Ubuntu is far and away the most popular version (or distribution) of the Linux operating system. Dreamed up by a dot-com billionaire and ex-cosmonaut, and based on years of work by thousands of dedicated programmers, Ubuntu is a serious contender in both the desktop and the web server worlds.
It is based on the philosophy that software should be free, both economically and legally, in that you should be able to install it at no cost, and should also be allowed to modify and/or distribute it without paying any fees or royalties, which is achieved by releasing Ubuntu under a special license that protects these rights.
This means you may install Ubuntu on any computer on which it will run, and can upgrade to the latest version as often as you like, without worrying about licenses, product activation, or special keys you have to enter. You can give it to your friends and family too.
Ubuntu is also very easy to install, automatically recognizing and setting up the best drivers for the devices you use. And, with other operating systems taking anything from one hour to half a day to install, Ubuntu really shines with an average installation time of under an hour.
For over a decade, Linux has provided the computing power behind millions of web servers, so itâs no surprise with the amount of work that has been put into developing graphical frontends, desktop installations of Linux now exceed 1% of the total (a figure that is rapidly growing), with Ubuntu taking the lionâs share of that amount.
Everything you need to know to become a seasoned Ubuntu user is in this book, which also covers upgrading to and using the latest 10.04 Lucid Lynx release. Whatâs more, it also shows you how to easily and quickly upgrade to the even newer versions that are released every six months.
This book is for people interested in learning about Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution. This includes students, home and business users, hobbyists, professionals, and all other types of user. Because this book takes you from the first steps of installing the operating system, through configuration, maintenance, and security, and on to topics such as networking, it provides a complete resource for all beginning to intermediate users.
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