Wiley ubuntu linux for dummies apr 2007 ISBN 0470125055

You'll also discover how to: Connect to a LAN via a wireless and Ethernet Use OpenOffice.org and Mozilla Firefox drawing and editingTap into multimedia, graphics and other applications u

by Paul G Sery

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub Date: April 30, 2007

Print ISBN-10: 0-470-12505-5 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-470-12505-2 Pages: 384

Table of Contents | Index

Overview

What has made Ubuntu the most popular Linux distribution inrecent years? It's the emphasis on ease of installation and use

It gets even easier when paired with

Ubuntu Linux For Dummies.

This friendly reference shows you how to run Ubuntu directlyfrom CD-ROM and install it on a PC as a personal workstationand network server You'll find out how to download Ubuntu andstart using it right away You'll also discover how to:

Connect to a LAN via a wireless and Ethernet

Use OpenOffice.org and Mozilla Firefox drawing and editingTap into multimedia, graphics and other applications usingUbuntu

Create services for a home or small business network

Generate and manage web pages, print services, and moreFind helpful information about Ubuntu and Linux

Troubleshoot and fix problems

"Ubuntu" means "humanity toward others." Operating system

Dummies.

Chapter 3 Preparing to Install Ubuntu

Backing Up Your Data

Prepping your Hard Drive

Repartitioning Windows: Scootch Over and Let Ubuntu SitHere!

Chapter 10 Protecting Yourself with a Firewall

Protecting Your Computer with Firewalls

Quest for Firestarter: Installing a Firewall ConfigurationTool

Popular Functions and Tools

Part IV: Multimedia

Installing New Software Packages

What You Find

If You Have Problems with Your CD

Index

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006922426

ISBN-13:

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1O/RX/QV/QW/IN

Paul Sery is a systems administrator employed by Sandia

National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico He's

currently working on creating a centralized log event collectionand analysis system and using open source public key

To my wife, Lidia

Mark Richard Shuttleworth created Ubuntu, without which thisbook would be impossible Ubuntu has added to the productivityand creativity of the world, and I thank him for his creation

I want to especially thank Kyle Looper and Pat O'Brien, whogave me so much help with this project I'd also like to thankthe staff at Wiley Publishing — they continue to give me greatassistance

I also want to thank my wife, Lidia, for her good advice,

support, and encouragement Without her, I would still be thepocket-protector-wearing, busted-eyeglasses-fixed-with-tape,

Star Trek-costume-wearing, Saturday-night-hacking, sorry

sorta guy Well, I was never into Star Trek, but I am a geek and

I'm lucky to have met her

Ubuntu Linux For Dummies tells you how you can use the

fastest growing Linux distribution on the planet Ubuntu Linux isvery easy to use (even if you've only used Windows before) andprovides a powerful platform on which to get your work done.Ubuntu is also fun to use!

You can use Ubuntu Linux as fast as you can rip the companion

CD out of its plastic sleeve in the back of the book, pop it intoyour CD-ROM drive, and reboot your computer Ubuntu Linux is

available as a live Linux distribution, which means it boots

directly from the CD-ROM included with this book, and you canstart using it right away

When you get the feel for Ubuntu Linux, you can install it on

your computer from the Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD-ROM.

One of Ubuntu's strengths is — in my opinion — its easy-to-useinstallation system Answer a handful of questions, and you'vegot yourself a full-blown Linux computer Easy

You'll also find that Ubuntu Linux works great as your everydaycomputer workstation Ubuntu is designed to help you performall of your primary tasks, such as word processing and Webbrowsing — and most of the other things you might want to do,such as instant messaging If you've got a job for a PC, Ubuntucan do it for you

About This Book

I wrote Ubuntu Linux For Dummies to help you get started

using Ubuntu Linux and have some fun along the way First, thebook helps you get started using Ubuntu by covering the

essentials, such as booting Ubuntu live and then installing it onyour computer After getting started, I explain how you can useUbuntu's major components, such as networking, office

productivity tools, and such I use extensive examples to showexactly how to install, configure, and use the included software

Ubuntu Linux For Dummies tells you how you can use the

fastest growing Linux distribution on the planet Ubuntu Linux isvery easy to use (even if you've only used Windows before) andprovides a powerful platform on which to get your work done.Ubuntu is also fun to use!

You can use Ubuntu Linux as fast as you can rip the companion

CD out of its plastic sleeve in the back of the book, pop it intoyour CD-ROM drive, and reboot your computer Ubuntu Linux is

available as a live Linux distribution, which means it boots

directly from the CD-ROM included with this book, and you canstart using it right away

When you get the feel for Ubuntu Linux, you can install it on

your computer from the Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD-ROM.

One of Ubuntu's strengths is — in my opinion — its easy-to-useinstallation system Answer a handful of questions, and you'vegot yourself a full-blown Linux computer Easy

You'll also find that Ubuntu Linux works great as your everydaycomputer workstation Ubuntu is designed to help you performall of your primary tasks, such as word processing and Webbrowsing — and most of the other things you might want to do,such as instant messaging If you've got a job for a PC, Ubuntucan do it for you

About This Book

I wrote Ubuntu Linux For Dummies to help you get started

using Ubuntu Linux and have some fun along the way First, thebook helps you get started using Ubuntu by covering the

essentials, such as booting Ubuntu live and then installing it onyour computer After getting started, I explain how you can useUbuntu's major components, such as networking, office

productivity tools, and such I use extensive examples to showexactly how to install, configure, and use the included software

Contents or Index, and flip directly to that portion of thebook

operating system Chapters 3 and 4 cover preparing a computerfor a new (or additional) operating system and permanentlyinstalling Ubuntu Finally, Chapter 5 provides some of the

6 describes connecting to a private network via Ethernet

Chapter 8 moves on to using high-speed broadband Internetconnections Chapter 9 reverts to using old-school dialup

Chapter 14 covers using the ground-breaking Mozilla FirefoxWeb browser In Chapter 15, I tell you about using the Evolutione-mail client Chapter 16 is close to my heart, as it describesusing the Microsoft Word–compatible OpenOffice.org Writer, aswell as other programs that come with Ubuntu

Part IV: Multimedia Ubuntu

Part IV gets back to having some fun by describing how to useUbuntu's communication and multimedia applications You learnhow to make phone calls to other computers and telephonesusing Ubuntu I also show how to remotely work on and

remotely manage Microsoft Windows servers The remainingchapters describe how to use Ubuntu as a multimedia

entertainment center to play music, make audio CDs, edit

Part V: The Part of Tens

For Dummies books love to give top ten lists This book includes

chapters showing how and where to find information about andhelp for using Ubuntu You also learn how to fix common

Ubuntu problems and keep your Ubuntu computer secure

Part VI: Appendixes

The appendixes introduce other Ubuntu flavors: Kubuntu,

Edubuntu, and Xubuntu Kubuntu is nearly the same as Ubuntubut is based on the KDE desktop manager (Ubuntu uses theGNOME desktop manager.) Edubuntu is nearly the same as

Ubuntu but provides additional educational applications anduses a fun, colorful, customized GNOME desktop Xubuntu uses

My job in writing this book is to make using Ubuntu Linux aseasy as possible To that end, it's a good idea to convey some

of my assumptions about my readers I assume that you

Are curious about Linux in general and want to see what it's about.

Great! That's what this book is all about Sure, it's orientedaround learning the Ubuntu Linux distribution, but most ofwhat you read here is applicable to any version of Linux

Want an alternative to commercial software.

That's what Linux, open source software, and Ubuntu are allabout Linux (and Ubuntu Linux, which combines the

Have a computer.

Unfortunately, Ubuntu Linux doesn't run on an abacus, TV,

or coffee maker However, it runs on most home computers,including PCs and Macintoshes

The Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD-ROM runs on 32-bit PCs

(most PCs made in the last 20 years) If you have a hotnew 64-bit PC or a PowerPC-based Mac, you can downloadUbuntu and use this book to run it

You might not want to read Ubuntu Linux For Dummies if you're

A book about wine tasting.

In that case, read Wine Tasting For Dummies or rent the movie Sideways.

Ubuntu Linux reference material.

This book concentrates on the more basic aspects of thesystem and doesn't delve into the more complex

Information on building an Ubuntu Linux server.

Ubuntu Linux comes in two flavors: Desktop and Server.Rather than trying to become the jack-of-all-trades — but

an ace of none — Ubuntu decided to dedicate separate

editions to the Linux desktop and Linux server This bookuses the Desktop version of Ubuntu Linux — surprise,

surprise — and concentrates on helping you use it

Details on becoming a professional system

administrator.

Being a system administrator myself, I would love to writemore about the job I could fill books about it — actually, Ihave System administrators are suave, sophisticated,

talented, extremely well-paid professionals who are alwaysgood looking and have good people skills Or is that theother way around? I always forget Anyway, as wonderful asthe profession is, there isn't enough room to do it justicehere So this book provides just enough system

administration material to efficiently run your Ubuntu Linuxcomputer

I confess, I love conventions I love going to them and learningmore about computers I even love the social aspects of

computer conventions: Borg-like kids encrusted with wearablecomputers; pale, computer-room-generated skin, and so on.Total nerd-dom I like to fit in

picking kind However, conventions are necessary whether theyhave something to do with Star Trek or how instructions arewritten in a book

On the other hand, I don't like book conventions of the nit-The following sections describe the methods I use in the text toget you through the book quickly and easily so that you canspend more time with your new operating system

Italics

Terms that might be unfamiliar to you often appear in italicsand are followed by a helpful definition or explanation of theterm Also, you'll find placeholder text in italics

Special font

You'll see some words in this book in a special font that lookslike this:

monofont

Here are the types of things that you will find in this specialfont:

Web addresses look like this: www.dummies.com

When I ask you to type something, it appears in monofont.Filenames, directory names, and file paths appear in

monofont

Command paths

Throughout the text you see command paths, which are

instructions for navigating menus within menus within menus Acommand path can look something like this:

Choose Applications Accessories Terminal from the

GNOME menu bar

What that means is that when you click the Applications menuthat appears in the GNOME menu bar along the top of your

computer monitor, a menu appears, from which you should

choose the Accessories option, and another menu appears, fromwhich you should choose the Terminal option

Ubuntu provides shortcuts for several menu selections For

instance, clicking the blue globe icon in the GNOME menu barnear the top, center of the screen opens the Firefox Web

Understanding URLs

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are Web addresses They'rewhat you use in Web browsers and file managers to locate Webpages on the Internet or files and directories on your computer

monofont format, like this: www.wiley.com or www.google.com

Ubuntu Linux Is Ubuntu

Ubuntu Linux is a Linux distribution It's common practice intechnology to shorten phrases, and this is no exception Ratherthan writing Ubuntu Linux when describing the Ubuntu Linuxdistribution, I just say Ubuntu Either way — Ubuntu or UbuntuLinux — it means the same thing

I make extensive use of icons in this book Using icons helps toidentify useful information

Some sage words can save you time, trouble, or money Thisicon is a handy highlighter

Using Ubuntu Linux is almost always a fun and carefree

process However, there are times when performing a functioncan cause unwanted results that you can't easily fix This iconwarns you when there's a possibility of a negative outcome ifyou don't follow the instructions precisely

If you have Ubuntu Linux For Dummies, you don't need to

memorize the book But some concepts are used so frequentlythat they're worth the trouble This icon marks them for you

I use the Technical Stuff icon to identify extra information thatmight be interesting but might not be absolutely necessary

In this part

Chapter 1 describes the philosophy behind Ubuntu and whatUbuntu is In this part, I describe how to start using Ubuntu out

of the box

Chapter 2 shows how to boot your computer — or any

computer! — directly from the companion Ubuntu CD-ROM

The final chapter of Part I shows how to do some basic Linuxcomputer tasks

In this part

Chapter 1 describes the philosophy behind Ubuntu and whatUbuntu is In this part, I describe how to start using Ubuntu out

of the box

Chapter 2 shows how to boot your computer — or any

computer! — directly from the companion Ubuntu CD-ROM

The final chapter of Part I shows how to do some basic Linuxcomputer tasks

Ubuntu is well supported by its user community, as well ascommercially This is important because different people andorganizations need different levels and types of support

All these factors add up to its exploding popularity, which isbased on its ease of use, usefulness, and support

I often use the word Linux as shorthand for Linux

distribution Depending on the context, Linux can mean justthe software system that allocates resources on a computer;the Linux kernel is a computer operating system that humansuse to interface with the bits and bytes that computers

understand But more frequently, Linux means the sum total ofparts that we interact with I also use the term Ubuntu to refer

to Ubuntu Linux, which is the Linux distribution created by the

Beyond the bits and pieces that make up your average Linuxdistribution, Ubuntu Linux is dedicated to the following

Extensive language and assistive technology support:

It's almost impossible to find a language or keyboard thatUbuntu doesn't support (work with) Ubuntu also specializes

in providing software aids to assist all people to use Linux,regardless of physical ability

Based on Debian Linux: Debian is a very stable Linux

distribution that is completely community based (Debiandevelopers design and test the changes and upgrades theymake to the distribution so that it works well and doesn'tcause unintended problems; this philosophy makes Debianstable and reliable.) Because no commercial entity ownsany part of the distribution, the community can control andimprove it as it desires

Clean, usable interface: Ubuntu uses the GNOME

(pronounced guh-NOME or nome, whichever you prefer)

desktop They tweak the desktop so that it balances ever sowell between providing all the applications and tools youlike to use, but not so many that it becomes cluttered

Ubuntu is a lean, mean, fighting machine!

Live media: By live, I mean that you can use Ubuntu

directly from the disc You can experiment with it withoutaffecting or changing your computer — or someone else's —

at all No installation required

included with this book

Predictable, regular releases: Ubuntu releases an

updated version every six months This makes it easy toplan when, if at all, to upgrade your computer

Linux is a free operating system It's licensed under

the open source GNU (pronounced guh-NEW)

General Public License, or GPL for short (There areother open source licenses similar to GPL.) Any

software published under an open source license,basically, can be used for any purpose the software'sauthor desires

GNU (which stands for GNU's not UNIX — seriously)

is an acronym designed for and by computer geeks.Geeks like myself spend all our time working andplaying on computers When we aren't fooling

around with computers, we think up stuff, such asrecursive acronyms (Actually, I wish I was smartenough and clever enough to combine concepts likerecursion and the need to come up with acronyms,but I'm glad someone else can.)

Ubuntu is well supported by its user community, as well ascommercially This is important because different people andorganizations need different levels and types of support

All these factors add up to its exploding popularity, which isbased on its ease of use, usefulness, and support

I often use the word Linux as shorthand for Linux

distribution Depending on the context, Linux can mean justthe software system that allocates resources on a computer;the Linux kernel is a computer operating system that humansuse to interface with the bits and bytes that computers

understand But more frequently, Linux means the sum total ofparts that we interact with I also use the term Ubuntu to refer

to Ubuntu Linux, which is the Linux distribution created by the

Beyond the bits and pieces that make up your average Linuxdistribution, Ubuntu Linux is dedicated to the following

Extensive language and assistive technology support:

It's almost impossible to find a language or keyboard thatUbuntu doesn't support (work with) Ubuntu also specializes

in providing software aids to assist all people to use Linux,regardless of physical ability

Based on Debian Linux: Debian is a very stable Linux

distribution that is completely community based (Debiandevelopers design and test the changes and upgrades theymake to the distribution so that it works well and doesn'tcause unintended problems; this philosophy makes Debianstable and reliable.) Because no commercial entity ownsany part of the distribution, the community can control andimprove it as it desires

Clean, usable interface: Ubuntu uses the GNOME

(pronounced guh-NOME or nome, whichever you prefer)

desktop They tweak the desktop so that it balances ever sowell between providing all the applications and tools youlike to use, but not so many that it becomes cluttered

Ubuntu is a lean, mean, fighting machine!

Live media: By live, I mean that you can use Ubuntu

directly from the disc You can experiment with it withoutaffecting or changing your computer — or someone else's —

at all No installation required

included with this book

Predictable, regular releases: Ubuntu releases an

updated version every six months This makes it easy toplan when, if at all, to upgrade your computer

Linux is a free operating system It's licensed under

the open source GNU (pronounced guh-NEW)

General Public License, or GPL for short (There areother open source licenses similar to GPL.) Any

software published under an open source license,basically, can be used for any purpose the software'sauthor desires

GNU (which stands for GNU's not UNIX — seriously)

is an acronym designed for and by computer geeks.Geeks like myself spend all our time working andplaying on computers When we aren't fooling

around with computers, we think up stuff, such asrecursive acronyms (Actually, I wish I was smartenough and clever enough to combine concepts likerecursion and the need to come up with acronyms,but I'm glad someone else can.)

System

Ubuntu is lean Many Linux distributions (other versions of

Linux) try to fit everything — including the kitchen sink — intotheir editions That requires at least three CD-ROMs for the

installation files! Very few people ever need anything close tothat much software

To avoid distribution bloat, Ubuntu created two distribution

versions Here's the story

Ubuntu Desktop

The Ubuntu Desktop distribution creates a very clean, usable,graphical desktop for you to use as your desktop computer By

graphical, I mean that you see pretty icons that you can click(like in Windows and Macintosh), not ugly code that you have toread through and talk back to (like in DOS and UNIX)

The Desktop distribution is on the CD that comes with this

book You get applications such as the OpenOffice.org word

processor, spreadsheet, and multimedia OpenOffice.org is like,and compatible with, Microsoft Office and includes the stuff welike to use on our home and work computers or workstations Itell you a little bit about using those programs in Chapter 16.The Desktop version can be called a workstation version

Ubuntu Server

The Ubuntu Server distribution is oriented to, well, servers It

isn't people friendly It throws all the fun stuff out the windowand concentrates on adding software that's oriented toward

getting the job done Web servers, e-mail services, and all thatgood nerd software go into this distribution

You can download the server version from www.ubuntu.com

The Ubuntu Web site describes the Ubuntu

philosophy as follows:

Ubuntu is a community driven project to create anoperating system and a full set of applications usingfree and open source software At the core of theUbuntu Philosophy of Software Freedom are thesecore philosophical ideals:

1 Every computer user should have the freedom to run, copy, distribute,