Complete Idiot's Guide to Linux

If the open-source movement becomes more popular among beginning to intermediate computer users, the Linux operating system may easily emerge as the operating system of choice. However, getting neophytes to jump on the Linux bandwagon is no easy sell unless the new user has access to a dependable and fairly thorough introductory Linux reference. Author Manuel Alberto Ricart supplies a clearly written introduction to this OS in The Complete Idiot's Guide to Linux.

The mark of any truly great Linux reference, whether it is written for the diehard kernel programmer or the new, curious OS explorer, is its documentation on installing Linux. To help get you started, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Linux includes a CD-ROM with a copy of Caldera's OpenLinux version 1.3. Between appendices A and B, Ricart provides a step-by-step explanation of the Linux OS installation as well as a fairly extensive list of hardware that is compatible with the OpenLinux 1.3. Quick to acknowledge the high potential for frustration during the installation process, Ricart includes helpful tips for getting around the most common configuration pitfalls.

The bulk of the book is distributed across three sections that teach you how to use the graphical interface, called the KDE Desktop; the command-line interface, which should be fairly familiar to anyone migrating from Unix to Linux; and the commands necessary for low-level system administration and maintenance. --Ryan Kuykendall