book

Linux® for Dummies®, 9th Edition

Name: Linux® for Dummies®, 9th Edition
Author: Richard Blum
ISBN: 9780470467015

by Richard Blum

August 2009

Beginner

450 pages

9h 26m

English

For Dummies

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Copyright
About the Author
Author's Acknowledgments
Publisher's Acknowledgments
Introduction
About This BookHow to Use This BookThree Presumptuous AssumptionsHow This Book Is OrganizedPart I: Getting Your Feet WetPart II: Getting Up to Speed with LinuxPart III: Getting Things DonePart IV: Junior Administrator Boot CampPart V: The Part of TensPart VI: AppendixesIcons Used in This BookWhere to Go from Here
I. Getting Your Feet Wet
1. Getting Acquainted with Linux
1.1. Is Free Really Free?1.2. Linux: Revolution or Just Another Operating System?1.3. Anatomy of an Open-Source Software Project1.3.1. GNU who?1.3.2. Who's in charge of Linux anyway?1.3.3. Einstein was a volunteer1.4. Packaging Linux: The Distribution1.4.1. Core Linux distributions1.4.2. The Linux LiveCD1.4.3. Specialized Linux distributions
2. Prepping Your Computer for Linux
2.1. Choosing the Right Installation Approach2.1.1. Replacing an existing operating system2.1.2. Using a second hard drive or partitioning a hard drive2.1.3. Other installing scenarios2.2. Preparing to Use Linux and Microsoft Windows Together2.2.1. Installing a second hard drive2.2.2. Partitioning from scratch for a dual boot2.2.3. Partitioning an existing hard drive for a dual boot2.2.3.1. Peeking at your partitions in Windows Vista2.2.3.2. Peeking at your partitions in Windows 2000 and Windows XP2.2.3.3. Peeking at your partitions in Windows 982.2.3.4. Making space2.2.3.5. Defragmenting files2.3. Double-Checking Hardware Compatibility2.4. Finally, Before You Get Started
3. Installing Linux
3.1. Things to Consider Before You Begin Installation3.2. Installing from an Ubuntu LiveCD3.3. Installing Fedora3.4. Your First Fedora Boot
4. Examining the GNOME Desktop
4.1. Breaking Down the GNOME Desktop4.1.1. The menus4.1.1.1. Applications4.1.1.2. Places4.1.1.3. System4.1.1.4. The panels4.1.1.5. Quick-launch icons4.1.1.6. Applet area4.1.1.7. The bottom panel4.1.2. Playing with GNOME desktop icons4.2. Customizing Your Panels4.2.1. Adding an applet to the panel4.2.2. Configuring an applet4.2.3. Ditching an applet4.2.4. Adding a program to the panel or the desktop4.2.5. Removing a program from the desktop or the panel4.3. Configuring Your Desktop Appearance4.3.1. The desktop theme4.3.2. The background4.3.3. Fonts4.3.4. Interface4.3.5. Visual Effects4.4. Enabling Accessibility Features

5. Examining the KDE Desktop
5.1. The KDE Desktop Basics5.1.1. Menu, please!5.1.1.1. Favorites5.1.1.2. Applications5.1.1.3. Computer5.1.1.4. Recently Used5.1.1.5. Leave5.1.2. The panel5.1.3. The desktop5.2. Using Widgets5.2.1. Adding widgets5.2.2. Getting more widgets5.3. Adjusting the Desktop Settings5.3.1. Look & Feel5.3.2. Personal5.3.3. Network & Connectivity5.3.4. Computer Administration
II. Getting Up to Speed with Linux
6. Getting to Know the Linux Filesystem
6.1. Putting Together the Pieces of the Puzzle6.2. Touring the Linux Filesystem6.2.1. The root of the tree6.2.2. The importance of being /etc6.2.3. Where temporary media lives6.2.4. Where the computer is the /usr6.3. Managing Your Filesystem without a Net (Or Mouse)6.3.1. Viewing information about files on the command line6.3.2. Understanding file listing information6.3.3. A permissions primer6.3.3.1. Checking out the triplets6.3.3.2. Beware of owners6.3.3.3. Hanging out in groups
7. Using the Filesystem
7.1. Choosing a File Manager7.2. Sailin' through Folders with Nautilus7.2.1. Setting how much detail you see in a folder7.2.2. Creating files and folders7.2.3. Opening files and running programs7.2.4. Copying and moving files7.2.5. Deleting files and folders7.2.6. Taking out the trash7.2.7. Viewing and changing permissions7.3. Swimming with Dolphin7.4. All Hail the Konqueror7.5. Using CDs and Other Removable Media7.5.1. CDs, DVDs, and USB flash drives7.5.2. Floppy drives7.6. Accessing Windows Drives on This Computer7.7. Accessing Network Drives7.8. Burning Data CDs and DVDs7.8.1. The K3b package7.8.2. Our friend, Nautilus7.8.3. Brasero7.9. Finding Things7.9.1. KFind7.9.2. File Searcher
8. Connecting to the Internet
8.1. Getting Information You Need from Your ISP8.2. Configuring Your Connection8.2.1. Dialin' out8.2.1.1. Setting up GNOME-PPP8.2.1.2. Setting up KPPP8.2.2. Network Manager8.2.2.1. Playing with cards8.2.2.2. Look Ma, no cables!8.3. It's All Fun and Games Until Something Doesn't Work
III. Getting Things Done
9. Using the Internet
9.1. Browsing the Web with Firefox9.1.1. Configuring Firefox9.1.1.1. General preferences9.1.1.2. Privacy preferences9.1.1.3. Content preferences9.1.1.4. Advanced preferences9.1.2. Expanding your universe with add-ons9.1.3. Surfing the Web9.2. Taking Advantage of Instant Messaging9.2.1. Using the Pidgin Instant Messenger9.2.2. Checkin' out Kopete9.2.3. Troubleshooting your IM connections9.3. Downloading with BitTorrent9.4. Dealing with Old-Fashioned File Transfers9.5. Talkin' on the Phone9.5.1. Using the default: Ekiga9.5.2. Talking with Skype9.6. Working with Other Internet Tools
10. E-Mailing the World
10.1. Looking Before You Leap10.2. Evolving into E-Mail: Evolution10.2.1. Setting up Evolution10.2.2. Sending and checking e-mail10.3. Working with KMail10.3.1. Setting up KMail10.3.2. Customizing KMail10.3.3. Eating spam
11. Putting the X in Text
11.1. Going with gedit11.1.1. Entering and editing text in gedit11.1.2. Saving your work11.1.3. Setting preferences11.1.3.1. View11.1.3.2. Editor11.1.3.3. Font & Colors11.1.3.4. Plugins11.2. Editing Text in the KDE Desktop: KWrite
12. Word Processing and More with OpenOffice.org
12.1. Installing the OpenOffice.org Suite12.2. Word Processing with OpenOffice.Org Writer12.2.1. Taking a tour of OpenOffice.org Writer12.2.2. Working with Writer files12.3. Spreadsheets with OpenOffice.Org Calc12.3.1. Taking a tour of OpenOffice.org Calc12.3.2. Working with Calc files12.4. Presentations with OpenOffice.Org Impress12.4.1. Using the Presentation Wizard12.4.2. Taking a tour of OpenOffice.org Impress12.4.3. Working with Impress files12.5. Fine Art with OpenOffice.Org Draw12.5.1. Taking a tour of OpenOffice.org Draw12.5.2. Working with Draw files12.6. Managing Data with OpenOffice.org Base12.6.1. Getting help from the wizard12.6.1.1. Creating a new database file in the Database Wizard12.6.1.2. Opening an existing file in the Database Wizard12.6.2. Taking a tour of OpenOffice.org base12.6.3. Sitting down at the table12.7. Layout with OpenOffice.Org Math12.7.1. Menu bar12.7.2. Standard toolbar12.7.3. Commands window
13. Messing with Audio
13.1. What Sound? I Don't Hear a Thing!13.2. Listening to CDs13.2.1. Rhythmbox13.2.2. KsCD13.3. Listening to Downloaded Music13.3.1. Amarok13.3.2. Rhythmbox revisited13.4. Ripping Music Tracks from CDs13.5. Burning Audio CDs and DVDs
14. Messing with Video and Graphics
14.1. Watchin' Those Silly Web Clips14.1.1. Checking your plugins14.1.2. Adding a plugin14.1.3. Getting even more video support14.2. Viewing Movie Files with Totem14.3. Watchin' DVDs14.4. Creating and Modifying Graphics14.4.1. The GIMP basic tools14.4.2. Capturing screenshots14.4.3. Editing an image file14.4.4. Using The GIMP scripts14.5. Playing 3-D Games
15. Playing with Google Gadgets
15.1. Finding Google Gadgets with gOS15.2. Installing Gadgets in Other Distributions15.2.1. Installing the Gadget package with Fedora15.2.2. Gadgets for all15.3. Using Gadgets15.3.1. The default gOS Gadgets15.3.2. Customizing Gadgets15.3.3. Adding more Gadgets15.4. Using Google Apps
IV. Junior Administrator Boot Camp
16. Adding Software to Linux
16.1. Opening Downloaded Files16.2. Compressing and Packaging Files to Share16.3. Keeping Linux Up to (Up)date16.3.1. Updating Fedora with PackageKit16.3.1.1. Automated updates16.3.1.2. Manual updates16.3.2. Updating Ubuntu with Synaptic16.4. Installing New Software16.4.1. Adding complete applications16.4.1.1. Adding applications in Fedora16.4.1.2. Adding applications in Ubuntu16.4.2. Adding individual packages16.4.2.1. Installing with PackageKit16.4.2.2. Installing with the Synaptic Package Manager16.5. Finding More Software16.6. Upgrading Your OS
17. Working without the GUI
17.1. Playing the Shell Game17.1.1. Getting a shell17.1.2. Using the shell prompt17.1.3. Opening a virtual terminal window17.2. Understanding bash Command Syntax and Structure17.3. Starting Programs from the Shell17.4. Putting Wildcard Expansion to Good Use17.5. Working with Long Commands17.5.1. Asking Linux to complete a command or filename for you17.5.1.1. Completing a command17.5.1.2. Completing a filename17.5.2. Accessing your command history17.6. Working with Variables17.6.1. Variables versus environment variables17.6.2. Checking out commonly used environment variables17.6.3. Storing and retrieving variables' values17.7. Using Redirection and Pipes17.7.1. Redirecting command output17.7.2. Laying pipes17.8. Using Help17.9. Clearing the Screen
18. Basic System Administration
18.1. Managing Users and Groups18.1.1. Adding new users18.1.2. Modifying existing users18.1.3. Deleting a user account18.1.4. Adding new groups18.1.5. Modifying groups18.2. Setting Up Printers18.2.1. Printer server settings18.2.2. Adding a new printer18.2.3. Modifying printer properties18.2.3.1. Settings18.2.3.2. Policies18.2.3.3. Access Control18.2.3.4. Printer Options18.2.3.5. Job Options18.3. Checking Out the System Monitor18.3.1. Processes18.3.2. Resources18.3.3. File Systems
19. A Secure Linux Box Is a Happy Linux Box
19.1. Updating Your Software19.2. Keeping Your Network Secure19.2.1. Controlling your services19.2.2. Controlling and adjusting your firewall19.3. Keeping an Eye on Your Log Files with the System Log Viewer
20. The Virtual World
20.1. Understanding What Virtual Servers Are20.2. Installing VirtualBox20.3. Creating a Virtual Server20.4. Setting Up Your Virtual Server20.4.1. Changing settings20.4.2. Loading an OS20.5. Working with the Sandbox20.5.1. The Machine menu20.5.2. The Devices menu
V. The Part of Tens
21. Ten Steps to Setting Up a Samba Server
21.1. Dancing the Samba21.2. Step 1: Plan a Sharing Policy21.3. Step 2: Create Linux Groups21.4. Step 3: Create Folders to Share21.5. Step 4: Set Advanced Folder Permissions21.6. Step 5: Install and Start Samba21.7. Step 6: Configure Samba21.8. Step 7: Create Linux User Accounts21.9. Step 8: Create Samba User Accounts21.10. Step 9: Create Shared Folders in Samba21.11. Step 10: Map to Shared Folders21.12. Troubleshooting
22. Ten Troubleshooting Tips
22.1. Tip #1: "The Linux Installer Froze"22.2. Tip #2: Checking Your Distribution Burns22.3. Tip #3: "I Told the Installer to Test My Graphics, and They Failed"22.4. Tip #4: "The Installer Tested My Graphics Fine, but My GUI Won't Start"22.5. Tip #5: "I Think I'm in Linux, but I Don't Know What to Do!"22.6. Tip #6: "I Don't Want to Boot into This!"22.7. Tip #7: Changing Your Boot Environment "Permanently"22.8. Tip #8: "I Want to Change Screen Resolutions"22.9. Tip #9: "My GUI Is Hung, and I'm Stuck!"22.10. Tip #10: "Help, My Machine Hangs During Boot!"22.11. "Aaargh! I Forgot My Root Password! What Do I Do?"
VI. Appendixes
A. Common Linux Commands
A.1. Linux Commands by FunctionA.1.1. Getting helpA.1.2. Archiving and compressingA.1.3. Built-in bash commandsA.2. Files and the FilesystemA.2.1. File organizationA.2.2. File attributesA.2.3. File locatorsA.2.4. File viewersA.2.5. Filesystem commandsA.2.6. mtoolsA.3. System ControlA.3.1. AdministrationA.3.2. Kernel-module handlingA.3.3. Processes
B. About the DVD-ROM
B.1. System RequirementsB.2. Using the DVD-ROMB.3. If You've Got Problems (Of the DVD-ROM Kind)

Overview

One of the fastest ways to learn Linux is with this perennial favorite

Eight previous top-selling editions of Linux For Dummies can't be wrong. If you've been wanting to migrate to Linux, this book is the best way to get there. Written in easy-to-follow, everyday terms, Linux For Dummies 9th Edition gets you started by concentrating on two distributions of Linux that beginners love: the Ubuntu LiveCD distribution and the gOS Linux distribution, which comes pre-installed on Everex computers. The book also covers the full Fedora distribution.

Linux is an open-source operating system and a low-cost or free alternative to Microsoft Windows; of numerous distributions of Linux, this book covers Ubuntu Linux, Fedora Core Linux, and gOS Linux, and includes them on the DVD.
Install new open source software via Synaptic or RPM package managers
Use free software to browse the Web, listen to music, read e-mail, edit photos, and even run Windows in a virtualized environment
Get acquainted with the Linux command line

If you want to get a solid foundation in Linux, this popular, accessible book is for you.

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

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
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