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Test Driving Linux
This title is another in the growing list of books published by O'Reilly Media, whose user group representative kindly gave me a copy of the book to review. The book comprises 341 pages, and has plenty of screenshots, an appendix of solutions, and a Linux CD secured in an envelope within the back cover.
The particular Linux distribution ("distro") provided on the book's CD is Move, which is based upon Mandriva Linux, which was formerly known as Mandrake. While most Linux aficionados have their favorite distro, and can argue vehemently in favor of one against all others, there is widespread agreement in the Linux community that Mandrake established itself as a solid choice years ago.
Brickner begins this manuscript with an enthusiastic first chapter in which he introduces the computer neophyte to Linux, using cars and test driving as analogies. He briefly mentions how Linux got started, how it fits into GNU/Linux, and what the terms "free software" and "open source" mean. He then describes how to get started with Move by booting off of the CD -- assuming that one's computer has the minimum system requirements (detailed in the book's preface). Non-confident readers will likely appreciate the author's reassuring explanation that Move will not affect their computer's current setup. The chapter continues with an explanation of the KDE desktop, its "kicker" panel, the look and feel of a typical KDE application, window control, desktop background customization, KDE programs that replace Windows applications, and finally how to log out properly.
The next nine chapters of the book cover major application areas, and how to perform common tasks using the corresponding KDE applications of those areas: Web surfing (using Konqueror or Mozilla), file management (Konqueror again), music and videos, games, communication (e-mail and instant messaging), digital image editing (using the GIMP), desktop customization (using the KDE Control Center), office suite (OpenOffice.org), and money management. The final three chapters explore the Linux command line (Konsole), popular programs that are not included on the CD, and advice to those users who decide to switch over to Linux long-term.
In all of the chapters devoted to the major KDE applications, Brickner does a competent job of explaining the basics to the beginner, including handy summaries for more proficient users (such as keyboard shortcuts), and plenty of screenshots that help the reader to verify that they are running the correct application under discussion, and that they are looking in the right places within the application windows. However, all of the figures are in black and white, which makes distinguishing text extremely difficult in those cases where adjacent colors, that are typically well contrasting, merge into shades of dark gray. In addition, I spotted one erratum, on page 84, in which the first letter of "Booting advice for Move" is in a strangely different font, for no apparent reason. This is not representative of the book as a whole, which is well-made, neatly laid out, and uses a flexible layout-flat binding.
Brickner helpfully warns the user of potential pitfalls, such as showstopper dialog boxes being hidden by other Windows. He should be commended for advising the user to set their browser identification to alternatives other than Internet Explorer, if only to encourage Web site owners to not limit the browsers that will work with their sites. One minor error in the browser chapter is, when referring to the Gecko rendering engine used by Mozilla, the author incorrectly identifies it as "gecko," though that may have been an error on the part of the publisher.
For those users who enjoy trying out Linux enough to consider abandoning Windows completely, the final chapter of the book will be most welcome. Brickner identifies which distros are capable of resizing an NTFS-formatted partition; this determines whether or not a user can install that distro on a hard drive already containing Windows, and thus have a dual-boot system. He also distinguishes between those distros that are Windows-like, in that the Linux characteristics are hidden as much as possible, versus those which make no such effort. One potential weakness in his discussion, is that he mentions the ability or inability of particular editions of various distros to authenticate against Windows servers, and yet he does not explain to the reader what that means. On the other hand, any reader who does not understand the idea, probably does not need to.
Overall, I found this book to be worthy of recommendation to anyone who would like to learn more about how to use a robust Linux distro on a live CD. The coverage of topics appears complete, at least for those tasks that the typical computer user needs to perform on a daily basis. There are few errors in the text, and the author has done an admirable job of warning the reader as to potential problems, as well as noting when certain features will not work when running off of the CD, and why. These explanations go a long way to assuaging the reader, who might otherwise become frustrated and conclude that either Move is not operating properly, or that they are doing something wrong. The publisher's choice to use only black and white images, no doubt has the advantage of keeping the book's cost reasonable (a list price of U.S. $24.95), but it has the disadvantages of reducing the utility of those illustrations -- especially when discussing color customization -- in addition to the aforesaid problem of adjacent grayscale regions merging into dark blobs that are difficult to distinguish from one another.
Test Driving Linux is clearly of value in better introducing the public to the power and promise of Linux. It is undoubtedly one of the most user-friendly tools that could assist Linux advocates in spreading the word, and encouraging computer users to break away from operating systems that are expensive, buggy, and non-secure. As Brickner notes in his preface, when people unfamiliar with Linux give it a test drive, by simply booting off of the CD provided with the book, they just might want to stay with Linux long-term.
Michael J. Ross is a freelance writer, computer consultant, and the editor of PristinePlanet.com's free newsletter. You can purchase Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
I have been giving KNOPPIX cds to my friends for a year now. Best idea going, boot to the CD and start working
I am a Windows user currently and I find that linux livecd's are not enough for testing the capabilities of linux, often they do not allow me to do enough with the system to thoroughly test the system for compatability, or other times these stock systems do not work with all of my hardware. I think dual booting is a much easier proposition, and the time spend trying to get people to use livecd's would be better spent telling them how to properly install and use linux to its fullest.
There is no sig
I recommended LiveCD distro Ubuntu to a client one time because they wanted to try linux from a safe distance. It ended up throwing a huge 2 gig swap file onto his hard drive and destroying all traces of Win98. I had to undergo the painful task of re-installing Windows 98 on a 100mhz or so laptop (he won't upgrade for anything). Never found out the reason it did that.
I find myself now employed in a windows using company; and honestly, it sucks trying to get up to speed on this thing. Since starting 2 of our servers have been hacked and used for god-knows what; and to the best of anyone's abilities inside the company the best thing we could do about it is "install the latest service packs". There are tons of novice works out there; but are there any that are written with an experienced Mac/Solaris guy in mind?
I sent several of the latest live CDs to a friend so he could test drive Linux. All of them gave him kernel panic errors. After an updated Bios, stil the errors. Many cheat codes later, we were no closer.
He then installed Mandriva LE DVD just fine, and has been running Linux for weeks now on his old laptop.
My point is that Live CDs can often give Grandma the wrong impression, including that Linux is buggy and slow among other things.
Sometimes buggy, time consuming and unessarily difficult, yes. Slow? No.
You have been eaten by a Hurd of GNU.
Well, can you blame him?
I only wish I had thought of it.
1) Write a step by step guide to something anyone can do.
2) Slap a LiveCD version of Linux on the back page
3) ???? (okay, only added for effect, I admit)
4) Profit!!
It could get Linux into the hands of some total neophytes that might not care if it's "Not Windows!!11!one!!" and just be pleased as pie to be operating a computer at all!
More power to him, IMO. (and I think the choice of distro is great for newbies, Mandrake Move is great for beginners.)
I'm too lazy to enter a sig. Hey wait a second! You tricked me!
I've played with a LiveCD before too, and thought it was great. But when I wanted to install to an empty FAT32 partition, I had major issues with every single distro. Some were confusing to install, some KPed on boot, some just didn't start, etc. The LiveCDs were neat, but I couldn't do anything useful with them simply because they were CDs. I'd love to get Linux going but it just isn't as user-friendly as Windows is or OS X is.
Well, at least the Windows installation procedure. That is usually pretty easy to get started. But beyond that, ~shudder~
I got a PCjr when I was 8 years old and I've been on the DOS/Windows platform since. I installed redhat and suse a couple of times a couple of summers ago and I have to say that it performed slowly versus the win 98 se I was running on old 450-800 mhz boxes. Maybe I didn't have enough ram I don't know. What was very difficult was adding software that wasn't part of the original distribution. I guess that's the idea is that the distribution should have everything you need in it? I don't know I may be an idiot. I am still very intrigued by linux, but I figure that if I can get over my head (e.g. I have no idea how to compile something) it may not work for a lot of the so called power windows users (and I know more about computing than you'd think) Maybe for people more experienced or less experienced than I - linux is great. Another thing is that the UI seems very derivitave of Windows and inconsistent. I'd like to see someone really create something special that really draws people in. Anyway...
In my experience (ISP Tech Support), it's even worse then that:
/off the shelf/ is near zero.
/do/ know that lots of users would like to save $50 off of the purchase of a new computer, esp. with Thunderbird and FF being cross platform so the setup is virtually the same. But consumers will never demand anything better because all they know is that their big black box plugs into their small TV and shows them pretty pictures from the internet.
"What version of Windows are you running?" (since no users have any idea what an operating system is): "I don't know, the newest one?", or "Outlook Express", or "Office 97".
"Well, you know when you turn on your computer? There is a big blue or black screen which says what version of Windows you have. What does that say?": "Oh, I never pay any attention to that."
So if users don't even see the BIG FLAMING WINDOWS VERSION NUMBER during boot up, the odds of them picking up a book like this and getting it
Too bad. I