usually in place, will behave the same from a
command standpoint. Cut and paste is a touch different, though.

But to be repetitious I am concerned with your note with this line:
> Control Alt F1 instantly shut my computer down. I am afraid to perform 

{^_^}