Matlab tutorial

http://www.math.ufl.edu/help/matlab-tutorial/matlab-tutorial.html

Java tutorial

http://www.functionx.com/java/index.htm

And many other programming languages.

View the serial console on Linux

use command:
screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

/dev/ttyUSB0 should be the device to be watched. 115200 is the Bd rate.

To exit: ctrl+a, then press 'k'

Another method is to use "minicom"

in the minicom window, press 'L' to log to a file.