Learning Debian GNU/Linux

Conventions Used in This Book

The following typographical conventions are used in this book:

Boldface

indicates a keyboard command, such as Enter.

Constant width

indicates command-line computer output, code examples, and keyboard accelerators (See “Keyboard Accelerators” later in this section).

Constant width italic

indicates variables in examples.

Constant width bold

indicates user input in examples.

Italic

introduces new terms and indicates URLs or user-defined files and directories, commands, command options, file extensions, filenames, directory or folder names, and pathnames.

Path Notation

I use a shorthand notation to indicate paths. Instead of writing “Click on the Start menu, then click on Find, then Files or Folders,” I write: Start → Find → Files or Folders. I distinguish menus, dialog boxes, buttons, or other GUI elements only when the context would otherwise be unclear. Simply look for the GUI element whose label matches an element of the path.

Keyboard Accelerators

In a keyboard accelerator (such as Ctrl-Alt-Del), a dash indicates that the keys should be held down simultaneously, whereas a space means that the keys should be pressed sequentially. For example, Ctrl-Esc indicates that the Ctrl and Esc keys should be held down simultaneously; whereas Ctrl Esc means that the Ctrl and Esc keys should be pressed sequentially.

Where a keyboard accelerator contains an uppercase letter, you should not type the Shift key unless it’s given explicitly. For example, Ctrl-C indicates ...