Customer Reviews

Beginning Ubuntu Linux: From Novice to Professional

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was nervous that this book would be too high level because I am a professional programmer, and am pretty technical. What I was looking for is something to give me a good base knowledge of linux. I have used linux in the past but my knowledge was spotty becuase I never read a book on it.

Some of the chapters in this book I did skip because they explain how to use certain software, which for me wasn't useful, but i can see its worth to someone switching from windows and wants to learn to use openOffice as well as MS office.

This book also had some more advanced topics in it and I feel this information made the book worth it for me. I feel it did a good job in giving me a good base knowledge of linux.

Though, as of june 1st, 2006, the included CD in the book will not be the latest Ubuntu release. Ubuntu is always free, however, and can be downloaded from their site.

I always thought Linux was an operating system mainly for computer geeks and highly technically-oriented people, which I definitely am not. Back in December of 2005, I did a search for a desktop Linux operating system and Ubuntu stood out, Ubuntu is probably the easiest desktop distro for the beginner to learn Linux with. I ordered 5 free CD's from Ubuntu, installed on an old 500 MHz, 256 Mb ram with no problems; it automatically detected all the hardware on my pc and I was up and running in no time. I did extensive reading of resources off the internet relating to Ubuntu and Linux to learn how to use my new "toy". Man, was I in for a big surprise, Ubuntu is a powerful operating system and I've been able to do about anything with it that I can do with my Windows XP pc. If I had this book when I first installed Ubuntu, it would have saved me countless hours of researching and reading all the resources I found scattered on the internet.
The book comes with an installation CD containing the latest stable version of Ubuntu. I'll admit, you can learn a lot from the internet, but this book has what you'll need to get the most out of Ubuntu, all in one handy reference manual. I highly recommend that anyone interested in trying Ubuntu to get this book and visit the Ubuntu forums, there's a wealth of information there. If you're wondering, Ubuntu can be installed alongside Windows(dual-boot) during the installation process(Ubuntu needs approx. 5 Gb HD space to install on). I recommend anyone interested in trying out Ubuntu to download the LiveCD .iso or order the free cd's. The LiveCD runs from ram memory and doesn't touch your hard drive in any way; and, if the LiveCD works on your system, then your hardware is compatible with Ubuntu(Ubuntu supports a wide range of hardware) and installation onto your HD shouldn't be a problem.
This book will get you up and running Ubuntu in no time at all, as well as serve as a hand reference guide to tweak and configure your system to suit your preferences.

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS(Long Term Support), aka Hardy Heron, is the latest release of Ubuntu and in my 2 years of using Ubuntu, it is definitely the best version of Ubuntu yet. I have obtained and read through Edition Three of "Beginning Ubuntu Linux", which is written for Ubuntu 8.04, so it is up-to-date with the latest information you'll need in getting Ubuntu installed and configured on your computer. Just as with earlier editions, the 3rd edition of the book is well-organized, well-written, and the instructions are easy to follow, with illustrations that you can refer to as you're installing or configuring Ubuntu. The authors have obviously invested a lot of time and testing in the writing of this book, the information is accurate and complete for the average user to get the most out of their Ubuntu experience.
Beginning Ubuntu Linux Edition Three will guide you through getting Ubuntu installed and will prove to be a handy resource that you can refer to when needed. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring Ubuntu Linux.

Ubuntu Linux is a Debian based distribution that aims to be particularly user friendly and does an excellent job at it. A desktop focused product, it comes with all the most commonly used software including a full Office Suite (including a database and slideshow product), web browser, instant messaging, audio player, movie player, CD/DVD burner, photo editor, and of course various games, screen savers, and utilities.

The book has a good section on getting things up and running correctly that covers all the most common problems that you might encounter during an install. Generally my experience has been that there are few, if any problems installing Ubuntu. For those who are not satisfied with just booting up and running an Internet browser or writing a letter but want to get into the nuts and bolts of the system the author has included information on the BASH Shell. Using it you can get directly into the file system or interact with other aspects of the system in detail.

While this is an introduction to Ubuntu and the various programs that come with it, whole books are available from this publisher and many others on most of the programs included with Ubuntu. So, while this book gives you what you need to get up and running and do all the most common tasks, if you really want to take advantage of the power of some of the programs you can pick up one of several good books on the subject as well as utilize the online support community. Beginning Ubuntu Linux: From Novice to Professional is highly recommended to anyone interested in this desktop alternative.

Anybody who have heard about Linux would be aware of Ubuntu which is a very popular flavor of Linux created by the South African firm Canonical founded by the space tourist Mark Shuttleworth. In fact, they set the precedent of supplying free CDs of this very popular OS to any one interested in installing and trying out Linux on their machine. Recently, I got hold of this wonderful book named "Beginning Ubuntu Linux - From Novice to Professional" authored by Kier Thomas. Being a Ubuntu user myself, I was pleased to see a Linux book specifically concentrating on Ubuntu, finding its way to the book stores. This book is aimed at people who are new to Linux and who wish to start their Linux journey by installing Ubuntu on their machines.

The book's 600 pages are divided into 7 parts each concentrating on a particular topic. And there are in total, 34 chapters and 4 appendices.

The first part of the book concentrates on giving a firm foundation to the readers as to what Linux is all about, its history and the benefits of using Linux over any other operating system.

From here, the author moves into explaining how to install Ubuntu on ones machine which forms the basis for the second part of this book. This part is divided into 3 chapters, one each dealing in pre-installation steps like partitioning ones hard disk, the actual installation steps and the equally important part of the most common issues faced by users before, during and after the installation and their solutions. In fact, the author lists over 18 problems that any user could encounter and gives their possible solutions.

The third part of the book which contains 6 chapters focuses on giving a fly-by tour of different aspects of Ubuntu Desktop, its various elements like menus, panels, virtual desktops and applets. I especially liked the section which listed the Microsoft Windows desktop functions and their equivalents found in Ubuntu. There is a special chapter titled "Ubuntu replacements for Windows programs" which could be an eye opener for any one interested in embracing Linux. In fact, the whole book is geared towards neophytes who are hoping to take their first steps in Linux.

Part 4 aptly named - "The Shell and Beyond" - contains 5 chapters where the author gives a sound introduction to the shell in Linux as well as takes the reader through the most useful and commonly used commands which would help a user save time. This part of the book contains a chapter on the Bash shell where the author explains the uses of the command line and how one can benefit from it. I really liked the table giving the DOS commands and their equivalents in Linux and also the section on how to disable the graphical desktop and boot into the console. And surprisingly the author explains how to do it the command line way which I found really interesting. This section is full of useful tips for people who have an affinity for the command line - like creating aliases, getting more help on the command usage, the file hierarchy in Ubuntu, file permissions and much more. The icing on the cake is the chapter named - "Cool Shell Tricks" - which contains many command line gymnastics that showcase the true power of the console in Linux. But what is amazing is that the author explains all these topics in a very simple and lucid manner which makes it easy for even a lay person to understand.

The fifth part of the book deals entirely with the topic of digital music, movies and image editing and is spread over 3 chapters. Here one gets to know the various software used to play different media formats as well as an introduction to the fine art of image manipulation using Gimp. One of the biggest drawbacks for Linux users is the lack of out-of-the-box support for popular media formats due to license restrictions. The author explains how one can enable the media players bundled with Ubuntu to play most of these media files including the ever popular mp3. By going through the chapters in this section, one gets to know more about the different audio and video formats which could be an eye opener for any tech neophyte.

What is the use of a desktop if it does not suit an office setup right? The next section comprising of 8 chapters cover how one can use Ubuntu at one's work place. The author takes the users on a trip of using OpenOffice.org office suite to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations as well as configuring an email client to send and receive emails. The last chapter in this section is exclusively dedicated to installing and running Microsoft Office in Ubuntu using Wine.

Till now if the book was dedicated more or less to new users of Linux, then in the seventh and final part of this book, the experts among us have something to look forward too. This part of the book covers the finer nuances of maintaining the Ubuntu system which includes installing and updating software, managing users and groups, ways of backing up data, and most interesting of all, steps to make the system more responsive which includes disabling unnecessary services, optimizing the hard disk, the concept of prelinking and much more.

The inclusion of 4 appendices which contain among others a glossary of Linux terms, the bash shell command index, information on getting further help online as well as a synopsis of the different flavors of Ubuntu makes this book a perfect guide for new users in Linux.

Having said that, even though at first glance, a person who is well versed in Linux might be tempted to pass it on as a book for newbies; on close scrutiny, one will find interesting nuggets and tips which even an expert would not have known. One example of this is the part where the author explains how one can configure Ubuntu to communicate and transfer data with one's bluetooth enabled cell phone. And it is to the authors credit that all these technical topics are explained in clear and simple language. The book is interspersed with images and screen shots making it easier to visualize the steps being explained. All in all a good book which is both informative and entertaining at the same time, and which would appeal to anybody interested in installing and using Ubuntu Linux on ones machine.
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It seems that Ubuntu Linux has made the leap from "just another distro" to "distro of choice" as opposed to Fedora. Since I haven't done anything with Ubuntu yet, I decided to get started with a review of the book Beginning Ubuntu Linux: From Novice to Professional by Keir Thomas. While I'm not sure it caters completely to the professional, I think it does a good job of getting a computer-savvy person up to speed on what they can expect from running a Linux distribution (in this case, Ubuntu).

Contents:
Part 1 - Introducing the World of Linux: Welcome!; A History and Politics Lesson; The Realities of Running Linux
Part 2 - Installing Ubuntu: Preinstallation Steps; Installing Ubuntu; Solving Installation Problems
Part 3 - The No-Nonsense Getting Started Guide: Booting Ubuntu for the First Time; Getting Everything Up and Running; How to Secure Your Computer; Personalizing Ubuntu - Getting Everything Just Right; Ubuntu Replacements for Window Programs; Managing Your Files;
Part 4 - The Shell and Beyond: Introducing the BASH Shell; Understanding Linux Files and Users; Working with Text Files; Taking Control of the System; Cool Shell Tricks
Part 5 - Multimedia: Digital Music; Movies and Multimedia; Image Editing
Part 6 - Office Tasks: Making the Move to OpenOffice.org; OpenOffice.org Overview; In Depth - Writer; In Depth - Calc; In Depth - Impress; In Depth - Base; In Depth - Evolution; Running Microsoft Office Under Ubuntu
Part 7 - Keeping Your System Running: Installing Software; Managing Users; Optimizing Your System; Backing Up Data; Scheduling Tasks; Accessing Computers Remotely
Appendixes - Glossary of Linux Terms; BASH Command Index; Getting Further Help; Other Versions of Ubuntu; Index

Thomas starts off the book by explaining the background of Linux, as well as how to get Ubuntu installed on your computer. Parts 1 through 4 deal pretty directly with Ubuntu and core pieces of the operating system, and that's the part of the book that will help most computer-savvy users get a feel for what's involved in running Ubuntu. It's not at the Grandma level, which means that you won't feel like it's a huge waste of time if you already know your way around your Windows system. Parts 5 and 6 are not so much Ubuntu as they are chapters on core software that replace the often-used Windows programs for most people. Many of these software packages have whole books written just about them, so don't expect a definitive guide to every feature they offer. But it will help you to see what's out there in terms of Windows replacements. Part 7 gets back more into the Ubuntu-specific realm of how to make sure your system is running to its peak performance.

I see this book at being targeted best for either a Linux newbie or someone sampling Linux distros to see which one appeals to them. If you are a long-time Linux user looking to switch to Ubuntu, I think you'll find too much of this book covering material you already know. If you want a book that gets into the arcane details of Ubuntu, then this isn't the book you'd want to get. However, if you're in the proper audience, you'll benefit from this book. I know I plan on firing up my VMWare software and loading up Ubuntu based on what I read here...

I've come across numerous Linux books since I started using Linux about a year ago. From what I've seen Linux books generally fall into two categories: Firstly, books that are about specific distros (Mandrake, Red Hat, SUSE etc.) and books that are about general Linux topics (like BASH scripting, networking, security). For people who are beginning Linux, it's the first category that is most useful. Most such books are about the popular distros. In the past they have included the likes of Red Hat and SUSE. Recently Ubuntu Linux has joined the ranks of the popular and mass user distros, and Beginning Ubuntu Linux is one of the first books written specifically to give a helping hand to people who are beginning their Linux journey with Ubuntu. And that includes people like me.

This book is different in many ways from other similar books that I've come across in the last year; in fact in seems to be as different from other books as Ubuntu is from other major distros. The back of the book says that the book is "Written for newcomers to Linux, yet comprehensive enough to appeal to even seasoned users". And they are quite right about it. The book does not just cover how to get Ubuntu installed and running, it also takes a good look at the common applications that any computer uses: office and mulitmedia programs, internet software and even some slightly more advanced topics like making backups, networking with other computers, making sense of the Linux filesystem and optimizing your system for better performance.

Most Linux users, especially new users today are exiles from the world of Windows and for them adjusting to the Linux world can sometimes be a challenge. This book accepts the fact that most of it's readers will be coming from Windows and will need a helping hand figuring things out. The two most important questions asked by any Windows exile are: "Can I use my favourite Windows programs in Linux?" and "Do I have to type in a lot of weird commands?". This book anticipates these questions and makes a determined and sincere effort to gently introduce the Linux newbie to Linux equivalents of comon Windows programs and also to the weird and wonderful thing that is the command line. I especially liked the chapters devoted to the intricacies of the BASH shell, and even though I've spent a good deal of time at the Command Line, I still learnt a new trick or two.

But of course do actually get the most out of the book, you have to have Ubuntu installed on your computer. There is an in depth guide to installing Ubuntu, which holds your hand through the whole process and even helps you through the often confusing process of partitioning and also tells you what to do if you run into one of the common errors. it then goes on to take you on a tour of Ubuntu's GNOME desktop and helps you set up your hardware and get connected to your home network and the Internet. There are also sections to guide you through conecting scanners and cameras and using USB storage devices and installing graphics card drivers. There is also a section on installing a firewall and securing your computer (which includes an introduction to the user system in Linux).

The book is replete with screenshots, which make sure that the user encounters no confusion while installing and configuring her or his system and the layout is clear and simple. But what impressed most about the book is not how well it guides the new user, but that the book begins with an extensive account of the history of Linux and the free softare movement. And it is one of the few books that I have encountered that give due credit to both Richard M. Stallman and Linuz Torvalds acknowledges the part played by the FSF and GNU software. The book ensures that only will a reader become an adept Linux user, she or he will know about the people and the ideas behind Linux and understand appreciate the differences between Free and proprietary software.

In the end it all boils down to this: is it really worth paying $39.99 for this book? The answer is yes. If you're a new Linux user, this book will certainly save you a lot of time scouring forums and documentation for solutions to simple problems and answers to common questions. Even if you're reached the stage when you can manage linux without too much of a fuss (like me) you can still hope to learn a good few things from this book. And thanks to the spirit of humanity and free software, you also save bandwidth charges because this book comes with a complete, no-strings-attached copy of Ubuntu on CD. If you've been hearing about Linux, but have been waiting for someone to hold your hand

I have dabbled with Linux before. Mainly installing RedHat9 on my Thinkpad in a dual-boot with Windows98.

This book caught my eye, because it seemed to be geared very much towards a Windows user who wants to start learning Linux - specifically Ubuntu.

I mainly use my PC to surf the internet, write emails, and write a Word document. Nothing too punishing on a PC.

This books covers all the subjects that most people would be interested in using Linux for.

Ubuntu recognized my USB flash drive with no problems.

some words of caution:
In the version of Ubuntu that came with the book, double-clicking on floppy drive causes an error. I had to install newer version of pmount.

The biggest hurdle with transitioning from Windows to Linux as it pertains to the internet is getting the modem to work if you are still on dial-up which is what I am still using now.

You will find that most modems are not recognized by Linux or require some "work" to get them to work. It is definitely not plug-and-play as it is in Windows.

The 2 pages in this book about using the modem in your PC to dial into your ISP is simply not adequate.

You will need to find out from your ISP if it has any documentation about using Linux to connect on dial-up.

If you are on DSL or cable modem, that is a different ballgame which I have no firsthand experience with.

When I first picked up the phrase that proclaimed Ubuntu as "Linux for human beings" I refused to believe it based on my prior experiences with other Linux distros. Suddenly a thought struck me. If this phrase was coined by Linux geeks to attract desktop users, they could never think of such a secular phrase. Instead, they would have phrased it as "Linux for Homo sapiens" because these geeks are incapable of simplicity - no offense. The attention towards simplicity in the above phrase, established an initial impression that Ubuntu may be different from others. Further, since fellow Amazon reviewers awarded amazing reviews to "Beginning Ubuntu Linux", I bought this book and commenced my journey on Ubuntu Linux.

1 week later - Ubuntu and Windows XP were seamlessly installed and working on my laptop in dual-boot mode. Since Ubuntu comes with quite a few built-in productivity software suites, and the book explains briefly, yet clearly on how to get started, I was able to feel a seamless transition from Windows to Ubuntu. Also, it came as a pleasant surprise that Ubuntu automatically recognized and configured my wireless network card.

2 weeks later - I noticed that I wasn't booting into Windows very often; in fact, I guess I booted it only once. Obviously, I am not a fan of wasting valuable hard disk space, so I wiped off the windows partition. The decision needed courage, and that was available in bottomless portions from this well-written, confidence-invoking and easy-to-read book by Keir Thomas.

From my above experience, you could have easily guessed that both Ubuntu Linux and the book "Beginning Ubuntu Linux" are fabulous, and anyone interested in making a move from Windows to Linux should own a copy of this book.

Although I have not completed reading all that I need, the book lead to a flawless installation of Ubuntu Linux on a completely locked up computer, even giving me the choice of replacing Windows or installing Linux as a "duel boot" operating system.

Even though I have not yet found how to make myself "root user" so I can download other applications, I use this old desk top as much as I use my new notebook computer.

For a person who uses their computer mostly for 'web surfing' and e-mail, this is a great alternative to Windows to replace a corrupt operating system with most needed tools such as Open Office as a word processor being on the included CD.

Basically everything that you need to expand your computing skills to a new level, even as a 70 year old with only basic computer knowledge. "Beginning Ubuntu Linux" has made a dreaded task fun.

This book is a great read. I found it warn and friendly. If you are new to Ubuntu and do not like tech books, this is for you. One thing though, it was out dated when I got it new. Ubuntu comes out every 6 months, so this book will always be behind unless the author starts using the beta to write the book, which would be the best idea. I would also have liked to see more on Kubunu, Edubuntu and Xubuntu as well. They are all part of the official Ubuntu family and one may have worked better of me as a reader.