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=============== getting started ===============

This is actually easy - probably in any Linux distribution you just need to press <ctrl>+<alt>+<F1> (or <F2>) to get into the Linux console. And that's it really. You can now ignore gui and use text only interface to your computer. To make the console as comfortable as any other tiling window manager use tmux. There are plenty of tmux tutorials, but don't overlook the excellent tmux manpage - you really just need to read 'Description' and 'Default key bindings' sections at the beginning to get started. One small recommendation I have when configuring tmux is to change the default key binding for 'prefix' key from <ctrl>+b to <ctrl>+j in ~/tmux.conf like this: unbind C-b set -g prefix C-j bind j send-prefix The rationale is that it's much faster, because your index finger rests on letter j almost at all times (it does, right?), so it makes sense to use it as a key-binding you will use probably most frequently. Also - it doesn't interfere with readline shortcuts, so it's pretty safe too. Next step is to configure your console and after that to setup tools to interact with www. Other useful console programs are described in multimedia and Microsoft Office sections. Breaking the habit of going to xorg to check some things in a graphical browser was the hardest part for me in converting to using computer in text only mode. Damn those habits are hard to get rid of, but now that I don't have to use gui my life is happier and full of joy. I wish you the same.