Customer Reviews

Ubuntu for Non-Geeks: A Pain-Free, Get-Things-Done Guide

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have toyed occasionally with both Red Hat and Ubuntu over the years, but I definitely meet the definition of "non-geek." Installing these operating systems before always required some degree of struggle, and not uncommonly (especially with some earlier distros) I would simply fail. But that has changed. The current 8.04 version of Ubuntu partnered with this book is frankly outstanding.

First, a word about the operating system: this Ubuntu distro, code-named Hardy Heron, may well be the one that has finally made Linux as easy as Windows. I had always previously laughed at such claims from Linux enthusiasts, but this distro impresses me. It is the one that may at last enable me to defenestrate completely. And this guidebook is the perfect match, using normal language. One thing that it does very well is explaining what the few text commands that it uses actually do, instead of just instructing the reader to type it into the command line and leaving you wondering what exactly those "magic words" meant. There is a single short chapter about using the command line, but 99% of what the guidebook leads you through uses the GUI, so if the command line intimidates you never fear.

I installed Ubuntu 8.04 dual-boot with Windows XP on my laptop effortlessly. Not a single thing went awry. The new partitioning tool that is used during the installation is a great improvement over those in any of the (few) other Linux distros I've seen. The book follows step by step. My laptop is about 4 years old, so I am sure that a newer laptop may have hardware that is not as well supported and effortless. But on mine everything just worked, including my wireless internet.

Though they are enthusiastic, sometimes getting an understandable answer from the Linux community can be challenging. I had always struggled through installing Linux software before, especially if I needed to compile it myself. In fact, I can count my successful compilations on one hand. I never knew that GUI-based tools like Synaptic Package Manager or GNOME App Install were available to make it all so easy (assuming that a deb package is available, as there usually is) and again the book walks you through flawless examples. One example used for software installation is a program to automatically detect and load a driver for any ATI or NVIDIA graphics card- something which has historically been very difficult on Linux systems

My biggest criticism- and it wasn't enough to cost half a star or anything like that- is that the CD included with the book only has the i386 version of Ubuntu. If you want the 64-bit version you have to download it and burn the ISO to disc. (In fairness, the i386 version will load and run on a 64-bit machine, but only in 32-bit mode.) One of the reasons I bought this book was that I can't seem to pass the checksum when I downloaded the ISO, so now I am waiting for my disc from Canonical so that I can install Ubuntu on my desktop.

So, if you describe yourself as a "computer user" rather than a "computer geek," this is an outstanding book. If you know enough to know that Ubuntu exists then you almost certainly possess the minimal computer savvy required to use this book. I know that this review sort of morphed into a review of Ubuntu in addition to the book, but it is difficult to separate them. Suffice to say, the book walks you step-by-step through multiple examples of everything that you have to do. It also explains such details as what the differences are between the various file formats in which Open Office Word Processor can save documents. Almost all of such important minutiae are covered.

EDIT:

I wanted to respond to the 3-star review by Domestic Wolverine, which is the lowest rating that this book has gotten as of the time I am writing this. Mr Wolverine noted, correctly, that this book made certain assumptions about it's readers: It assumes, for example, that one knows what a computer is, knows (generally) how to use a mouse, and has at least encountered a GUI (windows with a lower-case w) in the past. This is an accurate description of the book. However, I do not feel that it is a valid CRITICISM of the book. It is, after all, titled "Ubuntu for Non-Geeks" rather than "Ubuntu for Hermits Who Have Lived in a Cave for the Past Three Decades." Mr Wolverine has, correctly, pointed out that this book might start at a level of discussion about a millimeter beyond the comprehension of someone who, essentially, doesn't know what a computer is. But I must point out that such people were not the targeted demographic. Such a book targeting hermits would be a very different work, and much larger, and be cluttered with a LOT of space devoted to material that 99% of westerners would just skip over. I laud Mr Wolverine for conceding that, other than this one deficiency, the book rates 5 stars. But I think that the book hit its intended target demographic perfectly.

I was very uncomfortable with the idea of using linux but I wanted to try something new and this book really eases you into the process of learning to use linux without being overwhelming. It explains everything in easy to understand 'non-geek' language and is a good starting point if you want to learn more about linux and are a traditional windows user. After reading this book, I purchased many ubuntu and other linux distro books to help me understand linux more but I do not think I would have understood them that well if I had not read this book first. I would highly recommend it to "newbies".

Even if you're a pretty good user of Windows or Apple's OS X, you can still be intimidated by the prospect of learning Linux if you dive in too deeply with the wrong book for your level of understanding. The trick for most hobbyists who are reluctant to give Linux a try is to know where to safely begin, where one won't get overwhelmed with so much technical jargon that one will get turned off by the experience.

For those new to the Linux experience, Rickford Grant has written a series of books for No Starch Press entitled Ubuntu For Non-Geeks, now in its third edition. I would strongly urge the medium or expertly skilled Linux users to pick up this book, if only to recommend it to their friends who are at the beginner level and for the beginners to pick it up without hesitation. This is a beginner's book and the author makes no bones about it, but you will be surprised at how much you will be comfortable with towards the end.

For years now, computer users have been hearing about Linux and its various distributions. In the last few years, Linux has made the jump from the domain of server operators to users' desktops, replacing Windows. If you work in an office environment with a version of Linux, you already have a leg up on the curious multitudes of people who are still a little too intimidated to give Linux a try.

One of my relatives works in a office with Novell's Suse Linux instead of Windows on the desktop. Another one works with a Linux desktop and Linux Terminal Server Project on the back end. With LTSP, if a terminal computer fails, you simply unplug it and plug in a new system, connect to the server and carry on working. My point is, Linux is more popular in both the home and work environments than most people realize.

Canonical Ltd. is the UK-based sponsor of Ubuntu, currently the most popular Linux OS on the desktop. With Ubuntu being open source, programmers in and outside of Canonical contribute to its development. In fact, every six months, a new version of Ubuntu is released. Every two years, a Long Term Service (LTS) version is released, which is supported by Canonical for three years. The most recent LTS version is Ubuntu 8.04, which arrived in April of 2008 and is known as Hardy Heron (each release is given a snappy title named after an animal that also loosely describes the advancements of the OS.) Hardy Heron is the focus of Ubuntu For Non-Geeks, 3rd Edition.

So, how do people learn the best? From my experience in the computer world, as someone who is constantly trying to keep up with new technologies, both out of personal interest and to benefit my work responsibilities, I learn best when I actually combine reading with hands-on. The major benefit of this book, if it isn't the non-threatening language the author utilizes, is the inclusion of several hands-on exercises.

What if you don't have a copy of Ubuntu handy? Fortunately, the author includes a copy that you can use so long as your computer meets the minimum technical requirements. By and large, if you running a regular 32-bit version of Windows, on a computer that is a Pentium III or greater, you should be just fine. You can run it on some older systems, but for a good experience, you'll want to have as much RAM as possible.

Using the included Ubuntu 8.04 cd-rom, you can install the OS right from the Windows desktop. When you turn the computer on, you will see a menu which will allow you to choose between Windows and Ubuntu. Any time you decide to delete Ubuntu, you remove it from Windows just as you would any other Windows program, with the Add/Remove program.

The other way to run Ubuntu is to boot your computer with the Ubuntu disc in the optical drive. It will install only into your computer's RAM, so it never touches your hard drive. Until you turn your computer off, you can use this install, known as the Live CD, to get on the Internet and poke around Ubuntu.

Ubuntu utilizes the third-party desktop known as GNOME, whereas the other major desktop environment, KDE, shows up in Kubuntu, another Ubuntu variation. You'll learn how to customize the GNOME panel with things like shortcuts to applications like OpenOffice.org's Writer (very similar to Microsoft Office's Word) and utilities like Force Quit, which allows you to quickly close non-responding windows.

Not surprisingly, you won't find Microsoft's Internet Explorer included in any Linux distribution, but you will find Mozilla's open source browser, Firefox. There are exercises that will show you how install add-ons for Firefox so you can do cool things like blog, watch Youtube videos with the Flash plug-in, set up an e-mail client from a choice of the default Evolution client (similar to Microsoft's Outlook) or download the popular Thunderbird client (more similar to Microsoft's Outlook Express.)

The mere act of searching for and downloading an application through the Synaptic Package Manager program will have the added benefit of showing where to get access to hundreds and hundreds of free programs to customize and enhance your system. Instant messaging capability is included in the Pidgin Internet Messenger, which is compatible with virtually all the existing messenger programs, including MSN Messenger, ICQ, etc., and has the added benefit that it can communicate with all of them simultaneously. Internet telephoning is also discussed, including instructions on how to install Skype.

The book discusses the Advanced Package Tool (APT), the engine for downloading applications, updates and for removal of programs. The Synaptic Package Manager is one of a few of the graphical front ends for the APT's command line interface. Update Manager is also covered as it updates the overall operating system and should be run before downloading any applications.

The author covers The Linux Command Terminal with commands that illustrate why it is not to be feared and how it can be useful and even fun. Yes, you can run some Windows applications by using a program called WINE, which stands for "WINE is Not an Emulator," including Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Ubuntu is based on the Debian distribution of Linux and uses DEB packages to install programs and updates. Some Linux packages exist only as RPMs, packages for Red Hat, Fedora and some other Linux distributions. The author shows you how to utilize a program called Alien to convert RPM packages to DEB packages so that they can work on Ubuntu.

Linux operating systems are packaged with what could be considered thousands of dollars worth of productivity software, from OpenOffice.org to photo editors to financial management software. Several of the popular applications are discussed.

Multi-media has become a big part of what we use computers for, and this topic is covered, as well. Due to licensing issues, MP3 playback and creation software is not included in Linux, but the author shows you to download free software for those purposes, as well as how to connect to your iPod. Digital cameras, DVD playback, connecting peripherals like scanners and printers, are also covered.

Finally, one of the most important topics for any computer user is discussed. Many people have switched from Windows to Linux due to the multitudes of security flaws which appear in Windows computers. While every operating system has its security flaws, there are fewer of them for Linux systems simply due to the fact that there are far fewer users of Linux than Windows. Also, most Windows users are running in a privileged mode with grants rights to malware to cause problems that restricted user accounts don't have rights to perform. Most Linux systems are run in a restricted mode.

If Windows systems are built for the ease of exchanging data on networks and for installing programs, Linux systems are more secure since they have no open ports for incoming traffic turned on by default. Nonetheless, the author shows you how to install a firewall (that ships with Ubuntu) and explains the anti-virus programs available for Linux, including some free ones, that will help prevent a Linux system from inadvertently transmitting viruses that affect Windows systems. Throughout the book, Grant freely states his biases but lets you see what the choices are, for things like anti-virus software and e-mail clients.

The vast amount of free support is what makes Ubuntu a smart choice. Yes, Canonical makes its money by selling support contracts, but unless you are running a company, you are most likely going to get help from the multitudes of free sources, which the author lists, including magazines and other books you can check out.

This is as good as place as any to begin your Linux journey. The exercises cover topics that are simple at first, but before you know it, you will delving into tasks that you would have guessed would have been way outside of your comfort zone. In a nutshell, that is the overall strength of this excellent book.

Seriously, this is a well-written guide with a lot of useful information, but like most of the books on Ubuntu available today, it would be better titled "Ubuntu for Non-Programmers," with a smattering of "Ubuntu for Windows Migrants," "Ubuntu for Computer Operators," and the inevitable "Ubuntu for Sysadmins" thrown in.

In fact, though, what I like about the *content* of this tome is that it's less "Ubuntu for Windows Migrants" than many other volumes; from my brief perusal, it doesn't constantly compare GNOME/Ubuntu features with what the reader is assumed to be familiar with from the monopoly OS, and does instead point out useful tips, tricks, and projects [meaning preexisting packages] that you might not otherwise be aware of. Other titles will, for example, after the requisite highly technical chapters on installing, explain that Firefox can browse the web and OpenOffice.org can type letters; this one goes on to point out particularly desirable Firefox extensions, and additional software that can fill in the blanks between the flagship apps.

In fact, the only thing particularly "Non-Geek"-y in the tome is that it's written clearly and assumes the reader would prefer to leverage existing software to accomplish basic tasks rather than writing or scripting his own. I'm not really sure if that's 'geeky' or not; as a geek who doesn't see the need to constantly reinvent wheels, I've always called that common sense!

Unfortunately, what this book doesn't provide is a true introduction for people who are just getting into computers. There did not seem to be any introduction to the basic concepts of operating menus, dragging windows, "what is a file," and the other concepts that are simple but prerequisite to jumping in and getting going. In fact, just one chapter of this (perhaps displacing the installation instructions all Ubuntu books start out with?) would let the book appeal to a much broader audience, since the "advanced" material becomes applicable as soon as they get comfortable pointing and clicking and start trying to accomplish actual tasks.

So, in short: This is an excellent book for even advanced *NIX users looking to get a handle on using their systems for daily "desktop" tasks. It is not, however, targeted for handing to a beginner whom you've just set up a machine for, unless that "beginner" already has a basic understanding of how computers work and what software is, from being exposed to them at work, school, or somewhere else in life.

I know, it's rare to find someone who *hasn't* already held a mouse at this point, but they're still out there, and until someone can target some material to them, they'll still flee back to Windows because that's what's being taught at the continuing education classes.

I find myself continuously editing review: Let me just make clear, the content of this book is ***** 5 stars for everyone who can make use of it, but I have to give it *** 3 stars for poor positioning - in my real-world experience, "non-geeks" who don't know an icon from their elbow will take one look at it and decide they're not even cut out to be "non-geeks," even though it would become a valuable resource within their first few weeks of learning to navigate the system.

I became interested in ubuntu after hearing about it from some of my friends working tech support. While I am not exactly a "non geek" I am totally clueless as to the world of Linux, and was always a little afraid of it because of the whole idea of doing everything thru a command line, which I have not done regularly since the DOS days and Windows 3.11 (my first desktop computer). While I found Ubuntu's forums helpful for specific problems, slogging thru them for the sake of general education was a bit too time consuming for me, so I started looking at and buying books on basic Ubuntu. I currently own Keir Thomas' Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Ubuntu Hacks, and this book, the Third edition of Ubuntu for Non-Geeks. While Keir Thomas' Beginning book is in depth and covers a bit more in the way of troubleshooting each step, it's kind of clinical and reads like a text book. For Non-Geeks on the other hand, seems a bit more of a basic approach, has some very good step by step projects to get you comfortable doing each of the different tasks along the way. After getting a little ways into both books I found myself thinking that even my parents could run Linux with Ubuntu for Non-Geeks in their hands. It really is directed at the average "i just turn the computer on and go to the internet" user. I'm sure there are still some people out there who would struggle, but I enjoy the authors attempt to make the reader less nervous about each step, and including some "hey now that you know how to do this lets have some fun with it" projects. If you are looking for more of an authoritative source approach that is still somewhat basic, go with the Keir Thomas book, but if you want to be talked thru it the way that really nice patient tech support guy would, this is the book for you.

I wrote my original review for a discussion forum at:

http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread26912.html

Not too long ago, I reviewed The Official Ubuntu Book, Third Edition published by Prentice Hall (July 13, 2008). The thing about reviewing a later edition of an already successful book, is that you need to make sure it updates to the current version of whatever it's describing, which in this case is Ubuntu 8.04, the Hardy Heron. I dinged the Benjamin Mako Hill, et al. book, primarily because it didn't address readers who were already dedicated Ubuntu users and who needed to know the ins and outs of upgrading vs. doing a clean install. I've since learned (and it wasn't addressed in the Prentice Hall book) that there actually is a direct upgrade patch from 6.06 to 8.04 (and this information was a little hard to come by). I needed that information, because performing that upgrade was the task I needed to perform. Rickford Grant's third edition book arrived at my home yesterday. How will this book appeal to the complete Ubuntu newbie vs. the experienced "non-geek" with upgrade needs?

Bottom line for "upgrade" people is that Grant dropped the ball as far as continuing to address his earlier readers who want to learn how to turn our "aging" Ubuntus into brand new Hardy Herons. I highly recommend picking up this text if you've never used Ubuntu before and have a burning need to learn how Ubuntu 8.04 will benefit you on the desktop (and it really will). For those of us with a few years of Ubuntu under our belts and who want to upgrade what we've already got, I guess http://ubuntuforums.org is the best place for us to get clued in.

After readying this marvelous book, I found that Linux and Ubuntu is for everyone. Linux should not be a problem, if one follows this book and reads it cover to cover. This is a well written book that everyone should have, even for future reference. It goes into detail explaining every single topic regarding the Linux Ubuntu Desktop Edition 8.04 (Hardy Heron) and it does it in a concise and easy matter. I sincerely recommend it to everyone who wants to get into the Linux world, without reading nonsense technicalities that does not amount to anything.

If you are new to Ubuntu this is the perfect resource for you. It has an enclosed CD that you can install Ubuntu from or to just try it without installing anything or changing your base system.

Everything you need to know is explained in a simple and easy to understand manner.

Ubuntu is the best O/S after Apple OS X. It will run well on almost any computer from old and low powered to the latested multi-core machine. It also runs on laptops.

The book is easy to use and read but I found it, like most technical books, to come up short in the Index department. (Someday I'm going to find a book that has an index equal in size to the rest of it's material so everything you might need information on is listed and findable.) This book probably falls in the 90-95% plus range but there was a small number of items it did not cover - or I could not find them.

It is nice to be able to look up the problems you come up against in a new OS. This book is well done and has been very useful for my conversion to Linux. It even came with a Hardy CD.