The Official Ubuntu Book

by Hill, Benjamin Mako; Bacon, Jono; Burger, Corey; Jesse, Jonathan; Krstic, Ivan

• ISBN13: 9780132435949
• ISBN10: 0132435942
• Edition: DVD
• Format: Paperback w/Disk
• Copyright: 2007-01-01
• Publisher: Prentice Hall

Summary

The official guide to the hottest Linux distribution, which starts you out and points you in the direction you want to go.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xix
Preface	xxv
Acknowledgments	xxvii
About the Authors	xxix
Introduction	xxxi
About This Book	xxxi
The Scope of the Book	xxxii
The Menu	xxxii
Introducing Ubuntu	1	(30)
A Wild Ride	2	(1)
Free Software, Open Source, and GNU/Linux	3	(4)
Free Software and GNU	3	(2)
Linux	5	(1)
Open Source	5	(2)
A Brief History of Ubuntu	7	(5)
Mark Shuttleworth	7	(1)
The Warthogs	8	(2)
What Does Ubuntu Mean?	10	(1)
Creating Canonical	11	(1)
What Is Ubuntu?	12	(6)
What Is a Distribution?	12	(2)
An Ecosystem of Distributions	14	(1)
The Debian Project and the Free Software Universe	15	(1)
The Ubuntu Community	16	(2)
Ubuntu Promises and Goals	18	(6)
Conduct Goals and Code of Conduct	20	(1)
Technical Goals	21	(2)
Bug #1	23	(1)
Canonical and the Ubuntu Foundation	24	(4)
Canonical Ltd.	24	(1)
Canonical's Service and Support	25	(1)
Bazaar and Launchpad	26	(1)
The Ubuntu Foundation	27	(1)
Ubuntu Subprojects, Derivatives, and Spin offs	28	(2)
Summary	30	(1)
Installing Ubuntu	31	(24)
Choosing Your Ubuntu Version	32	(2)
Other Ubuntu Distributions	33	(1)
Is It Still Ubuntu?	33	(1)
Getting Ubuntu	34	(2)
Burning a CD	34	(2)
Installing from the Desktop CD	36	(9)
Language	37	(1)
Configure Your Keyboard	38	(1)
Location	38	(1)
Identification	39	(2)
Disk Space	41	(3)
Finishing Up	44	(1)
Installing Using the Alternate Install CD	45	(7)
Choosing Your Spot in the World	46	(1)
Networking	47	(1)
Creating Partitions	48	(3)
Configuring a User	51	(1)
Finishing Up	52	(1)
Post-Installation	52	(2)
Configuring the Login Screen	52	(1)
Setting Up Printers	53	(1)
Summary	54	(1)
Using Ubuntu on the Desktop	55	(62)
Taking Your Desktop for a Ride	57	(8)
Starting Applications and Finding Things	58	(2)
Find Your Files and Folders	60	(1)
Configure Your System	61	(1)
Shortcut Icons	61	(1)
Applets	61	(1)
The Notification Area	62	(1)
The Clock	63	(1)
The Taskbar	63	(1)
Shutting Your Computer Down and Logging Out	64	(1)
Using Your Applications	65	(34)
Browsing the Web with Firefox	66	(3)
Creating Documents with OpenOffice.org	69	(2)
Managing Your E-Mail and Calendars with Evolution	71	(4)
Create Graphics with the GIMP	75	(6)
Communicate with Gaim	81	(2)
Cutting-Edge Voice Over IP with Ekiga	83	(7)
Exploring the Ubuntu Landscape	90	(9)
The Ubuntu File Chooser and Bookmarks	99	(1)
Ubuntu in Your Language	100	(1)
Customizing Ubuntu's Look and Feel	101	(2)
Changing the Background	101	(1)
Changing the Theme	101	(1)
Configuring a Screensaver	102	(1)
Managing Your Files	103	(6)
How Linux Stores and Organizes Files	103	(4)
Selecting, Copying, and Moving Files/Folders	107	(1)
Using the Sidebar	108	(1)
Using Emblems	108	(1)
Ubuntu and Multimedia	109	(6)
Installing Codecs	109	(1)
Listening to Audio Files	110	(2)
Playing and Ripping CDs	112	(2)
Watching Videos	114	(1)
Summary	115	(2)
Advanced Usage and Managing Ubuntu	117	(32)
Adding and Removing Programs and Packages	118	(7)
Installing and Using Add Applications	118	(3)
Terminology	121	(1)
Installing Using Synaptic	121	(4)
Keeping Your Computer Updated	125	(3)
Installing Updates	126	(1)
Learning about What Was Updated	126	(1)
Using Synaptic to Check for Updates	127	(1)
Moving to the Next Ubuntu Release	128	(1)
Doing the Actual Upgrade	129	(1)
Using and Abusing Devices and Media	129	(3)
Using USB Key Rings	130	(1)
Burning CDs	131	(1)
Using Floppy Disks	132	(1)
Using Digital Cameras	132	(1)
Configuring a Printer in Ubuntu	132	(7)
Making It Easier with Gnome CUPS Manager	133	(1)
Note about Using Gnome	134	(1)
Gathering Information	134	(1)
Launching the Wizard	135	(1)
Remote Printing	136	(1)
Mission Accomplished!	137	(1)
The Printers Window	138	(1)
Graphically Access Remote Files	139	(2)
The Terminal	141	(4)
Crash Course in the Terminal	141	(4)
Working with Windows	145	(2)
Running Applications	145	(1)
Using Windows Files on Another Partition	146	(1)
Summary	147	(2)
The Ubuntu Server	149	(34)
What Is Ubuntu Server?	150	(2)
Installing Ubuntu Server	152	(10)
A Couple of Installer Tricks	153	(1)
Partitioning Your Ubuntu Server	153	(1)
The Story of RAID	154	(2)
Setting Up RAID	156	(2)
The Story of the Logical Volume Manager	158	(2)
Setting Up LVM	160	(2)
You're Done---Now Watch Out for Root!	162	(1)
Ubuntu Package Management	162	(11)
The Ubuntu Archive	162	(1)
APT Sources and Repositories	163	(2)
dpkg	165	(1)
Installing a Package Manually	165	(1)
apt-get and apt-cache	166	(3)
Running a Distribution Upgrade	169	(3)
aptitude	172	(1)
Tips and Tricks	172	(1)
Ubuntu Server Security	173	(7)
User Account Administration	174	(1)
Filesystem Security	175	(1)
System Resource Limits	176	(1)
System Log Files	177	(1)
A Sprinkling of Network Security	178	(1)
Final Words on Security	179	(1)
Summary	180	(3)
Support and Typical Problems	183	(66)
Your System	184	(15)
Ubuntu Won't Start!	185	(1)
The Ubuntu Logo Appears Corrupted or Just Looks Odd While Booting	186	(1)
When I Start My Computer I Get Text Instead of a Graphical Interface	186	(2)
I Tried to Use a Word or PowerPoint Document, and the Fonts Are All Wrong	188	(1)
How Do I Install a Package?	189	(1)
I Want to Install an Application That Is Not in Synaptic	190	(1)
Nautilus Is Painfully Slow---How Can I Make It Run Faster?	191	(1)
Add TrueType Fonts to Your Desktop Quickly	191	(1)
How Can I Test That an ISO File Works?	192	(1)
I Downloaded an Autopackage But I Don't Know How to Run It	193	(1)
How Do I Compile an Application?	194	(1)
I Can't See the Hidden Dot Files and Folders in the File Manager	195	(1)
How Do I Restore Something I Deleted in the File Manager?	195	(1)
The Desktop Has Hung---What Do I Do?	196	(1)
My Screen Resolution Is Wrong	196	(1)
How Can I Automatically Login without Having to Enter My Login Details?	197	(1)
I Tried to Upgrade My System, but I Get an Error	197	(1)
I Am Running Out of Disk Space---How Do I Free Up Some Space?	197	(2)
I Deleted Something in the File Manager, but I Don't See the Extra Disk Space	199	(1)
Another Version of Ubuntu is Out---How Do I Upgrade to It?	199	(1)
Applications	199	(5)
When I Click the Close Window Icon, My Program Doesn't Go Away	200	(1)
The Upgrade Notification Bubble Keeps Appearing, and I Want It to Stop	200	(1)
Extending Nautilus with Scripts	200	(1)
I Went to a Web Site in Firefox, and the Macromedia Flash Plug-in Is Missing	201	(1)
Java Is Not Installed on My System	202	(1)
I Have Heard Desktop Search is Cool---How Do I Install It?	202	(1)
My E-Mail Doesn't Work in Evolution	203	(1)
Multimedia	204	(6)
I Downloaded a Particular Media File, and It Won't Play	205	(1)
My DVD Won't Play	205	(1)
DVD Playback is Jittery and Jumpy	205	(1)
When I Start Some Applications, Ubuntu Says I Don't Have Access to /dev/dsp	206	(1)
My Microphone Doesn't Work	206	(1)
How Do I Change the Visual Theme?	207	(1)
How Do I Find and Install New Desktop Themes and Backgrounds?	208	(1)
How Do I Turn My Ubuntu Computer into a MythTV Box?	209	(1)
Networking	210	(6)
I Can't Access My LAN	211	(1)
Nameserver Problems	212	(1)
How Do I Use ssh (Secure SHell) for Transferring Files across a Network?	212	(1)
How Do I Use a Graphical Application Remotely with ssh (Secure SHell)?	213	(1)
My Wireless Card Is Not Working	213	(2)
I Need to Use WPA or I Use WPA-PSK on My Wireless Access Point	215	(1)
Hardware	216	(11)
Ubuntu Has Not Detected My Old Sound Card	216	(3)
My Cardbus Adapter Is Not Being Recognized	219	(1)
I Plug in My USB Stick and Nothing Happens	219	(1)
I Copied Some Files to/from My USB Stick, but When I Access It Later the Files Are Not There	220	(1)
My CD-ROM/DVD Is Not Working	221	(1)
My CD-ROM/DVD Drive Won't Eject	221	(1)
I Bought a Device, but It Doesn't Work in Ubuntu	221	(1)
My Computer Says It Is Out of Memory	222	(1)
How Can I Copy Photos from My Mobile Phone to My Ubuntu Computer with Bluetooth?	222	(1)
I Can Read My USB Storage Device, but I Can't Write to It	222	(1)
Filesystem Fun	223	(1)
How Do I Format a Disk?	224	(1)
The Keys on My Keyboard Spit Out the Wrong Letters/Symbols	225	(1)
My Serial Mouse Is Not Working	226	(1)
My Mouse Scroll Wheel Does Not Work	226	(1)
My Remote Control Doesn't Work	226	(1)
How Do I Find Out Which Hardware Works in Ubuntu before I Purchase It?	227	(1)
System Administration	227	(13)
How Do I Schedule Things to Happen?	228	(2)
How Can I Copy a File from One Computer to Another?	230	(1)
I Know an Application Is Available in Ubuntu but Synaptic Can't Find It	231	(1)
I Am Running Ubuntu on an Older Computer, and I Would Like a Faster Desktop	231	(1)
I Have Reinstalled Windows, and Now Ubuntu Won't Start!	232	(2)
How Do I Fix My Disk after a Power Failure?	234	(1)
Ubuntu Takes Up Too Much Disk Space on My Old Computer	235	(1)
My Computer is Running Quite Slowly---How Can I Find Out What is Going On?	236	(1)
How Can I Find Out the Different Options for Commands?	236	(1)
How Do I Get My Root Account Back?	236	(1)
I Forgot My System Password---What Can I Do?	237	(1)
How Do I Access My Windows Partitions?	238	(1)
Ubuntu Is Slow on My AMD K7 Computer	239	(1)
How Do I Add Users?	239	(1)
Other	240	(6)
Running Another OS In Ubuntu	240	(1)
It Was Suggested I File a Bug Report, but I Don't Know How	241	(2)
How Can I Monitor the Weather?	243	(1)
How Do I Make Ubuntu Bread?	243	(3)
How Can I Prevent the Pain I am Getting in My Fingers When I Type?	246	(1)
Summary	246	(3)
Using Kubuntu	249	(62)
Introduction to Kubuntu	250	(5)
History of KDE	250	(1)
History of Kubuntu	251	(1)
Navigating in Kubuntu	252	(2)
Shutting Your Computer Down and Logging Out	254	(1)
Installing Kubuntu	255	(4)
Where to Find Kubuntu	255	(1)
Can I Switch to Kubuntu If I Have Ubuntu Installed Already?	256	(1)
Guided Installation	256	(1)
Installing from the Live CD	256	(3)
Using Sudo	259	(1)
Customizing Kubuntu	259	(5)
Customizing the Desktop	260	(2)
Get Hot New Stuff	262	(1)
Customizing Applets and the Kicker	262	(1)
Customizing the K menu	263	(1)
Systems Administration	264	(15)
Installing New Packages	265	(3)
Managing Repositories	268	(1)
Installing a Package	269	(4)
Upgrading Kubuntu	273	(1)
How to Keep the System Up-to-Date	273	(1)
System Settings	273	(6)
Managing Files with Kubuntu	279	(8)
Introduction to Konqueror	279	(2)
Finding Files and Folders	281	(1)
Ripping Audio CDs	281	(1)
Accessing Windows Partitions	282	(1)
Accessing USB Drives	283	(1)
Managing Music	284	(3)
Common Applications	287	(21)
OpenOffice.org	287	(1)
Web Browsing	288	(2)
Using Firefox for Browsing the Web	290	(1)
Burning CDs---Audio and Data	290	(2)
KaudioCreator	292	(1)
Instant Messaging	293	(1)
Kontact	294	(3)
Krita	297	(2)
Watching Movies and Playing CDs	299	(2)
Internet Relay Chat	301	(1)
Kiosk Mode	302	(2)
Exploring the Kubuntu Landscape	304	(3)
Tips and Tricks	307	(1)
Finding Help and Giving Back to the Community	308	(2)
Finding Help	308	(1)
Accessing KDE Help Manuals	309	(1)
Giving Back to the Community	310	(1)
Summary	310	(1)
The Ubuntu Community	311	(32)
Venues	313	(1)
Mailing Lists	313	(1)
Ubuntu Mailing Lists	314	(4)
Internet Relay Chat (IRC)	318	(1)
IRC Channel List	318	(13)
Web Forums	322	(2)
Wikis	324	(2)
The Fridge	326	(2)
Conferences and Sprints	328	(2)
Planet	330	(1)
Teams, Processes, and Community Governance	331	(7)
Teams	332	(1)
Local Community (LoCo) Teams	332	(1)
MOTU	333	(1)
Community Council	334	(1)
Technical Board	335	(2)
SABDFL	337	(1)
Ubunteros and Ubuntu Members	337	(1)
Getting Involved	338	(3)
Advocacy	338	(1)
Support	339	(1)
Ideas and Feedback	339	(1)
Documentation	339	(1)
Artwork	340	(1)
Translation and Localization	340	(1)
Quality Assurance and Bugs	340	(1)
Programming and Packaging	341	(1)
Summary	341	(2)
Ubuntu-Related Projects	343	(14)
Partner Projects	344	(2)
Kubuntu	344	(1)
Edubuntu	345	(1)
Derived Distributions	346	(5)
Guadalinex	348	(1)
Xubuntu	348	(1)
Nexenta	349	(1)
nUbuntu	349	(1)
Ufficio Zero	350	(1)
The Open CD	350	(1)
Baltix	350	(1)
ImpiLinux	350	(1)
The Launchpad	351	(5)
Soyuz	352	(1)
Rosetta	353	(1)
Malone	354	(1)
Other Functionality	355	(1)
Bazaar	356	(1)
Summary	356	(1)
Appendix A Welcome to the Command Line	357	(10)
Starting Up the Terminal	357	(1)
Moving around the Filesystem	357	(2)
Manipulating Files and Folders	359	(1)
System Information Commands	360	(1)
Searching and Editing Text Files	361	(1)
Dealing with Users and Groups	362	(1)
Getting Help on the Command Line	363	(1)
Searching for Man Files	363	(1)
Using Wildcards	364	(1)
Executing Multiple Commands	364	(1)
Run Sequentially	364	(1)
Passing Output	365	(1)
Moving on to More Advanced Uses of the Command Line	365	(2)
Books and Web Sites	365	(2)
Appendix B Ubuntu Foundation Documents	367	(12)
Code of Conduct	367	(1)
Introduction	367	(1)
Ubuntu Code of Conduct	368	(2)
Mailing Lists and Web Forums	369	(1)
Ubuntu Philosophy	370	(2)
Free and Open Source Software	370	(1)
Free Software	370	(1)
Open Source	371	(1)
Components	372	(2)
``Main'' Component	372	(1)
``Restricted'' Component	373	(1)
``Universe'' Component	374	(1)
``Multiverse'' Component	374	(1)
License Policy	374	(5)
Ubuntu ``Main'' and ``Restricted'' Component License Policy	376	(1)
Documentation, Firmware, and Drivers	377	(1)
Software Installed by Default	378	(1)
Appendix C Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Open Publication License	379	(8)
Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0	379	(1)
License	379	(8)
Appendix D Ubuntu Equivalents to Windows Programs	387	(6)
On the Ubuntu Desktop	387	(2)
Word Processing	387	(1)
Spreadsheet	387	(1)
Presentation	387	(1)
Database	388	(1)
Web Browser	388	(1)
E-Mail	388	(1)
Media Players	388	(1)
Photo Editor	388	(1)
Instant Messaging	389	(1)
Voice Over IP	389	(1)
Additional Applications	389	(4)
Office and Finance	389	(1)
Drawing and Modeling	390	(1)
Games and Edutainment	390	(3)
Index	393

Excerpts

Writing a book is a difficult process. When you decide to write a book about a particular subject, you collate your knowledge on a subject, present it in a clear and easy-to-read way, and organize your ideas and knowledge in a sensible order. This is difficult enough when the subject you are writing about stays largely the same for the writing period. It becomes even more complex when you are writing about a moving target. When we began writing this book, the Dapper Drake release of Ubuntu, which has been released and is used on computers around the world, was not actually finished. With Dapper heavily in development, the idea to createThe Official Ubuntu Bookemerged. After a few months of authors meeting to flesh out an outline, writing began about three months before Dapper was complete. This moving target made the writing process particularly interesting. As an example, as Jono was writing the chapter on Ubuntu installation, the new graphical Ubiquity installer had yet to be completed. Each day Jono would download the latest code and update the chapter accordingly. As Jono kept a close eye on Ubiquity's progress, he became more involved in its development and contributed bug reports and thoughts to Colin Watson, the primary developer behind Ubiquity. This is particularly interesting as the development of this book largely mirrored the very ethos and semantics behind the development of Ubuntu itself. Ubuntu is an operating system that grows organically. The proposed feature set and development process within the Ubuntu community are created in a largely iterative way. Every day the distribution grows in slightly different areas, with members in each area working together to move Ubuntu forward. Within the book's development process, the content was also crafted, rewritten, adjusted, and allowed to mature in different waysmuch like Ubuntu itself. With such a different take on book development, it is important to stress thatThe Official Ubuntu Bookis not a typical book at all. Traditional books are typically written about a specific subject by one or two authors, published, sold in bookshops, andthat's it.ButThe Official Ubuntu Bookis different. First, although the majority of this book was written by the authors listed on the front cover, we also sought contributions directly from the Ubuntu community. Jono drafted an announcement seeking recipes. Jeff Waugh then posted the announcement on the Fridge, Ubuntu's news site ( http://fridge.ubuntu.com/ ). Though Jono had completed half the chapter, he was keen to add diversity and open the chapter to contributions from the community. More than one dozen contributors submitted recipes to Jono, which are included in Chapter 6. Other community members pitched in as well. James Stanger explained the basics of printing, and our excellent tech editor, Quim Gil, shared the Guadalinex success story. Jorge O. Castro helped describe Edubuntu, and Dennis Kaarsemaker wrote about using wireless. Matthew East joined the tech editors to offer valuable feedback on the entire book. Ubuntu is by its very nature a community-driven, collaborative platform, and the development of this book has been inspired and driven by this process. This is why the book is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license and why some chapters (Chapters 3, 4, and 7) are actually included with Dapper itself. With this in mind, we hope the content in the book continues to grow and evolve in new areas and bring more and more users over to Ubuntu. It is an exciting time to be a part of Open Source and an exciting time to be a part of Ubuntu.