Linux^® For Dummies^®, 3rd Edition

by Dee-Ann LeBlanc; Melanie Hoag (Productivity Point International, Austin, Texas); Evan Blomquist

• ISBN13: 9780764528286
• ISBN10: 0764528289
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2001-03-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

The day has finally arrived for you enter the users' paradise of open source computing. Now, you will no longer be a slave to proprietary source code as you take the bold leap into the brave new world of Linux. It all starts with this book.Want to start using Linux but aren't sure where to begin? This friendly guide walks you through Linux fundamentals and offers tons of savvy tips on how to make Linux work for you. In no time, you'll: Get a handle on Linux and open source computing Install, configure, customize, and fine-tune Red Hat 7 on your PC Use dozens of cool Linux tools, editors, utilities, and applications Connect to the Internet Customize GNOME interface Get up to speed on Linux networking basicsWritten in plain English for users of every level of experience, Linux For Dummies, 3 rd Edition defines the terms and shows you all the ins and outs you need to master in order to build a smoothly functioning Linux system. Topics covered include: Understanding where Linux comes from and what it can do for you Installing and configuring the Linux operating system Working with a Linux system to manage files, add devices, or add and configure software Networking a Linux system for LAN use and Internet access Customizing, tuning, and optimizing your Linux system Managing Linux system security and resourcesOn the bonus CD-ROM you'll find: Red Hat Linux 7 GNOME and KDE desktops Netscape Communicator Apache Web server Networking tools Internet applications Text editor Graphics software Unix utilitiesThe time has come to join the open source revolution with Linux For Dummies, 3 rd Edition.

Author Biography

Dee-Ann LeBlanc is the author or coauthor of all previous editions of Linux For Dummies

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
About This Book	p. 1
How to Use This Book	p. 2
Three Presumptuous Assumptions	p. 3
How This Book Is Organized	p. 4
Icons Used in This Book	p. 6
Where to Go from Here	p. 6
Getting Your Feet Wet	p. 7
Getting Acquainted with Linux	p. 9
Linux: Revolution or Just Another Operating System?	p. 10
Anatomy of an Open Source Software Project	p. 13
GNU who?	p. 13
Packaging Linux: The Distribution	p. 16
Prepping Your Computer for Linux	p. 19
Installation Considerations	p. 19
Preparing to Use Linux and Microsoft Windows Together	p. 20
Working with Disk Partitions	p. 26
Assessing Your Computer	p. 31
Finally, Preparing for Your Installation	p. 34
Enabling Booting from a CD- or DVD-ROM	p. 36
Preparing to Boot from the Floppy Installation Disk	p. 37
Installing Fedora Core	p. 39
Things to Consider before You Begin Installation	p. 39
The Installation Process	p. 41
Your First Boot	p. 58
Installing Other Distributions	p. 63
Distribution Geography	p. 64
Mandrake	p. 66
SuSE	p. 68
Booting and Stopping Linux	p. 73
Giving Linux the Boot	p. 74
Troubleshooting the Boot	p. 78
Don't Just Turn Off the Machine!	p. 81
Dip in Those Toes	p. 83
The Interfaces	p. 84
Accounts Great and Small	p. 96
Printing	p. 101
Zen and the Art of Linux Configuration	p. 103
Internet NOW	p. 107
Connecting to the Internet	p. 109
Internet Connectivity 101	p. 109
Creating Your Internet-O-Matic	p. 111
Turning to TCP/IP	p. 119
Surfing the Web and Managing E-Mail	p. 125
Configuring Mozilla	p. 126
Them Dad-Gum Browser Plug-Ins	p. 131
Shifting Mozilla into Gear	p. 133
Evolving into E-Mail	p. 135
Cool Internet Tools	p. 143
Instant Messaging	p. 143
Other Browsers to Consider	p. 147
E-Mail Client: KMail	p. 149
Transferring Files with FTP	p. 150
Getting Up to Speed with Linux	p. 153
Manipulating Files and Directories	p. 155
Comprehending File Types	p. 155
Working with the File System	p. 159
Haggling with Permissions	p. 164
Wildcards, or Legal Cheating	p. 171
File Managers	p. 173
Working without the GUI	p. 181
Playing the Shell Game	p. 182
Understanding bash Command Syntax and Structure	p. 184
Starting Programs from the Shell	p. 186
Putting Wildcard Expansion to Good Use	p. 186
Working with Long Commands	p. 187
Working with Variables	p. 189
Using Redirection and Pipes	p. 193
Altering the Shell Environment	p. 196
Your Handy Command Toolkit	p. 196
Gettin' Gooey with the GUIs	p. 199
Changing GNOME's Look and Feel	p. 200
Customizing KDE	p. 203
Prettying Up Your Desktop	p. 205
Tweaking the GUI's Innards	p. 210
Putting the X in Text	p. 213
Viewing the Contents of a Text File	p. 213
Getting Prehistoric with vi	p. 214
Going with gedit	p. 218
Word Processing and More with OpenOffice.org	p. 223
Installing OpenOffice.Org	p. 224
Word Processing with OpenOffice.Org Writer	p. 227
Spreadsheets with OpenOffice.Org Calc	p. 233
Presentations with OpenOffice.Org Impress	p. 238
Using the AutoPilot Presentation Wizard	p. 243
Fine Art with OpenOffice.Org Draw	p. 244
Calculations with OpenOffice.Org Math	p. 249
Multimedia Wow!	p. 257
Some Preliminaries	p. 257
Checking Your Sound Card	p. 258
Watchin' Movies	p. 273
Dealing with Windows-Only Media Formats and Programs	p. 274
Available Software	p. 275
Installing and Using Wine	p. 279
Sinking Your Teeth into Linux	p. 283
Checking Out the Linux File System	p. 285
Introducing the Linux File System	p. 285
Partitions versus Directories	p. 288
Adding Media to Your File System	p. 291
Care and Feeding of Your File System	p. 294
Sharing Files by Using NFS	p. 297
Accessing Shared Files on a Windows Computer	p. 300
Adding Software to Linux	p. 303
Getting Tarred and Feathered	p. 303
Revving Your RPMs	p. 307
Updating Your Machine	p. 311
Finding New Software	p. 312
A Secure Linux Box Is a Happy Linux Box	p. 313
Choosing Secure Passwords	p. 314
Updating Software	p. 314
Plugging Security Holes	p. 315
Keeping an Eye on Your Log Files with the System Log Viewer	p. 324
Securing Your System	p. 325
The Part of Tens	p. 327
Eleven Troubleshooting Tips	p. 329
"The Linux Installer Froze"	p. 330
For Fedora Core Users	p. 331
"My Graphics Fail the Installer Test"	p. 333
"The Installer Tested My Graphics Fine, but My GUI Won't Start"	p. 333
"I Think I'm in Linux, but I Don't Know What to Do!"	p. 334
"I Don't Want to Boot into This!"	p. 335
"I Want to Use Multiple Screen Resolutions"	p. 337
"My GUI Is Hung and I'm Stuck!"	p. 338
"Help, my machine hangs during boot!"	p. 338
"How Do I Stop Scripting Screw-Ups?"	p. 339
"Aaargh! I Forgot My Root Password! What Do I Do?"	p. 340
Ten Superior Sources of Linux Information	p. 341
The Best-Ever Linux Resource	p. 341
Keeping the Bad Guys at Bay	p. 342
The Kernel's at Linux Headquarters	p. 342
Everything Linux	p. 342
Looking for Linux Applications?	p. 343
Lifelong Learning Includes Linux	p. 343
Peerless Linux Publications Online	p. 343
Supporting Linux Online	p. 344
Slashdot: The Creme de la Nerd	p. 344
More Tips off the Linux Berg	p. 344
Appendixes	p. 347
Common Linux Commands	p. 349
Linux Commands by Function	p. 349
About the DVD-ROM	p. 355
System Requirements	p. 355
Using the DVD-ROM	p. 356
What You Find in Fedora Core 1	p. 358
If You've Got Problems (Of the DVD-ROM Kind)	p. 358
Index	p. 361
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.