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By David Brickner
April 2005
Pages: 362
ISBN 10: 0-596-00754-X |
ISBN 13: 9780596007546
(Average of 4 Customer Reviews)
This detailed step-by-step guide provides both home and business users with a hassle-free way to investigate this operating system before they purchase and install a complete Linux distribution. Quickly learn how to use Linux to perform the tasks you do most: surf the web, send and receive email, instant message with friends, write letters, create spreadsheets, and even how to enhance your digital photos.
Full Description
For years, computer users have put up with the bugs, security holes, and viruses on Windows because they had no choice. Until recently, there has never been a good alternative to Windows. But now, Windows users can switch to Linux, the reliable, secure, and spyware free operating system. Linux is easy to use, runs on almost any PC, and enables you to perform all the tasks you can do with Windows.
Getting to know Linux has never been easier, because now there's a way to test-drive Linux without changing, installing, or configuring a thing on your computer. It's called Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds.
This latest release from O'Reilly comes with a Live CD called Move, that allows Windows users to try all the features of Mandrake Linux, a popular Linux distribution without the hassle of actually installing Linux. Users simply place the Move CD into their CD drive, boot from the disc, then watch an entire Mandrake system run on the fly from the CD-ROM.
Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds is a detailed step-by-step guide to the Linux operating system and several popular open source programs. With this guide you can quickly learn how to use Linux to perform the tasks you do most: surf the web, send and receive email, instant message with friends, write letters, create spreadsheets, and even how to enhance your digital photos.
Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds provides both home and business users with a hassle-free way to investigate this operating system before they purchase and install a complete Linux distribution.
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Featured customer reviews
This book seems good, but the CD stinks., November 29 2005
Rating:
Submitted by
Hudey
[Respond | View]
I bought this book and was really excited to try Linux for the first time. But I've tried the CD on three desktops and two laptops and NOT ONE of them is able to boot this CD and run the Linux distro on it!
The farthest I've gotten is on my oldest computer (P3 550Mhz, GeForce 2 GTS, Creative CD-Rom) on which the boot process seems to get right to the end before crapping out with a "Error while loading shared libraries: libperl.so".
I think my patience is at an end and my money is lost.
- Disappointed
Good Book, July 11 2005
Rating:
Submitted by
HROUG
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If you are looking for a book that will help make the decision to switch to Linux or stay with Windows, this is the one. It goes through how you would complete common Windows tasks in Linux with easy to follow steps. If you are looking for a book that goes into how Linux needs to be setup or how the underlying tasks to get it installed and configured, this isn't it. I was looking for the latter and was disappointed when it wasn't there. All in all, I came away with a good feeling that Linux has made great strides in making it a main-stream OS.
gets you going, keeps you going with great tips!, June 27 2005
Rating:
Submitted by
planogeek
[Respond | View]
This books comes with a bootable CD. It didn't work on an old
desktop system but it did work on my laptop. I was instantly in a
Mandrake-like Linux environment.
This book is well written. It uses plain English so you don't have
to be a geek to understand it. It's ideal for all levels of
audiences. I'd buy another book by this author. He's good.
The coverage of this book is very thorough. It covers all the Linux
applications the typical casual desktop user would use. If I were to
nitpick I'd ask for more detail on configuring the network
connection and the internet connection which is covered in the
troubleshooting chapter.
I recommend this book to anyone who is considering Linux. I also
recommend this book to any novice to Linux. You don't have to
already be computer savvy. I will continue to use this book even
after I've installed a different version of Linux. It has many
useful tips. If you are on the fence about Linux, this book will
make you a convert.
To Linux or not to Linux - that is the, June 03 2005
Rating:
Submitted by
airdude
[Respond | View]
Test Driving Linux - from windows to linux in 60 seconds
Author: David Brickner
Publisher: O'REILLY
Price: $24.95 US - $34.95 CAN
The author David Brickner has it right. Linux is ready for prime time and users want to know what can be done with it and how to use it without committing the software to their computer. Covering the KDE desktop environment, bridging the void between the paperweight known as a computer and the delicious treats of the operating system known as Linux, the author strikes an excellent balance between users who just want to use their computer and those that 'always' use their computers. The focus on the KDE desktop is perfect for the first time user of Linux and probably even their first computer, without talking down to the reader. All of the major functions of the most popular desktop applications for KDE (the desktop environment) and personal / small office productivity is covered in practical yet easy to understand language that anyone can follow. He navigates beyond the initial presentation and use screens into the configurations and setups without getting lost or bored. With this book and the enclosed software, or any KDE desktop environment, the reader should not be lost or lacking for things to do with their computer. The ease of use of the KDE desktop it amply demonstrated. The power of Linux is left for future investigation by other authors.
I like the pace. I like the content. I like the navigational photographs. I like the style. If the included software would have loaded on my old Dell laptop without a video issue this could have been a home run. I'm sure it would load on most laptops without a problem. However, this forced using it on my desktop PC which I might add, with no problems. Since the included software is almost integral to test driving Linux, I have to demerit from what would have been a perfect score. Anyone wishing to test drive Linux and the graphical desktop environment known as KDE, this book is the way to go, with David Brickner as a tour guide, IMHO. I give it 4.7 out of 5 Tux bow-ties.
Media reviews "Test Driving Linux is clearly of value in better introducing the public to the power and promise of Linux. It is undoubtedly one of the most user-friendly tools that could assist Linux advocates in spreading the word, and encouraging computer users to break away from operating systems that are expensive, buggy, and non-secure. As Brickner notes in his preface, when people unfamiliar with Linux give it a test drive, by simply booting off of the CD provided with the book, they just might want to stay with Linux long-term."
--Michael J. Ross, Slashdot.org, June 2005
"I recommend this book to anyone who is considering Linux. I also recommend this book to any novice to Linux. You don't have to already be computer savvy. I will continue to use this book even after I've installed a different version of Linux. It has many useful tips. If you are on the fence about Linux, this book will make you a convert."
--Stephanie Smith, Amazon.com review, July 2005
"David Brickner has a great idea, and it's all included in his new book Test Driving Linux. The book comes with a CD which, after inserting into your CD-drive, brings up the Linux operating system. Your Windows OS, your software, your data files--nothing here will be changed. When you've finished testing Linux, you remove the CD, then reboot your computer as usual. Like the aftermath of a vacation in the Greek Islands, you may not be so happy with the lackluster Windows Operating System when you return to the grey everyday... Try Linux: you'll like it. And with David Brickner's Test Driving Linux on the front seat beside you, you'll be guided by an expert navigator as you enjoy the ride."
--Michael Pastore, BookLovers Review, July 2005
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