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Linux

Linux For Dummies, 7th Edition

Format: Paperback
Author: Dee-Ann LeBlanc
ReleaseDate: 30 May, 2006
Publisher: For Dummies
Rating:

7 Distributions, including Ubuntu
But I hadn't. I know, I know! I should have at least tried Linux by now. Then I found this book. Among all of the books on Linux at the book store, this one said, here's seven different distributions of Linux that you can install. Furthermore, in Chapter 4 it had 35 pages describing the different distributions. Why, for instance, would I want to install Xandros, Mandriva or SuSE instead of the Fedora (Red Hat) core. (Although I did find it a little strange that Debian wasn't discussed. But with 300+ distributions to choose from you have to cut it off somewhere. )

Although this is a 'For Dummies' book, it isn't for the complete 'Dummy. ' You should have some idea about setting your BIOS to boot from DVD, some idea about what particians are (or use an old PC and dedicate it to Linux - recommended) and so on.

Finally this book is primarily concerned with the operating system itself. Linux comes with tons of applications programs. If you want to learn about Open Office or other packages, that's a different book. But in learning about the operating system, not bad at all.

Disappointed
I was disappointed. From the cover hype, I expected a complete turnkey program for installing and learning Linux.

First, the book-provided CD would not boot, and there were no directions in the book on how to change one's BIOS to allow the CD to boot. (I learned from a friend how to do it. )

Second, the software provided to allow one to have a dual boot (Windows and Linux systems existing separately on one hard drive) is incompatable with Windows 2000 and XP, for it is confused by NTFS files.

So now I've got a useless book, unless I go out and plunk down 50-70 bucks for commercially available partitioning software OR install a companion hard drive reserved solely for Linux.

The cover should warn the inexperienced (dummy) user of these sorts of things.