Linux® Bible, 2008 Edition: Boot Up to Ubuntu®, Fedora®, KNOPPIX, Debian®, openSUSE®, and 11 Other Distributions

Introduction

Insert the DVD or CD that comes with this book into a PC. Within five minutes, you'll be able to try out Linux with a full range of desktop applications. Within an hour, you can have a fullblown Linux desktop or server system installed on your computer. If you are like most of us who have been bitten by the Linux bug, you won't ever look back.

Linux Bible 2008 Edition is here to open your eyes to what Linux is, where it came from, and where it's going. But, most of all, the book is here to hand you Linux and help you get started. Because Linux is the operating system of free speech and free choice, Linux Bible gives you choices in selecting the Linux that is right for you.

On the DVD and CD that come with this book are 16 different Linux distributions that you are free to install, try out, and keep. You learn how those distributions are alike or different, and the book leads you through the basics of installing and setting up your Linux system as:

• A desktop computer—You have a full range of office, music, gaming, graphics, and other applications to use.

• A server computer—Using some of the world's best server software, you can set up your computer to be a Web server, file server, mail server, or print server.

• A workstation—You can draw on thousands of open source programming tools to develop your own software applications.

The Linux systems you have in your hand don't contain trialware or otherwise hobbled software. On the contrary, they feature software created by world-class ...