Instructions

Introduction to the game

In the 1980s, the only way to communicate with the PC was to use the keyboard and type commands in green letters on a black background.

Then PCs became nicer to look at and easier to use thanks to graphical interfaces. However, today technicians still prefer “commands with a black background.” Why? In reality, graphical interfaces are simpler to use, effectively limiting the possibilities and capabilities of PCs. Technicians, on the other hand, do not want to be limited. The logical consequence is that they do not want to abandon those “old” text interfaces that are clear, direct, and ultimately not too difficult to understand and operate.

Linux, a modern, complete, and powerful operating system, offers several graphical interfaces to meet the various needs and tastes of users, while at the same time maintaining a text interface for those who want to take advantage of all the possibilities. Using the text interface or shell is not too difficult. There is a need to know a series of commands and what they do. Each command and the dozens of possible options are described in manuals available directly in the operating system, colloquially known as “man pages.”

The game we developed specifically for the Maker Faire aims to entertain you while simultaneously teaching you some shell commands. On one monitor, you have a bomb that you must deactivate before it explodes. On the other, you have a shell in which you must enter commands. The instructions you need to follow depend on the difficulty level you have chosen. Read the instructions carefully, solve the riddles, and execute the commands to deactivate the bomb. Be quick, time is running out, but do not forget to be precise; every wrong command will cost you points or even cause the bomb to explode. You can participate in the game only once and only at one level. So choose carefully which level you want to tackle.

Good luck and have fun!