Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, 4th Edition

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A Pain-Free, Get-Things-Done Guide

By Rickford Grant, Phil Bull

Publisher: No Starch Press

Released: July 2010

Pages: 496

The Ubuntu Linux distribution makes Linux easy, and Ubuntu for Non-Geeks makes it even easier. Full of tips, tricks, and helpful pointers, this pain-free guide is perfect for those interested in—but nervous about—switching to the Linux operating system.

This revised and expanded fourth edition is packed with new material that covers all the latest features of Ubuntu 10.04, Lucid Lynx. It includes five new chapters that take you step-by-step through common tasks like installing and playing games, accessing your favorite social networks, troubleshooting common hardware and software problems, connecting with the Ubuntu community, interacting with your Windows installation, and more.

By following along with the book's straightforward explanations and step-by-step projects, you'll learn how to:

Install Ubuntu and keep it updated
Set up printers, scanners, USB flash drives, and other hardware
Install and play free games like Frets on Fire, Frozen Bubble, and Warzone 2100
Watch DVDs, listen to music, and sync your iPod, iPhone, or other mobile devices
Edit and share digital photos and videos
Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations
Customize the look and feel of your system
Work with the command line (or avoid it altogether!)

If you're looking for a pain-free way to learn Linux, Ubuntu for Non-Geeks is just what you need to get started.

Chapter 1 BECOMING A PENGUINISTA
1. What Is Linux?
2. About the Penguin
3. Why Should You Use Linux?
4. But Is Linux Really Ready for the Desktop?
5. What Is a Distribution?
6. What Is Ubuntu?
7. Why Ubuntu Then?
8. Hardware Compatibility
9. Hardware Requirements
10. Good News for 64-Bit Machine Users
11. Mixed News for Mac Users
12. Speaking Ubuntu
13. Where Do I Go from Here?
Chapter 2 WADING AND DIVING
1. Going for a Dip
2. Choices, Choices, Choices—Installation Options
3. How Can I Get Back into Windows?
4. Oh No, My Computer Won't Boot!
Chapter 3 A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME
1. Welcome to the GNOME Desktop
2. The Top Panel
3. The Bottom Panel
4. Project 3A: Customizing the GNOME Panel
5. Project 3B: Manipulating Menus
6. Virtual Desktops
7. Wanda Revisited—GNOME Easter Eggs
8. Shutting Down
Chapter 4 MORE THAN WEBBED FEET
1. How Do You Connect?
2. Setting Up a Wired Connection
3. Checking Your Connection
4. Setting Up a Wireless Connection
5. Connecting with a DSL or ADSL Modem
6. Setting Up a Dial-up Connection
7. Mobile (3G) Broadband Connections
8. I'm Connected . . . So Now What?
Chapter 5 SLIPPING AND SLIDING
1. Firefox: Your Internet Browser
2. Project 5: Installing Firefox Extensions
3. Email with Evolution
4. An Email Alternative: Thunderbird
5. Chatting with Your Friends via Empathy
6. Microblogging—Twitter and Friends
7. Other Internet Applications
Chapter 6 ROUNDING OUT THE BIRD
1. Project 6A: Installing Applications via the Ubuntu Software Center
2. Performing System Upgrades via Update Manager
3. Adding Extra Software Repositories
4. Project 6B: Installing Software from a PPA: OpenSonic
5. Project 6C: Installing DEB Packages Not Available via the Ubuntu Repositories: Skype
Chapter 7 A TIDY NEST
1. Nautilus: Your File Manager
2. File Handling in Nautilus
3. Navigating in Nautilus
4. Understanding the Linux Filesystem
5. What's in All Those Other Folders?
6. Using Nautilus as a Network Browser
7. Reading Data CDs and DVDs
8. Burning Data CDs and DVDs
9. USB Storage Devices
10. Working with Bluetooth Devices
11. Backing Up Your Files
12. Recovering from a Backup
13. Removing Unwanted Files
14. Project 7: Creating and Extracting Compressed Files
Chapter 8 DRESSING UP THE BIRD
1. Project 8A: Creating a New User Account
2. Project 8B: Customizing Your Desktop Environment
3. Font Feathered Frenzy: Changing Your Fonts
4. Project 8C: Installing TrueType Fonts
5. Project 8D: Changing Your Login Screen
6. Choosing a Screensaver
7. Taking Screenshots
8. Customizing Visual Effects
Chapter 9 SIMPLE KITTEN WAYS
1. Meet the Terminal
2. Some Goofy Yet Useful Fun with the Command Terminal
3. Nontoxic Commands
4. Commands with Some Teeth
5. A Couple of Other Biters You'll Be Using Soon
6. Project 9A: Creating a Plan
7. Project 9B: More Command Practice with pyWings
8. Project 9C: Command Practice Review with Briscola
9. Project 9D: Compiling and Installing Programs from Source: Xmahjongg
10. Customizing the Terminal
11. Tabbed Shell Sessions in the Terminal
Chapter 10 GUTENBIRD
1. Printers
2. Scanners
Chapter 11 POLYGLOT PENGUINS
1. Read-Only Language Support
2. Typing Nonstandard Characters
3. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Input
4. Project 11: Setting Up Asian-Language Support
5. Setting Up IBus to Automatically Start Up When You Log In
6. Viewing Your System in Another Language
Chapter 12 PENGUINS AT WORK
1. OpenOffice.org
2. Word Processing Done Lightly with AbiWord
3. Some Other Cool Productivity Apps
Chapter 13 BRUSH-WIELDING PENGUINS
1. Project 13A: Importing Images from Digital Cameras
2. Project 13B: Working with Digital Images in F-Spot Photo Manager
3. Getting Arty with the GIMP
4. Phatch Photo Batch Processor
5. gpaint
6. Inkscape
7. Project 13C: Installing Picasa
8. A Few Other Graphics Apps to Consider
Chapter 14 TUX ROCKS
1. Audio File Formats
2. Project 14A: Installing MP3 Support for Audio Apps
3. Rhythmbox—Your Audio Player
4. Project 14B: Listening to Streaming Media with Rhythmbox
5. Creating Audio CDs
6. Project 14C: Listening to RealMedia Streams with RealPlayer
7. Other Cool Audio Apps
Chapter 15 PLUGGIN' IN THE PENGUIN
1. Knowing Your Limits
2. Mounting and Ejecting Your iPod or iPhone
3. (Not) Auto-updating Your iPod or iPhone
4. Working with Android-Based Phones
5. Working with Other Digital Media Players and Cell Phones
6. Managing Your Audio Device's Audio Files with Rhythmbox
7. Problems Writing to Your iPod
8. Working with Photos on Your Digital Device
9. Converting Audio File Formats
10. Playing Locked AAC (M4P) Files
11. Linux on Your iPod?
12. Working with . . . Your iPad?
Chapter 16 COUCH PENGUINS
1. DVDs
2. Project 16A: Installing Support for Encrypted DVDs
3. Totem Movie Player
4. An Alternative to Totem: VLC Media Player
5. Editing Digital Video with PiTiVi
6. Project 16B: Capturing Digital Video with Kino
7. Other Video Apps
Chapter 17 FEATHERED FLIPPERS
1. Project 17A: Expanding Your Game Collection via the Ubuntu Software Center
2. 3D Games
3. Project 17B: Installing a Java-Based Game: Schnapsen
4. Online Gaming
5. Searching for More Games
Chapter 18 PENGUINS AT THE GATES
1. Project 18A: Accessing Files on Your Windows Partition (for Dual-Booters)
2. Accessing a Linux Partition While Running Windows
3. Project 18B: Installing Microsoft Windows Core Fonts
4. Dual-Booting: Changing the Boot Order and Timeout
5. Linux Equivalents to Your Windows Applications
6. Project 18C: Running Windows Programs
7. Installing Windows Inside Ubuntu
8. Sharing Files with Windows Users on Your Network
Chapter 19 DEFENDING THE NEST
1. Does My System Need Protection?
2. The First Line of Defense
3. Software Firewalls
4. ClamAV: Antivirus Software, Linux Style
5. Project 19A: Virus Scanning with avast!
6. Project 19B: Encrypting Your Files
7. Project 19C: Shredding Documents Digitally
Chapter 20 A COLONY OF PENGUINS
1. Take Me to Your SABDFL
2. Launchpad: Your Passport to the Ubuntu Community
3. Bugs, Bugs, Glorious Bugs
4. Sharing Ideas on How to Improve Ubuntu
5. The Ubuntu Forums
6. Chatting on IRC
7. Keeping Up with the News
8. LoCos and LUGs
9. Stickers and Other Goodies
10. Getting Involved
Chapter 21 WOUNDED WINGS
1. I Can't Get Ubuntu Installed
2. Something Goes Wrong Before Ubuntu Finishes Booting
3. Sound and Video Problems
4. Internet and Network Connection Problems
5. Problems with the Display and Graphics Cards
6. Hard Disks and Storage Problems
7. Software Installation Problems
8. Common Problems with Applications
9. My Computer Is Running Slowly
10. Lost Files
11. Where Can I Go to Get More Help?

Appendix INSTALLING UBUNTU FROM A USB FLASH DRIVE
1. Preparing the Installer Files
2. Creating a Bootable Installer Disk
3. Booting from the USB Disk
Appendix UBUNTU DESKTOP CDS FOR AMD64, OPTERON, OR INTEL CORE 2 USERS
1. Downloading and Burning Ubuntu Desktop CD ISOs to CD
2. Ordering an Install Disc from Ubuntu
3. Ordering an Install Disc from Other Online Sources
Appendix MANUALLY PARTITIONING YOUR HARD DISK
1. Creating and Deleting Partitions
2. Editing Existing Partitions
3. Varieties of Partitions
4. Example Partition Layouts
5. Finishing Up
Appendix RESOURCES
1. Forums
2. Linux Reference
3. Blogs
4. Hardware Compatibility Issues
5. Wireless Connections
6. Free Downloads
7. News and Information
8. Magazines
9. Books
10. Ubuntu CDs
COLOPHON
Appendix UPDATES
Appendix ABOUT THE CD

Title:

Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, 4th Edition

By:

Rickford Grant, Phil Bull

Publisher:

No Starch Press

Formats:

Print
Ebook
Safari Books Online

Print:

July 2010

Ebook:

July 2010

Pages:

496

Print ISBN:

978-1-59327-257-9

| ISBN 10:

1-59327-257-X

Ebook ISBN:

978-1-59327-334-7

| ISBN 10:

1-59327-334-7

Description

Table of Contents

Product Details

About the Author

Recommended for You

Chapter 1 BECOMING A PENGUINISTA

What Is Linux?

About the Penguin

Why Should You Use Linux?

But Is Linux Really Ready for the Desktop?

What Is a Distribution?

What Is Ubuntu?

Why Ubuntu Then?

Hardware Compatibility

Hardware Requirements

Good News for 64-Bit Machine Users

Mixed News for Mac Users

Speaking Ubuntu

Where Do I Go from Here?

Chapter 2 WADING AND DIVING

Going for a Dip

Choices, Choices, Choices—Installation Options

How Can I Get Back into Windows?

Oh No, My Computer Won't Boot!

Chapter 3 A NEW PLACE TO CALL HOME

Welcome to the GNOME Desktop

The Top Panel

The Bottom Panel

Project 3A: Customizing the GNOME Panel

Project 3B: Manipulating Menus

Virtual Desktops

Wanda Revisited—GNOME Easter Eggs

Shutting Down

Chapter 4 MORE THAN WEBBED FEET

How Do You Connect?

Setting Up a Wired Connection

Checking Your Connection

Setting Up a Wireless Connection

Connecting with a DSL or ADSL Modem

Setting Up a Dial-up Connection

Mobile (3G) Broadband Connections

I'm Connected . . . So Now What?

Chapter 5 SLIPPING AND SLIDING

Firefox: Your Internet Browser

Project 5: Installing Firefox Extensions

Email with Evolution

An Email Alternative: Thunderbird

Chatting with Your Friends via Empathy

Microblogging—Twitter and Friends

Other Internet Applications

Chapter 6 ROUNDING OUT THE BIRD

Project 6A: Installing Applications via the Ubuntu Software Center

Performing System Upgrades via Update Manager

Adding Extra Software Repositories

Project 6B: Installing Software from a PPA: OpenSonic

Project 6C: Installing DEB Packages Not Available via the Ubuntu Repositories: Skype

Chapter 7 A TIDY NEST

Nautilus: Your File Manager

File Handling in Nautilus

Navigating in Nautilus

Understanding the Linux Filesystem

What's in All Those Other Folders?

Using Nautilus as a Network Browser

Reading Data CDs and DVDs

Burning Data CDs and DVDs

USB Storage Devices

Working with Bluetooth Devices

Backing Up Your Files

Recovering from a Backup

Removing Unwanted Files

Project 7: Creating and Extracting Compressed Files

Chapter 8 DRESSING UP THE BIRD

Project 8A: Creating a New User Account

Project 8B: Customizing Your Desktop Environment

Font Feathered Frenzy: Changing Your Fonts

Project 8C: Installing TrueType Fonts

Project 8D: Changing Your Login Screen

Choosing a Screensaver

Taking Screenshots

Customizing Visual Effects

Chapter 9 SIMPLE KITTEN WAYS

Meet the Terminal

Some Goofy Yet Useful Fun with the Command Terminal

Nontoxic Commands

Commands with Some Teeth