Richard Blum - Linux For Dummies

Linux® For Dummies®, 10th Edition

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Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2020943580

ISBN 978-1-119-70425-6 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-70426-3 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-70427-0 (ebk)

1 Cover

2 Introduction Introduction Welcome to the fascinating world of open source software that is Linux. In this book, I introduce you to the wonders of the Linux operating system, originally created as a labor of love by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s. My goal is to initiate you into the rapidly growing ranks of Linux users and enthusiasts busily rewriting the rules for the operating system marketplace. If you’ve contemplated switching to Linux but find the prospect too forbidding, you can relax. If you can boil water or set your alarm clock, you too can become a Linux user. (No kidding!) When this book appeared in its first edition, Linux was an emerging phenomenon that was neither terribly well known nor understood. In this edition — for a new generation of Linux users — so much material is available that I've steered this particular title toward what Linux is and how you can make the best use of it on your desktop. To that end, these pages contain various online resources, tips, and tricks, as well as more general instruction. If you’re looking for material on servers, Linux All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies by Emmett Dulaney (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) can serve your needs. In this book, I keep the amount of technobabble to a minimum and stick with plain English as much as possible. Besides plain talk about Linux installation, boot up, configuration, and software, I include many examples, plus lots of detailed instructions to help you set up and use your very own Linux machine with a minimum of stress or confusion. About This Book About This Book Think of this book as a friendly, approachable guide to tackling terminology and the Linux collection of tools, utilities, and widgets. Although Linux isn’t terribly hard to figure out, it does pack a boatload of details, parameters, and administrivia (administrative trivia, in UNIX-speak). You need to wrestle those details into shape while you install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot a Linux-based computer. Some sample topics you find in this book include the following: Understanding where Linux comes from and what it can do for you Installing the Linux operating system Working with a Linux system to manage files and add software Setting up Internet access and surfing the web Customizing your Linux desktop Managing Linux system security and resources Although it may seem, at first glance, that working with Linux requires years of hands-on experience, tons of trial and error, advanced computer science training, and intense dedication, take heart! It’s not true! If you can tell somebody how to find your office, you can certainly build a Linux system that does what you want. The purpose of this book isn’t to turn you into a full-blown Linux geek (that’s the ultimate state of Linux enlightenment, of course); it’s to show you the ins and outs that you need to master to build a smoothly functioning Linux system and to give you the know-how and confidence to use it. How to Use This Book Three Presumptuous Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here

3 Part 1: Getting Your Feet Wet Chapter 1: Getting Acquainted with Linux Is Free Really Free? Linux: Revolution or Just Another Operating System? Anatomy of an Open Source Software Project Packaging Linux: The Distribution Chapter 2: Prepping Your Computer for Linux Preparing to Use Linux and Microsoft Windows Together Double-Checking Hardware Compatibility Finally, Finally, Before You Get Started Chapter 3: Installing Linux Things to Consider Before You Begin Installation Installing from Ubuntu Live Your First Ubuntu Boot Installing openSUSE Chapter 4: Examining the GNOME Desktop The History of GNOME Breaking Down the GNOME Desktop Exploring the Activities Overview Customizing Your Ride A Closer Look at Accessibility Features Chapter 5: Examining the KDE Plasma Desktop The KDE Plasma Desktop Using Widgets Plasma System Settings Desktop Folder Settings Accessibility Settings Chapter 6: Exploring Alternative Desktops Spicing Things Up with Cinnamon Working with MATE The Xfce Desktop Interface