Customer Reviews

Peter van der Linden's Guide to Linux(R)

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One of the benefits to being an active reviewer is that you occasionally get sneak previews of books that are not yet published. Prentice Hall sent me a draft manuscript copy of Peter van der Linden's Guide to Linux due to be published in August. While good for all Linux distros, it will be especially valuable if you're focusing on Linspire.

Contents: Hello Linux; Running the Linux Live CD; The KDE Desktop; Onto the Net; All About Email; Web Tools; Adding Software; More Applications; Filesystems and Optical Storage (CDs and DVDs); Sharing On Your Local Network; Keeping Your Data Private; Installation and Boot; Malicious Windows Software; Making Your Hardware Obey You - BIOS and Device Drivers; Sample Output from WiFi Network Commands; Commands for the Command Line; Disk Basics and Partitioning; Troubleshooting With Strance

Since Peter has focused on Linspire, the target audience is going to be Window users who want to switch over to Linux without becoming a geek. I think he hits that target dead on. The style of the book is extremely readable. There's plenty of content that Joe Average will be able to read and understand, and as a result will be able to start using the Linux desktop quite effectively. Jane Power User will also benefit, as there is also material that gets into more difficult concepts like file sharing using packages such as Samba. Even if Joe isn't ready for that on day one (Joe just wants to surf the 'net and read email), he'll be able to refer back to the book on numerous occasions to push his limits.

When the book is published, there will be a bootable Linspire CD included that will allow you to try out Linspire without making any changes to your current hardware. Bootable CDs like Knoppix bring up a Linux environment that runs completely from memory without making physical changes to your hard drive. If you think that Linspire is a distro that you'd like to use, getting this book will be the logical first step in your evaluation process. You'll learn if your system can run Linspire, and then you can experiment with the desktop GUI before making your final commitment.

Very well done work, and I'm looking forward to the final version of the book. This will be a nice addition to the world of Linux books, and it will be a highly recommended purchase if you're going with Linspire.

Peter van der Linden has the unusual gift (among I suspect the majority of writers) of presenting his information in a chatty form, without being verbose. As a software reviewer for Australia's premier CAD magazine, I was continually in trouble from my editor for being verbose :)

I write this brief revue from the perspective of a non-geek power user who until recently had only encountered Linux's big brother, Unix, and was always in strife with superiors for doing dastardly things to files I had been sent to work on. How I wish Peter had written this book before 1990 :D

I have found it quite difficult to put this book down, because of the author's style and the content; the depth of coverage of each topic is such that if the reader needs that amount of detail to understand a point, or to solve a problem, there is enough there to resolve their issue. Equally, if they don't need that amount of detail, because of their browsing the pages solely out of interest, they are not likely to get bored with techno-babble, which is what happens so often in my experience.

Peter has done an excellent job of creating a technical reference that can be picked up and dipped into without having to methodically go through all the previous pages to get to the bit the reader is interested in.

A very nice touch is his applying his writing skills to a real life distribution produced for ab-initio Linux users with some experience of the Microsoft Windows platform, but who are not necessarily techno-philes. The book will appeal equally to those who do understand what goes on "under the bonnet" because of his obviously deep understanding of the subject. Yet the book would equally be of great benefit to users of any Debian Linux distribution.

I can thoroughly recommend this book, and in closing I would like to add a "thank-you" to the author for what has obviously been a tireless and lengthy job, occupying many hours. Perhaps one should add a vote of thanks to Mrs van der Linden, and their kids too, in their encouragement of his task :D

Linux is not for everyone. But it is as good as Windows, or better, for a lot of people who don't even know it yet. Van der Linden's book and the accompanying CD are a great way to find out if it is for you.

Most Linux books seem to take it for granted that you already want to use Linux, that you are sure it's better than Windows, and that you're eager to use it. So eager, you're willing to go through a lot of pain and confusion to get there.

Most of us aren't like that. Most of us have work or personal computers we need to use every day. We don't want to lose a lot of time or productivity dealing with a new operating system, no matter how much better it will be at the end of the road.

To the rescue comes Peter van der Linden, with his doughty companion Linspire. Van der Linden walks you through everything you need to know to make Linux your new home. And you can learn it first-hand on the computer you already have, just by running off of the Linspire CD.

Browser. Email. Word processing and office applications. Image manipulation. Network connections. Printers. Pretty much anywhere you open the book, you will find good, solid information, written so you can understand and use it without a lot of page-flipping or puzzling through confusing grammar and largely irrelevant, overly technical asides.

You will also learn why so many smart people choose Linux over Windows. Security, cost, software bloat, Microsoft's business practices, it's all explained right here, clearly, without condescending techspeak or juvenile hostility.

Van der Linden rightly observes, "there is no reason to force readers through installation before getting to the good stuff of using Linux day-to-day." So the chapter on installation is waiting at the end of the book for whenever you finally love Linux enough to want to install it. And, thanks to the author's wise choice of distro, it isn't all that hard to do once you do get there.

It's not the only book you'll ever need, but if you already have a Windows box, van der Linden's book and the accompanying CD are all you need to start with.

I know many people who own only one Windows PC. This system becomes "Grand Central" and is used by every family member. And, sooner or later (because of all those family users), their system crashes or becomes infected with viruses or spyware. Mom and dad spend hours trying to correct the system only to have it happen again. The end result is buying the latest and greatest anti-virus software or firewall to try and end the agony of PC system infection and interruption. But, once again, little Bobby or Susie jump on the system, visit a web site and end up, unknowingly, downloading another Windows virus.

Families need a solution to this problem. The solution is Linux. Linux is stable, secure and affordable. But it's always been a technical mystery. Not anymore.

If you want to learn and use Linux, and introduce it to your family, then this is the only book you'll ever need.

Peter van der Linden's Guide to Linux is absolutely THE BEST book of its kind. Within reading the first few chapters, you'll be up and running and understanding Linux! And guess what? There's no mystery to it! Because Peter de-mystifies it!

Peter has a very affable, easy to understand writing style. He covers every aspect of Linux (centering mostly on the Linspire distribution) from running the OS to downloading software to customizing applications, the desktop, etc. It's all here.

The book is wonderfully well organized. Peter has this gift for breaking large chunks of information into smaller steps making it easy for anyone to understand and digest. It all becomes clear!

And to his credit, Peter is quite even-handed when speaking about the strengths and weaknesses of Linux, Windows and Mac. His honesty and candor are refreshing.

The book comes with a Live CD of Linspire and enables you to run Linux on your existing PC without having to install it to your hard drive. This way you can test it out and take it through all the paces.

There are so many tips and ticks to devour that you'll actually enjoy tweaking and tuning your Linspire Linux system. You'll no longer be intimidated by Linux!

I highly recommend this book! And I highly recommend it for families looking for an alternative to the constant assault of viruses, worms and spyware plaguing their Windows systems.

To take full advantage of Peter's book, you really must run Linspire Linux. It simply is the World's Easiest Desktop Linux! Your family will love Linspire! It's easy! Peter's book will make it easy for every family member to understand. I bought the book. I run Linspire.

I got a chance to read Peter Van Der Linden's book and found it to be extremely useful to the user who has started down the path to get away from Microsoft Windows. Peter starts you off right from the beginning and gives you some background and explains what Linux is and how it can help to address some of the problems that Microsoft Windows users face. He lays out the advantages and disadvantages of Linux and gives you a bit of background on the history of Linux.

Peter's style is easy to understand and he uses analogies and examples that make it easy to comprehend the subject matter.

Peter gets you started by explaining how to run the included Linspire Linux CD. I had no problems with the included CD and have run it successfully on many different computers. (The first poster above must have some strange hardware or else he is trying to run 4 different operating systems at the same time like a true Linux geek! Most people I have met are able to boot this CD on their computer without any trouble.)

Once you get the Linspire Linux CD up and running, Peter walks you through various tasks step-by-step. He starts with the desktop and then explains how to set up networking and get on the Internet. Peter then covers the web and email. After he gets you up and running online he talks you through how to install software on your Linux system! This is important because this is the part that most new Linux users find extremely difficult.

Peter Van Der Linden's Guide to Linux is extremely thorough and well written. It is the perfect companion for anyone who has ever been curious about Linux. Even if you tried Linux in the past and didn't like it.... this book could help to change your mind! The combination of easy-to-understand guidance along with an easy-to-use version of Linux like Linspire makes this the perfect combination. This book also goes a lot deeper than the average "getting started" guide. Peter's Guide to Linux works for advanced users as well as user's who are just getting into Linux for the first time.

Advanced users will like the information on the commandline, installing drivers, and disk partitioning. Everyone will benefit from knowing how to:

* Install and configure software
* Make copies of your DVDs
* Burn CD and DVDs
* Creating music CDs
* Networking with your Windows computers
* Troubleshooting wireless connections
* Avoiding Windows spyware and viruses

This book walks you though the entire experience of running Linux -- from setup and installation to configuration to daily use. It is packed full of screenshots, examples, tips, and illustrations to make it easy to understand. If the O'Reilly books are a bit too advanced for you and the "getting started" books are too easy -- then Peter Van Der Linden's book may be just what you are looking for! I highly recommend it.

I am not one to sit and read any computer books manuals as a rule, a chapter or two and then I am on to something else. I did not even start at Chapter 1, but jumped right into another area of interest. I was somewhat surprised to find I could not wait to read more chapters, I was learning more than I had expected.

Peter has a seemingly uncanny ability to make the most complex concept or task seem as simple a filling a glass with water. He manages to appeal to the reader using this talent, with expanding details where needed, and just plain simplicity when you wanted only the time, not instructions on how to build the watch. He inspires confidence that anyone can use Linux (Linspire) without having to become a command line guru, while typing characters and symbols not even seen on a normal keyboard.

I am an early adopter of Linspire, over 3 years now it has been my main operating system, and yet I continued to finds tidbits of information that I had not found or thought of before. Peter gives Linux a whole new fresh perspective, and this is a must have book for the new users migrating from windows. I just hope that those who try the LiveCD and do not succeed in getting it work, will at least try to seek help in the wonderful community forum. I have seem many times when just a small adjustment or change in procedure helped people overcome a seemingly impossible problem, and in the end they are happy they made the effort because they have Linspire working.

I will definitely recommend this book to any new Linux users and feel confident they will find it every bit as useful and informative as I did

Zoic

This book is outstanding and important! I've been using Linux since 2001. During that time I have explored many books for people relatively new to Linux. Most of them lack one key ingredient that Peter van der Linden grasps wonderfully....balance. Balance between how to's, the culture of open source, the history, and still being entertaining and readable. He has not only accomplished balance, but he has excelled at it. You do not have to read his book cover to cover, but you can. His entertaining style and injection of humor (yes, humor) will keep you reading. As a reference, the book is wonderful. It will not collect dust on my bookshelf, this book will rest beside my computer and likely become dog eared from use. Entertaining, informative, and useful are words that I rarely use to describe a book. In this case, it has earned the accolade. It is also a book I wish had been published in 2001.

What does he do well?
He uses the Linspire 5-0 Operating System to introduce you to Linux. This is a great starting point for people to springboard from with its ease of use and familiar interface. It really is the World's Easiest Desktop Linux.
He not only tells you how things work the way they do, but why they work the way they do. Sometimes, he even gives you background information on certain aspect ranging from how an application came to be to landmark court decision.
He uses a logical progression in his topics. So many "newbie" Linux books start you off with how to install Linux. Your brain is so scrambled with partitioning and BIOS that the rest of the book is intimidating. Peter van der Linden starts with concepts that everyone can grasp such as surfing the web and using e mail. He then takes you on a tour of tasks like adding software, networking, and finally takes you into installation and booting.
He breaks down intimidating concepts such as networking and encryption to easily understood and applicable realities for any user.
The appendix is actually useful! This may sound trite, but it is true. I cannot tell you how many books I have read and never committed more than a cursory glance at the appendix. His are useful and consistent with the rest of the book.
It's easy to read. Again, this too may sound trite. But I have seen many a book on Linux that is not written with the real user in mind. There are other times where I have read books on Linux written at so simplistic a level it speaks down to the reader as if they were infants barely able to grasp a mouse. Peter van der Linden has shown an understanding of not only Linux, but the needs of real people without going over their heads or insulting their intelligence.

Sick of having an OS that takes over your computer with each successive version? What about the crazy expenses associated with Windows?

Linspire's Linux has smoothed the rough edges of the next-generation desktop OS. With their attention to detail and interest in maximizing ease of use, the most tedious aspects of Linux use have been largely mitigated. Peter makes a great choice in recommending this distribution to new users - and if I lost you as soon as I said "distribution", you'll need to get the book to find out what one is!

Despite Linspire's ease of use, though, it has its own rough edges. There may be programs that aren't in Click-n-Run that you want to install. Maybe you have install woes and don't know where to start. Peter has collected years of Linux know-how and combined it with a comprehensive capture of the Linspire community's knowledge regarding the latest fixes for Linspire anomalies, and answers to common "How Do I"s. I can say that I learned a thing or two (such as the strace command) from this excellent book. I have been exploring the Linspire community's knowledge almost as long as Peter has, but apparently I skimmed over a lot of nuggets of wisdom that Peter didn't miss. What's impressive is how much content is included in the book - and the level of detail. I see Peter's name come up in many posts in the community forums, but his book consolidates his knowledge in a well-written and cohesive format that is both enjoyable just for reading's sake, as well as informative.

If you've never tried Linspire Linux, this is a great way to try it. If you have negative experiences with other Linux distributions, the combination of Peter's book and Linspire will thrill you with a friendly new face to Linux that doesn't pester you with questions about mounting your root partitions, or making room for swap space, or selecting your filesystem driver, or compiling the kernel.

If you've never heard of Linux, this book will help you use Linspire very easily. It will also catch you up with current knowledge about common problems with Linspire, so that you can read about common Linspire difficulties without having to search through pages and pages of community forums.

I can vouch for Peter's expert knowledge of Linspire and his amazing ability to communicate and reach his audience. This book will deliver you to the next greatest desktop OS, regardless of whether Linspire installs smoothly - or not. Peter will help you with your troubles.

This book is exactly what I was looking for. It gives me the information I want to know without being overly technical. Peter has divided the book up so that the information follows a logical order and is not tedious at all. Before I knew it, I was halfway through the book.

I will definately keep this by my computer for reference. It not only works for linspire, but it works for a lot of other distributions as well.

Great Book Peter!!!

Linden offers a strong push into linux, for those of you that might be wavering between it and Microsoft or the Mac. He shows that you can do many things in linux that can be done in other operating systems. Notably, the use of OpenOffice, in place of the Microsoft Office suite.

The most contentious point of the book is probably the author's choice of the linux distribution ["distro"] that is on the CD accompanying the book. He advocates Linspire, a commercial offshoot of Debian linux, and that is what you will find on the CD. Personally, I don't distinguish [much] between the linux variants. But to some of you, Linspire will be problematic.

Without going into the pros and cons of Linspire, those of you who object are probably not the intended audience anyway. If you know enough about linux to prefer another version, then you don't need the book. The more basic point is that if you're new to linux, Linspire is a perfectly acceptable choice. And I say this as a user of the Red Hat and Fedora variants. Besides, Linspire is a variant that explicitly and strongly targets users with a Microsoft background. Offering a transition that is claimed to be as painless as possible.