Linux In Easy Steps is an inexpensive, full-color introduction on how to the use of the Linux operating system and some of the popular applications that are bundled with most Linux distributions. This book aims to be the perfect hand holding guide for those who have some experience of the Windows operating system but now want to explore Linux for the first time.

The book begins by relating the evolution of Linux and examines various popular distributions such as RedHat, Mandrake and SuSE. It advises how to prepare a computer so that Linux can be installed alongside a Windows operating system-this means that Linux need not replace the familiar Windows environment. Step-by-step instructions are provided to allow the reader to install Linux on their own computer. These include screenshots of each step together with clear explanations and useful tips.

The reader learns how to configure the Linux system for peripheral devices such as printer, scanner, sound card, video card, TV card and network interface card. This allows the computer to have the same functionality in Linux as it does in the Windows operating system. The instructions on how to navigate a Linux desktop and how to set personal preferences ensure that any new user will soon feel confident using a Linux desktop. The advice on connecting to the Internet means they will soon be surfing the web and sending emails just as easily as they do in Windows. The book also describes features of the Linux desktop that are not present in Windows, such as the ability to run multiple desktops simultaneously.

The Linux file system is different to that in Windows so a chapter is devoted to explaining its layout and describing what each standard sub-directory contains. The reader learns how to manipulate files within Linux and how to create and expand compressed archives. Comparisons are drawn between each application in MS-Office and their counterparts in the OpenOffice suite on Linux. The book also includes a chapter on the GIMP (Graphical Image Manipulation Program) application that is the most popular graphical Linux software. Some of its features are explored to contrast the GIMP with other graphics applications, such as Photoshop. Playback of sound and video is illustrated in a range of Linux multi-media applications. Those readers that have a CD writer on their computer will learn how to rip'n'burn CDs in Linux.

This book shows how to use the power of Linux commands from a command prompt in a shell or console window. It demonstrates the popular commands that can be used to navigate around the file system, manipulate files and print documents. It explains how to use a non-graphical text editor in a shell or console window. Readers also learn how to create their own scripts that can be executed using a custom command.

Once the reader is comfortable with the default desktop environment and commonly installed applications the book moves on to explain how to install other software, both from the distribution CDs and via download from the Internet. It also instructs how to install other desktop environments and shows how to switch from one to another. The book finally details a number of online resources containing Linux information, forums, clubs and magazines that are often useful to new