First, we have to connect to a computer running linux using an ssh (secure shell) client. When in Microsoft windows, a good open source software package that provides an ssh client is putty. If you do not have putty on your windows machine, download and install from the putty web site. You only need the application putty.exe from the putty web site. I generally download it and place on my desktop. Optionally, for advanced explorers, you might take a look at cygwin. Cygwin provides a Linux-like environment within windows. Make sure you include openSSH when you install cygwin.
If you ssh from off campus, you must ssh to linus-public.highpoint.edu. If you are told that linus-public.highpoint.edu does not exist then check for mistakes in your typing or check your Internet connection. From this point forward, when the tutorial refers to linus, substitute linus-public if you are connecting from off campus.
Start up the ssh software and direct it to linus-public.highpoint.edu, i.e. the linus-public.highpoint.edu is the host name of the remote machine. You will need to enter your username and password either with the software or manually. The first time you connect to linus you will need to agree to a security message by entering the word "yes". Once you've connected to linus, You should then see a prompt similar to the following:
[rshore@linus-public rshore]$
where rshore is replaced by your own username.If you are using a Mac running any version of OS X, you DO NOT need putty. In Applications/Utility, you should find a application named terminal. Open the software. Enter the following at the prompt, ssh username@linus-public.highpoint.edu where you substitute the username with your username. For example, I would use ssh rshore@linus-public.highpoint.edu. If your username on your mac matches the username on the remote server, then you can omit the username@ in the ssh command. When you see the password: prompt, enter your password. The first time you will need to answer yes to the security message. At this point, you should see the prompt for the remote machine.
The instructions for the Mac can also apply to a PC running linux (UNIX).
Whenever I ask you to "type the command...", do so in the ssh window. Specifically, during the tutorial, when you see text in the bold font, type the text exactly the way in appears at the system prompt in the terminal window. exactly!
Note: If you get the error message Connection refused it is because linus.highpoint.edu only accepts connections from machines on HPU's campuses. If you are attempting to connect and are using your own private ISP, then ssh to linus-public.highpoint.edu.