Beginning Ubuntu Linux - From Novice to Professional

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

About the Author

About the Technical Reviewer

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I Introducing the World of Linux

CHAPTER 1 Welcome!

What Is Linux?

The Age of Linux

The Problems with Windows

The Benefits of Linux

Crash-Free

Security

Free and Shareable

Compatible with Older Hardware

The Linux Community

Summary

CHAPTER 2 A History and Politics Lesson

In the Beginning

The GNU Project

Proprietary Software and the GPL

GNU and Linux Together

Different Flavors of Linux

Linux Today

Modern Linux Development

Summary

CHAPTER 3 The Realities of Running Linux

Learning to Use Linux

Who Uses Linux?

Getting Hold of Linux

Using Ubuntu

Summary

Part II Installing Ubuntu

CHAPTER 4 Preinstallation Steps

Understanding Partitioning

Freeing Up Space

Reclaiming Space

Removing Windows

Using Another Hard Disk

Backing Up Your Data

Backing Up E-mail Files

Making Notes

Summary

CHAPTER 5 Installing Ubuntu

An Overview of the Installation Process

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Boot from the CD-ROM

Step 2: Select Your Language

Step 3: Confirm Your Keyboard Layout

Step 4: Wait During Hardware and Networking Autodiscovery

Step 5: Set a Hostname

Step 6: Partition the Disk

Step 7: Wait During Automated Package Copying

Step 8: Set the Time Zone

Step 9: Set Your Real Name, Username, and Password

Step 10: Install the GRUB Boot Loader

Step 11: Reboot for the Second Installation Phase

Step 12: Wait During Package Installation

Step 13: Configure Your Monitor

Step 14: Boot for the First Time

Summary

CHAPTER 6 Solving Installation Problems

Preinstallation Problems

Installation Problems

Postinstallation Problems

Graphical Problems

Graphics Card Configuration

Keyboard and Mouse Configuration

Monitor Configuration

Summary

Part III The No-Nonsense Getting Started Guide

CHAPTER 7 Booting Ubuntu for the First Time

Starting Up

Logging In

Exploring the Desktop

First Impressions

Desktop Elements

Quick Desktop Guides

Running Programs

Working with Virtual Desktops

Using the Mouse

Cutting and Pasting Text

Summary

CHAPTER 8 Getting Everything Up and Running

Ubuntu Hardware Support

Proprietary vs. Open Source Drivers

Viewing Your Hardware

Getting Online

Using an Ethernet Card

Joining a Wireless Network

Configuring Dial-Up Internet Access

Using a USB-Based DSL Modem

Working with a Proxy Server

Setting Up Online Software Repositories

Configuring E-Mail and Instant Messaging

Configuring E-Mail Access

Setting Up Instant Messaging

Adding a Printer

Configuring a Local Printer

Configuring a Network Printer

Configuring a Windows/SMB Shared Printer

Setting Up Digital Imaging Devices

Transferring Photos from a Digital Camera

Configuring a Scanner

Using a USB Memory Stick

Installing 3D Graphics Card Drivers

Installing an ATI Driver

Installing a Nvidia Driver

Testing 3D Capabilities

Configuring Bluetooth

Pairing Bluetooth Devices

Transferring Files Between Bluetooth Devices

Using a Bluetooth Keyboard or Mouse

Configuring Sound Cards

Summary

CHAPTER 9 How to Secure Your Computer

Windows Security vs. Linux Security

Root and Ordinary Users

Common-Sense Security

Online Updates

The Ubuntu Firewall

Installing Firestarter

Configuring Firestarter

Summary

CHAPTER 10 Personalizing Ubuntu: Getting Everything Just Right

Changing the Look and Feel

Altering the Theme

Changing the Wallpaper

Setting Font Preferences

Configuring Input Devices

Creating Keyboard Shortcuts

Personalizing Login Options

Changing Your Login Picture

Adding and Removing Desktop Items

Adding a Shortcut

Adding and Removing Menus

Personalizing the Panels

Working with Applets

Setting Power-Saving Features

Controlling the Monitor Shutoff

Spinning Down the Hard Disk

Summary

CHAPTER 11 Ubuntu Replacements for Windows Programs

Available Software

A Quick Start with Common Linux Programs

Word Processing: OpenOffice.org Writer

Spreadsheet: OpenOffice.org Calc

Presentations: OpenOffice.org Impress

Database: OpenOffice.org Base

E-Mail/Personal Information Manager: Evolution

Web Browser: Firefox

Audio Playback: Rhythmbox and CD Player

Movie Playback: Totem Movie Player

CD/DVD Burning: Nautilus and Serpentine

Photo Editing: The GIMP

Other Handy Applications

Summary

CHAPTER 12 Managing Your Files

Understanding File System Concepts

Drive References

Case Sensitivity

File Access and Storage

Using Nautilus

File and Folder Icons

Special Nautilus Windows

Launching Files and Running Programs

Accessing Windows Files

Working with Files in Windows Partitions

Accessing Networked Files

Accessing Removable Storage Devices

Ejecting Media from Drives

Formatting Floppies

Summary

Part IV The Shell and Beyond

CHAPTER 13 Introducing the BASH Shell

What Is the BASH Shell?

Why Bother with the Shell?

When Should You Use the Shell?

Getting Started with the Shell

Running Programs

Getting Help

Running the Shell via a Virtual Console

Working with Files

Listing Files

Copying Files

Moving Files

Deleting Files

Changing and Creating Directories

Summary

CHAPTER 14 Understanding Linux Files and Users

Real Files and Virtual Files

Users and File Permissions

Viewing Permissions

Altering Permissions

The File System Explained

Mounting

Using the mount Command

Mounting a Drive Manually

Removing a Mounted System

File Searches

Using the find Command

Using the locate Command

Using the whereis Command

File Size and Free Space

Viewing File Sizes

Finding Out the Amount of Free Space

Summary

CHAPTER 15 Working with Text Files

Viewing Text Files

Using the cat Command

Using the less Command

Using the head and tail Commands

Using a Command-Line Text Editor

Understanding vi Modes

Using vi to Edit a File

Creating a New Text File Using vi

Searching Through Files

Using grep to Find Text

Using Regular Expressions

Comparing Text Files

Summary

CHAPTER 16 Taking Control of the System

Viewing Processes

Controlling Processes

Killing Processes

Controlling Zombie Processes

Using Other Commands to Control Processes

Controlling Jobs

Summary

CHAPTER 17 Cool Shell Tricks

Using Autocompletion

Autocompletion with Files and Paths

Viewing Available Options

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcuts for Working in BASH

Shortcuts for System Control

Using the Command History

Piping and Directing Output

Piping the Output of Commands

Redirecting Output

Summary

Part V Multimedia

CHAPTER 18 Digital Music

Understanding the Legalities of Playback

Playing Music Files

Installing Codecs

Using Rhythmbox

Listening to Audio CDs

Tuning in to Online Radio Stations

Configuring XMMS

Using Streamtuner

Ripping Music from CDs

Choosing a Format

Adding MP3 Support to Sound Juicer

Ripping Tracks

Creating Your Own CDs

Summary

CHAPTER 19 Movies and Multimedia

Watching Videos

Installing Codecs

Installing RealPlayer

Playing Back Video

Watching DVDs

Playing Flash Animations

Watching TV

Checking for Video Input

Installing Tvtime

Summary

CHAPTER 20 Image Editing

Getting Pictures onto Your PC

Introducing The GIMP

Editing Images with The GIMP

Making Color Corrections

Cropping and Cloning

Sharpening

Applying Filters

Summary

Part VI Office Tasks

CHAPTER 21 Making the Move to OpenOffice.org

Office Similarities

OpenOffice.Org Key Features

File Compatibility

The Right Fonts

Copying Windows Fonts

Installing TrueType Core Fonts

Summary

CHAPTER 22 OpenOffice.org Overview

Introducing the Interface

Customizing the Interface

Adding Functions to Toolbars

Adding a New Toolbar

Customizing Menus

Configuring OpenOffice.org Options

Using OpenOffice.org Core Functions

Using Wizards

Getting Help

Inserting Objects with Object Linking and Embedding

Creating Macros

Saving Files

Summary

CHAP TER 23 In Depth: Writer

Formatting Text

The Formatting Toolbar

Context Menu

The Style and Formatting Palette

Spell-Checking

Inserting Pictures

Working with Tables

Mail Merging

Adding Headers and Footers

Summary

CHAPTER 24 In Depth: Calc

Entering and Formatting Data

Deleting and Inserting Data and Cells

Working with Formulas

Using the Function Wizard

Summing Figures

Sorting Data

Creating Charts

Using Filters

Summary

CHAPTER 25 In Depth: Impress

Creating a Quick Presentation

Working in Impress

Animating Slides

Applying Fontwork

Using 3D Effects

Exporting a Presentation As a Flash File

Summary

CHAPTER 26 In Depth: Base

Getting Started with Base

Creating a Database

Adding a Table

Creating a Form

Adding Controls to the Form Manually

Editing the Database Table

Using the Database

Summary

CHAPTER 27 In Depth: Evolution

Evolution Modes

Basic E-Mail Tasks

Sending and Receiving E-Mail

Reading E-Mail

Deleting Messages

Flagging Messages

Composing a Message

Creating an E-Mail Signature

Advanced E-Mail Tasks

Creating New Folders

Dealing with Junk E-Mail

Sorting and Filtering Messages

Creating Search Folders

Contacts

Adding or Editing Contact Information

Creating a Contact List

Calendars

Specifying Appointment Types

Adding or Editing a Diary Entry

Tasks

Summary

CHAPTER 28 Running Microsoft Office Under Ubuntu

Installing and Configuring Wine

Downloading Wine

Configuring Wine

Showing Hidden Files on CDs

Installing Microsoft Office

Running Office Components

Installing Other Windows Programs

Summary

Part VII Keeping Your System Running

CHAPTER 29 Installing Software

Software Installation Basics

Formats of Linux Installation Files

Packages Explained

Dependency Management

APT and Package Repositories

The Synaptic Package Manager in Depth

Searching for Software

Installing Software

Removing Software

Package Management from the Command Prompt

Using dpkg

Using the APT Tools

Installing from Source

Installing the Compiler Tools

Unpacking the Tarball and Solving Dependencies

Compiling

Summary

CHAPTER 30 Managing Users

Understanding User and Group Accounts

Users and Groups

Root User

UIDs and GIDs

Adding and Deleting Users and Groups

Adding and Deleting Users via the GUI

Creating and Deleting Groups via the GUI

Adding and Deleting Users and Groups at the Command Line

Adding and Changing Passwords

Summary

CHAPTER 31 Optimizing Your System

Speeding Up Booting

Understanding Bootup

Reducing the Boot Menu Delay

Optimizing Initialization and Run-Level Services

Optimizing Hard Disk Settings

Benchmarking Your Hard Disk

Changing Hard Disk Settings

Making Disk Optimizations Permanent

Prelinking

Configuring Prelinking

Deactivating Prelinking

Freeing Disk Space

Emptying the /tmp Folder

Emptying the Cache of Package Files

Removing Unused Software

Adding Another Disk Drive

Partitioning the Disk

Configuring Ubuntu to Use the Drive

Summary

CHAPTER 32 Backing Up Data

What Data Should You Back Up?

Using SBackup

Backing Up Data via SBackup

Restoring Data via SBackup

Making Backups from the Command Line

Creating tar Files

Compressing tar Archives

Extracting Files from a tar Archive

Viewing tar Archive Information

Saving the File to a CD-R/RW

Summary

CHAPTER 33 Scheduling Tasks

Scheduling with crontab

Creating a Scheduled Task

Editing crontab with the GUI

Scheduling with anacron

Using at to Schedule One-Off Tasks

Summary

CHAPTER 34 Accessing Computers Remotely

Using Secure Shell

Logging In to a Remote Computer

Transferring Files Between Remote Computers

Accessing GUI Applications Remotely

Running X Applications on a Remote Computer

Running the GNOME Desktop Across a Remote Connection

Accessing Ubuntu via Remote Desktop

Connecting to Remote Windows Computers

Connecting to Windows XP Professional, 2000, and NT

Connecting to Other Windows Computers

Summary

APPENDIX A Glossary of Linux Terms

APPENDIX B BASH Command Index

APPENDIX C Getting Further Help

Read the Manual!

Man Pages

Info Pages

README Files and Other Documentation

Getting Help Online

Forums

Mailing Lists

Other Official Sites

Third-Party Sites

APPENDIX D Other Versions of Ubuntu

Kubuntu

Edubuntu

Ubuntu Server

Xubuntu

Other Ubuntu Projects

Index