Red Hat Fedora Linux 2 for Dummies [With DVD]

Fedora is, of course, the new name for the standard Linux distribution for Red Hat's version of Linux. This is more-or-less Red Hat version 11, and this book contain the complete release of the operating system, the windowing system, the Open Office integrated application package and all the rest of a complete Linux system. The book is distributed on DVD format disks. If you don't have a DVD drive, you can order the same software on standard CD-ROMs for an extra cost of $13.50, which is just about the cost of producing and shipping them. As with the other ‘For Dummies’ books, this is an introductory book aimed to get him up and productive as quickly as possible. This book is in tutorial, do this, and then do that, format. I find it easy to use, easy to understand and I particularly like the light tone of the writing style. Computer books don't have to be written with a goal of being deadly dull.

This book is just what you need if you want an almost turn-key implementation of Fedora Core 2. The book makes it easy to install and setup the DVD provided software. If you don't have a DVD drive, a set of CD-ROMs is offered for $20 US.As in most "For Dummies" books, humor is the rule of the day as the authors lead you throught the installation.Over the past 5 years I have tried several of the Red Hat implementations of Linux, the last being 7.0, and I felt that they just were not ready for "prime time". I wasn't looking for something that Grandma/Grandpa could load, but who needs days of research and testing to get your system to access the internet etc. What a surprise! The system loaded and almost everything worked right from the start. My system is a dual-boot Windows 98/Linux configuration and the problems that I had during the insatllation were fully covered in the book.This book is not a Linux bible. While entering the command lines provided for setting up a firewall, step by step instructions are given. The first command, unknown to the casual non Linux reader, calls a macro by giving a complete path to the macro. Additional commands are provided that are not in the "path" as set up in the installation. The concept of a "path" is not covered in the book, nor is it listed in the index. You will need another book for the basics.Overall, I thought the book provided a decent start to converting over to Linux from a MS Windows based system.

Red Hat, Inc. recently joined with the open source Fedora Linux Project to create the Fedora Core Project (FCP). The FCP now produces the Fedora Core distribution, which is the successor to Red Hat Linux (if you're familiar with Red Hat Linux 9, you'll immediately recognize Fedora Core 2). Red Hat, Inc. maintains overall editorial control of the project while the user community drives its technical development.Red Hat Fedora Linux 2 for Dummies helps you use Fedora Core 2 to get work done and also have a lot of fun. It provides information and examples to help you use and learn Fedora Core 2 on your computer. The book shows you how to:* Install Fedora Core 2 as the only operating system on your PC, or...* Repartition your PC hard drive and install Fedora Core 2 along side Windows (dual-boot configuration)* The entire Fedora Core 2 distribution comes on a DVD (no more swapping CDs!)* Connect to the Internet through a broadband DSL or cable modem * Connect to the Internet through a dial up telephone modem* Connect to an existing home or office local area network (LAN)* Troubleshoot network connections* Use the OpenOffice suite (compatible with MS Office)* Browse the Internet with Mozilla* Use Evolution (similar to Outlook) to process your e-mail* Play CDs and DVDs* Listen to Internet audio streams with MPlayer* Provide basic network services, such as the Apache web server, to your LAN* Use both simple and advanced techniques to secure your computer* Create a networked streaming audio server with IceCast* Use WINE to run Windows applications such as Office * and much more...Red Hat Fedora Linux 2 for Dummies uses straight-forward examples to demonstrate each area of interest. It describes how to do most of the simple, but essential tasks necessary to install and use Fedora Core 2. However, this book is more than an introduction to Fedora Core and Linux. It introduces several carefully chosen advanced topics, such as streaming multimedia servers and network services, to demonstrate the power of Fedora Core. The end result is that Red Hat Fedora Linux 2 for Dummies covers a surprisingly wide spectrum of topics in an easy to understand and use manner.