Got getting started started?

README.md

@@ -32,3 +32,42 @@ tilde.town.
   * [Cygwin](https://www.cygwin.com/)
   * [PuTTY](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/)
   * [and many more](https://distrowatch.com/)
+
+# Conventions used in this handbook
+
+* **Notes** signify additional information.
+* **Tips** signify alternative methods to procedures.
+* **Examples** provide a visual reference of how a procedure would be carried out in the real world.
+* **Monospaced font** signifies directory names, file names, file contents, and commands.
+
+# Getting started
+
+One of tilde.town's goals is to transform the command line from a
+scary-looking technical tool into a tool for creating beautiful
+things.
+
+Because of this, you will need to use your UNIX-like environment's
+terminal interface. For me, it's a little icon on my desktop that
+looks like a blank, black screen.
+
+You'll be using this little, mysterious interface throughout this
+handbook. I'll be calling the command line a "terminal" from now on.
+
+As a test for good measure, let's try running our first command. Try
+typing the following line into your terminal:
+
+```
+ls
+```
+
+That should "return" a several items. For me, it returned:
+
+```
+Desktop Downloads Documents Images Videos Music
+```
+
+If `ls` returned what seems to be the files or directories on your computer, then you have everything you need!
+
+**Note**: "return" is technical jargon used to describe how something
+on a computer sends data somewhere. In this case, text is the data
+being sent to our screen.