general

I initially dismissed this book because the publisher's comments made it sound too basic for my needs. However, after taking a look through it at the store, I changed my mind and got myself a copy. I have been using a Linux system for a while now, so I already knew the basics, but was curious about learning a little more. I suppose you could say I wanted to learn how to get started as a "geek." Fortunately, the author does not leave out people like me, because the book also works well as a primer for using commands, learning how to compile programs, and setting up a wireless card. The book also finally made it clear to me how to install fonts, which (to be honest) had been a point of confusion for me. There's also a great chapter on setting up APT, which is something I had been wanting to do for some time. All in all, the book has been a great help to me. I also liked the interestingly placed references to Vonnegut's "Sirens of Titan" snuck in here and there.

I thought, with the reviews of this book, that I would have no problem grasping linux. Well I was wrong. The first half this book doesn't go indepth enough for a beginner. It left me baffled in many parts and had to look up the solutions on my own online and also had to recieve help from friendly people in IRC. Many of the webpages listed by the write are no longer usable or are down. Trying to follow projects without the websites that he specifies is a nightmare for a beginner.

The second half of the book I felt was more of a filler and wasnt useful for learning linux. But maybe I feel that way because I didnt expect half the book to be about games and programs that play music.

It did get me started and it did leave me with more than my foot in the door.

I'm writing this on my notebook. My main desktop computer is sitting to my left infected with the CoolWebSearch virus or trojan or whatever it is, to the extent that it is useless. None of the virus/adware/whatever removal software touches it. www.Microsoft.com says that I have no critical updates available at this time. I've been thinking that I need to go down to the bookstore and buy a Linux distribution and blow away XP. When a virus becomes so strong that it kills its own host it too will die, maybe that will happen with CoolWebSearch.

Anyway, I then found this book. In the first couple of pages it is describing who this book is for, and he says "people who have read or heard about Linux and are wondering whether or not they are ready to deal with it, perhaps being held back by the Linux-is-for-geeks stereotype." Then he says, "if you're looking for a power-user Linux book, try the next book on the shelf." Okay, he's talking directly to me, I don't want to be a geek, I just want to get some use out of my now useless computer. Then he says, the book "comes with a full Linux distribution on two CD's that includes more than enough software to" make the machine useful.

What more could you ask? As soon as I hit enter I'm opening the CD envelope and moving over to the other machine.