Linux Dummies 9th

4 Linux For Dummies, 9th Edition
You don’t need to be a master logician or a wizard in the arcane art of programming
to use this book, nor do you need a PhD in computer science. You
don’t even need a complete or perfect understanding of what’s going on in
your computer’s innards.
If you have an active imagination and the ability to solve rudimentary problems,
that’s even better — you have already mastered the key ingredients
necessary to making Linux work for you. The rest are mere details and a bit
of patience. We can help you with the details, but the patience is up to you!
How This Book Is Organized
This book contains six major parts, arranged in an order to take you from
Linux installation and configuration through keeping a Linux desktop system
up and running, if not purring like a cat in the sun! Most parts contain three
or more chapters or appendixes, and each chapter or appendix contains
modular sections. Whenever you need help or information, pick up this book
and start anywhere you like, or use the Table of Contents and the index to
locate specific topics or key words.
Following is a breakdown of the book’s six parts and what you find in each one.
Part I: Getting Your Feet Wet
This part sets the stage and includes an overview of and introduction to the
terms, techniques, and software components that make Linux the raging
software tiger that’s so ready, willing, and able to do its thing. To be a little
more specific, we start out with a Linux overview that explains what Linux
is, where it came from, and how it works. Next, we tackle the various tasks
and activities involved in preparing for and installing Linux on a computer.
After that, we tell you how to give Linux the boot — not to get rid of it by any
means, but rather, to fire up your brand-new system to reach the heights of
computing ecstasy. Finally, we help you find your way around the desktop
and tweak it some to your liking.
Part II: Getting Up to Speed with Linux
In this part, you find out the basics of how to work in Linux. You discover
where various things are stored in your Linux filesystem and how to navigate
your way through it. After you can find your way around, you’ll see how to
find your way out of the system and connect to the Internet.