Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Fourth Edition is the update to the best–selling book on Ubuntu, todays hottest Linux distribution. Targeting newcomers to Linux and to the Ubuntu distribution alike, readers are presented with an introduction to the world of Linux and open source community, followed by a detailed overview of Ubuntus installation and configuration process. From there readers learn how to wield total control over their newly installed operating system, and are guided through common tasks such as writing documents, listening to audio CDs and MP3s, watching movies, using VOIP and chat, and of course general system maintenance matters.

Additionally, theres a series of comprehensive tutorials on Linux internals and the command–line promptessential for any Linux userand the book includes special sections on optimization, security, and system maintenance.

The book comes with a DVD containing the complete Ubuntu Linux distribution. All you need to do is insert the DVD and follow the instructions in the book to install this distribution.

• The ultimate guide to Ubuntu, the hottest Linux distribution on the planet.
• Forgoes introductions to esoteric Linux topics so commonly found in other books and instead focuses on everyday tasks for everyday users: printer and file sharing configuration, office document management, and listening to MP3s and watching movies among them.

What youll learn

• Use Ubuntu as a daily desktop replacement.
• Complete all manner of office tasks, such as creating Microsoft Office–compatible documents and spreadsheets, using e–mail, and managing contacts.
• Listen to MP3s and CDs, and watch movies using a user–friendly Linux desktop.
• Configure Ubuntus printer– and file–sharing features to share resources seamlessly with other computers on your network.
• Become a proficient user of the Linux command line.

Who this book is for


Beginning Linux users seeking to explore the popular Ubuntu distribution

Table of Contents

1. Welcome!
2. A History and Politics Lesson
3. The Realities of Running Linux
4. Preinstallation Steps
5. Installing Ubuntu
6. Solving Installation Problems
7. Booting Ubuntu for the First Time
8. Getting Everything Up and Running
9. How to Secure Your Computer
10. Personalizing Ubuntu: Getting Everything Just Right
11. Ubuntu Replacements for Windows Programs
12. Managing Your Files
13. Introducing the BASH Shell
14. Understanding Linux Files and Users
15. Working with Text Files
16. Taking Control of the System
17. Cool Shell Tricks
18. Digital Audio
19. Movies and Multimedia
20. Digital Photos
21. Making the Move to OpenOffice.org
22. OpenOffice.org Overview
23. In Depth: Writer
24. In Depth: Calc
25. In Depth: Impress
26. In Depth: Base
27. In Depth: Evolution
28. Installing and Removing Software
29. Managing Users
30. Optimizing Your System
31. Backing Up Data
32. Scheduling Tasks
33. Accessing Computers Remotely

Customer Reviews & Comments
If you are interested in how to get the most out of Desktop Ubuntu Linux, then look no further! Should your interest lie in other recognised derivatives of Ubuntu (Edubuntu, Kubuntu, Mythbuntu, Server Ubuntu, Ubuntu Studio or Xubuntu) or the Ubuntu Community, then another book may better suit your needs, for example Official Ubuntu Book, The (4th Edition). With 750 pages devoted to how to install, configure, customise and maintain Ubuntu Linux and how to use it for office and multimedia activities, the authors are able to go into considerable depth in an easy to follow manner, using screen-shots as appropriate. It is the fourth edition, after all, written around version 9.04 of Ubuntu Linux. The book is broken into eight sections; Introduction, Installation, Getting Started, The Shell and Beyond, Multimedia, Office Tasks, System Maintenance and a sixty page appendix. Finally there is a 25 page comprehensive index and the font wouldn't want to be any smaller! For first time Linux users with previous Windows experience, chapter 3 provides good coverage of the preinstallation steps for a PC with an existing Windows installation. Chapter 4 covers the use of the Live DVD, running Ubuntu within Windows using Wibi as well as how to perform a full installation. Chapters 6 and 8 contain much useful information to assist you with installation and initial Ubuntu configuration. While there are brief references throughout the book on the GRUB boot loader, I feel GRUB deserves more detailed coverage, considering how critical this is to being able to access your Operating System(s). Perhaps this can be include in the next edition, as these sections will need updating with the change to GRUB2 with Ubuntu 9.10. Chapter 7 provides a quick overview on how to use Ubuntu and includes a useful 2 page comparison of where to find the Ubuntu equivalents of Windows features, which is further expanded in chapter 11. Chapter 8 justifies the book on its own with over sixty pages working through how to get everything working correctly in Ubuntu. Most importantly, should your wireless hardware not be automatically supported by Ubuntu, there is an excellent, detailed explanation of how to get your wireless connection working in Ubuntu using a Windows driver. The Office Tasks section goes into reasonable detail of how to use the Open Office Suite (about eighty pages in all), including a chapter on Base, Open Office's database application. For those who wish to get the most out of Ubuntu, the five chapters in Part 4 introduce the reader to the BASH shell and how to use shell commands. While the coverage is excellent and takes the reader up to an intermediate level of expertise, I'm surprised that checking log messages isn't covered. Part 7 (System Maintenance) builds on the command line skills from part 4 and includes a nifty chapter on how to optimise your system beyond those incorporated by the Ubuntu developers in recent releases. If you have decided to switch to Ubuntu Linux, this book will help you get Ubuntu installed and operating effectively and prove a valuable reference guide, irrespective of whether you previously used Windows or another Linux Distro.

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