OT: unix newbie questions

[Lawrence D'Oliveiro]

In article <1143287156.026223.320310 at i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
 "Gerard Flanagan" <grflanagan at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>* To create an empty __init__.py file I do 'vim __init__.py' then
>immediately exit vim, is there a shell or vim command which will create
>an empty file without opening the editor?

   man touch

>* If I want to do :
>
>            mv mypackage-1.0.2.tar.gz subdir/mypackage-1.0.2.tar.gz
>
>  then tab-completion gives me the first occurrence of the file, but I
>have to type the second  occurrence - is there a way of not having to
>type it?

This is not how bash works. bash lists all the possible completions.

>* cd ~ brings me to my home directory, is there a means by which I can
>set up a similar alias for, say, /usr/local/www, so I can do: eg. cd ^
>to get to that directory?

You could set up a variable, e.g. in bash

    export w=/usr/local/www

then

    cd $w

>* I'm using the tcsh shell and have no problems with it, but bash seems
>more popular - any reason to change? (I don't intend writing many shell
>scripts)

Last time I used tcsh, its autocorrection facility kept making wrong 
suggestions. I just don't think it's worth using any more. Stick to bash 
for all your shell needs, both interactive and scripting, and leave it 
at that.

>* Any other unix/vim tips for a 'nix newb?!

Try emacs.