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Context

I am new to Linux, currently using Ubuntu 20.04. I think I understand (on a basic level) how my distribution differs from my OS and how Linux is different from Ubuntu/Mint/...

Question

When I am searching the web for answers to my problems, there is something I am not sure about: Should I search for help on Linux or should I be more specific and search for help for Ubuntu ?

Example

For example, should I search for

  • ubuntu how to install python 3

OR

  • linux how to install python 3

Further question

Is the answer to my question depending on which type of search I am making ? i.e. some searches are related to Linux, therefore I should search for Linux, and some other searches are related to Ubuntu, therefore I should search for Ubuntu ?

If that is the case, on which type of searches should I use Linux ? and on which type of searches should I use Ubuntu ?

Thanks in advance!

Joris Limonier
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  • Yes. Some "things" are Ubuntu specific (installations, hardware related questions, version specific questions, etc). But, most things are almost the same for any Linux distribution (subject to the version of the software you are talking about). First google "Ubuntu bla bla". If you find nothing useful, then try "Linux bla bla". Also note that if you are using a desktop version with Gnome for example, then before "Linux bla bla" searching, try "Gnome bla bla"... – FedKad Dec 30 '20 at 09:50
  • @FedonKadifeli thank you for your comment, maybe consider posting it as an answer so I can accept it? – Joris Limonier Dec 30 '20 at 09:53
  • Just an FYI. Myself looking for details, I tend to always add site:*.ubuntu.com to my searches so I limit the results to official Ubuntu sources in my first try, expanding outside of official sites if I don't find what I need, or for another wording that may improve my understanding etc. On Ubuntu wiki/help pages etc, you can look bottom right to see the last time it was edited, and thus how up-to-date it is etc.. (which isn't always helpful; some details just don't change so the date itself doesn't always tell you much)... – guiverc Dec 30 '20 at 10:23
  • @guiverc this is a valuable note, than you! – Joris Limonier Dec 30 '20 at 10:51
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    Another FYI: Depending on what your looking at, for many topics (eg. packages, packaging etc) if I don't find what I'm looking for with the site:*.ubuntu.com my next search maybe a like tag looking at Debian pages. Ubuntu uses debian packages (ie. .deb files) so of course almost every Debian page is almost identical to the Ubuntu pages, except often written by another person, so if one is hard to understand, the same point in the Debian pages may be easier for me/you. This won't apply for everything though.. but for many topics I'd go to Debian next... before going wider to Linux. – guiverc Dec 30 '20 at 11:04
  • Will try, thank you for your answer! – Joris Limonier Dec 30 '20 at 12:21

2 Answers2

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Some questions should be Ubuntu specific: installations, hardware related questions, distribution (version) specific questions, etc. For example, python is part of the installation in Ubuntu; never try to delete or upgrade/downgrade python in any Ubuntu installation! Also snap related questions may be Ubuntu specific.

But, most things are almost the same for any Linux distribution (subject to the version of the software you are talking about). For example, GNU command line utilities, systemd and other daemons. But, always check your software version to be at least the same as the version mentioned in the answer.

First google "Ubuntu your question". If you find nothing useful, then try "Linux your question". Also note that if you are using a desktop version with Gnome for example, then before trying to search "Linux your question", try "Gnome your question".

If you are searching for Ubuntu-related man pages you can search with "site:manpages.ubuntu.com ...". For package contents use "site:packages.ubuntu.com ...".

Note: Generally, I find the search facility in the AskUbuntu web site not so effective. Even when I need an answer from AskUbuntu, I prefer to google "site:askubuntu.com my question".

FedKad
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1

Different Linux distributions are different in many ways. In general you should be specific about your searches in order to filter out inaccurate and unwanted results which don't apply to your situation, so search for Ubuntu instead of Linux.

If you are a new Ubuntu user start with the answers to How can I find help for new Ubuntu users? to learn a few basic concepts. If you are a more experienced Ubuntu user search at Ask Ubuntu first. Most of the time you can find the answer that you are searching for at Ask Ubuntu. If that doesn't work then google it, and don't forget to include Ubuntu as one of the search terms. Ask Ubuntu is more specific than Google. Google is good for cases in which the answer exists at Ask Ubuntu, but it is worded in such a confusing way that it is not possible to easily find it at Ask Ubuntu. Google's search engine seems to be more powerful than Ask Ubuntu's search engine in that it can find questions at Ask Ubuntu that can't be easily found by searching Ask Ubuntu itself.

Then I have to bookmark the answer at Ask Ubuntu that searching Google found in case I need to search for it again. I bookmark so many questions at Ask Ubuntu that I can't find them in my Ask Ubuntu favorites, so I usually bookmark them in my web browser in a hierarchical structure of nested bookmark directories in order to make them easier to find by traversing the bookmark directories in my web browser.

karel
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