Linux® For Dummies®, 8th Edition

Linux® For Dummies®, 8th Edition

by Dee-Ann LeBlanc, Richard Blum
Released July 2007
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470116494

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Book description

  • Focusing on Fedora Core 6, this accessible guide shows newcomers how to create a full-featured Linux desktop setup that's comparable to a Windows system

  • Substantially revised and updated with new material on setting up a wireless home network, recycling an old Windows computer as a Linux home-networking server, running Linux on a laptop, editing digital photos, managing and playing audio and video, using open source productivity software, and more

  • The DVD features the full Fedora Core installation and Fedora Core CD ISOs; there's also a coupon for readers who prefer to get Fedora Core on CD-ROM

  • A companion Web site provides installation options and information on other popular Linux distributions, including SuSE, Mandriva, Linspire, Knoppix, and Ubuntu

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Authors
  3. Authors’ Acknowledgments
  4. Publisher’s Acknowledgments
  5. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. How to Use This Book
    3. Three Presumptuous Assumptions
    4. How This Book Is Organized
    5. Icons Used in This Book
    6. Where to Go from Here
  6. Getting Your Feet Wet
    1. Getting Acquainted with Linux
      1. Is Free Really Free?
      2. Linux: Revolution or Just Another Operating System?
      3. Anatomy of an Open Source Software Project
      4. Packaging Linux: The Distribution
    2. Prepping Your Computer for Linux
      1. Preparing to Use Linux and Microsoft Windows Together
      2. Working with Disk Partitions
      3. Double-Checking Hardware Compatibility
      4. Finally, Finally, Before You Get Started
    3. Installing Fedora
      1. Things to Consider Before You Begin Installation
      2. Getting Started with the Installation Process
      3. Your First Boot
    4. Booting and Stopping Fedora
      1. Giving Linux the Boot
      2. Entering Rescue Mode
      3. Don’t Just Turn Off the Machine!
      4. Removing Linux from Your System
    5. Checking Out the Desktops
      1. Making the Best of the Command Line
      2. The GNOME Desktop
  7. Getting Up to Speed with Linux
    1. Working without the GUI
      1. Playing the Shell Game
      2. Understanding bash Command Syntax and Structure
      3. Starting Programs from the Shell
      4. Putting Wildcard Expansion to Good Use
      5. Working with Long Commands
      6. Working with Variables
      7. Using Redirection and Pipes
    2. Getting to Know the Linux Filesystem
      1. Pieces of the Puzzle
      2. Touring the Linux Filesystem
      3. Managing Your Filesystem without a Net (Or Mouse)
      4. Partitions versus Directories
    3. Using the Filesystem in GNOME and Nautilus
      1. Sailin’ through Folders
      2. Using CDs and Other Removable Media
      3. Accessing Windows Drives on This Computer
      4. Accessing Network Drives
      5. Formatting Disks
      6. Burning Data CDs and DVDs
      7. Finding Things
    4. Connecting to the Internet
      1. Internet Connectivity 101
      2. Setting Up the Hardware
      3. Selecting an Internet Service Provider (ISP)
      4. Getting Information You Need from Your ISP
      5. Configuring Your Connection
      6. It’s All Fun and Games Until Something Doesn’t Work
      7. After You’re Connected
  8. Getting Things Done
    1. Using the Internet
      1. Browse the Web with Firefox
      2. Evolving into E-Mail
      3. Taking Advantage of Instant Messaging
      4. Downloading with BitTorrent
      5. Ol’ Fashion File Transfers
      6. Talkin’ on the Phone
      7. Working with Other Internet Tools
    2. Putting the X in Text
      1. Viewing the Contents of a Text File
      2. Editing Text Files with nano
      3. Going with gedit
    3. Word Processing and More with OpenOffice.org
      1. Installing the OpenOffice.org Suite
      2. Word Processing with OpenOffice.Org Writer
      3. Spreadsheets with OpenOffice.Org Calc
      4. Presentations with OpenOffice.Org Impress
      5. Fine Art with OpenOffice.Org Draw
      6. Managing Data with OpenOffice.org Base
      7. Layout with OpenOffice.Org Math
    4. Messing with Audio
      1. What Sound? I Don’t Hear a Thing!
      2. Listening to CDs
      3. Listening to Downloaded Music
      4. Listening to Internet Radio
      5. Ripping Music Tracks from CDs
      6. Burning Data CDs and DVDs
    5. Messing with Video and Graphics
      1. Watchin’ Those Silly Web Clips
      2. Viewing Movie Files
      3. Watchin’ DVDs
      4. Creating and Modifying Graphics
      5. Playing 3-D Games
    6. Windows-Only Media Formats and Programs
      1. Commercial Software
      2. Installing and Using Wine
  9. Junior Administrator Boot Camp
    1. Adding Software to Linux
      1. Opening Downloaded Files
      2. Compressing and Packaging Files to Share
      3. Installing New Software
      4. Finding More Software
      5. Upgrading Your OS
    2. Basic System Administration
      1. Users and Groups
      2. Printing
      3. System Monitor
    3. A Secure Linux Box Is a Happy Linux Box
      1. Choosing Secure Passwords
      2. Updating Software
      3. Keeping an Eye on Your Log Files with the System Log Viewer
      4. Locating Security Resources
  10. The Part of Tens
    1. Ten Steps to Making Your Own Wireless Access Point
      1. Hello, Master!
      2. Step 1: Plan Your Network
      3. Step 2: Configure Your Network Card
      4. Step 3: Install Your Wireless Card
      5. Step 4: Install Bridging
      6. Step 5: Build a Bridge
      7. Step 6: Save Your Hard Work
      8. Step 7: Test Connectivity
      9. Step 8: Configure Security
      10. Step 9: Configure Remote Devices
      11. Step 10: Test Remote Devices
      12. In Case of Difficulty . . .
    2. Ten Steps to Setting Up a Samba Print Server
      1. Dancing the Samba
      2. Step 1: Plan Your Sharing
      3. Step 2: Connect a Local Printer
      4. Step 3: Manually Add a Local Printer
      5. Step 4: Set the Printer Configuration
      6. Step 5: Install Samba
      7. Step 6: Configure Samba
      8. Step 7: Start Samba
      9. Step 8: Open the Firewall Port
      10. Step 9: Let Guests Print
      11. Step 10: Map a Network Printer
      12. Troubleshooting
    3. Ten Steps to Setting Up a File Server
      1. Reintroducing Samba
      2. Step 1: Plan a Sharing Policy
      3. Step 2: Create Linux Groups
      4. Step 3: Create Folders to Share
      5. Step 4: Set Advanced Folder Permissions
      6. Step 5: Install and Start Samba
      7. Step 6: Configure Samba
      8. Step 7: Create UNIX User Accounts
      9. Step 8: Create Samba User Accounts
      10. Step 9: Create Shared Folders in Samba
      11. Step 10: Map to Shared Folders
      12. Troubleshooting
    4. Ten Troubleshooting Tips
      1. Tip #1: “The Linux Installer Froze”
      2. Tip #2: Checking Your Distribution Burns
      3. Tip #3: “I Told the Installer to Test My Graphics, and They Failed”
      4. Tip #4: “The Installer Tested My Graphics Fine, but My GUI Won’t Start”
      5. Tip #5: “I Think I’m in Linux, but I Don’t Know What to Do!”
      6. Tip #6: “I Don’t Want to Boot into This!”
      7. Tip #7: Changing Your Boot Environment “Permanently”
      8. Tip #8: “I Want to Change Screen Resolutions”
      9. Tip #9: “My GUI Is Hung, and I’m Stuck!”
      10. Tip #10: “Help, My Machine Hangs During Boot!”
      11. “Aaargh! I Forgot My Root Password! What Do I Do?”
  11. Appendixes
    1. Common Linux Commands
      1. Linux Commands by Function
      2. Files and Filesystem
      3. System Control
    2. About the DVD-ROM
      1. System Requirements
      2. Using the DVD-ROM
      3. Booting from the DVD-ROM
      4. What You Find in Fedora 7
      5. If You’ve Got Problems (Of the DVD-ROM Kind)
  12.  
    1. GNU General Public License
  13. Linux For Dummies®, 8th Edition
    1. Help Pages

Product information

  • Title: Linux® For Dummies®, 8th Edition
  • Author(s): Dee-Ann LeBlanc, Richard Blum
  • Release date: July 2007
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470116494