Introduction

Welcome to Ubuntu Linux Secrets. Like all books in the Secrets series, you can expect to find both hands-on tutorials and real-world practical application information, as well as reference and background information that provides a context for what you are learning. This book is a fairly comprehensive resource on the Ubuntu Linux distribution. By the time you have completed Ubuntu Linux Secrets you will be well-prepared to utilize your Ubuntu workstation or server to its fullest.

Who Should Read This Book

If you're new to the Linux world, you'll benefit greatly from this book's hands-on approach. The book walks through all of the steps required for setting up an Ubuntu Linux system, guiding you through the pitfalls and offering practical advice for getting your Ubuntu workstation up and running. It then walks through all of the applications you'll find on your new system, showing you how to use the office productivity software; work with images, audio and video clips on your desktop; run CDs and DVDs; and interact with the Internet.

If you're an advanced Linux enthusiast, you'll also benefit from Ubuntu Linux Secrets. Nowadays it's easy to get lost in the graphical world of prebuilt desktop packages. Most desktop Linux distributions try their best to hide the Linux system from the typical user. However, there are times when you have to know what's going on under the hood. This book shows you how to use the Ubuntu administration features to manage your system, including monitoring programs, users, and disk space. It shows how to access the Linux command-line prompt and what to do once you get there. It also explains how to use your Ubuntu system as a complete program development platform, discussing how to program using shell, Perl, and Python scripts; the C, Java, and Ruby programming languages; and the PHP web-scripting language.

Ubuntu Linux Secrets also walks the seasoned system administrator through how to use the various server software packages included in the Ubuntu server distribution. It discusses how to set up a complete web server using both the LAMP and Tomcat web servers and a database server using the popular MySQL or the feature-rich PostgreSQL database package, how to interact on a Microsoft Windows network using the Samba software, and how to create an email server for your home or organization.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is organized to lead you through the basics of the Ubuntu Linux distribution features, from installing your system to using the installed applications. The book is divided into five parts, each one building on the previous parts.

Part 1 starts you out on your Ubuntu Linux journey by helping you get your Ubuntu system running. Chapter 1, "What Is Ubuntu?" walks through the complicated world of Linux distributions, describing why there are so many distributions and what the Ubuntu Linux distribution has to offer. After explaining the basics of the Ubuntu system, Part 1 continues with

• Downloading and working with the Ubuntu LiveCD (Chapter 2)

• Installing Ubuntu on your PC (Chapter 3)

• Exploring the features of the GNOME desktop (Chapter 4)

In Part 2, the book takes you through the features you'll find in the Ubuntu workstation:

• Working with files and folders in Ubuntu (Chapter 5)

• Working with text files using the Ubuntu text editors (Chapter 6)

• Using the OpenOffice.org office productivity suite (Chapter 7)

• Becoming familiar with the Ubuntu Network applications (Chapter 8)

• Accessing your email with the Evolution email software (Chapter 9)

• Working with image files (Chapter 10)

• Playing and ripping CDs (Chapter 11)

• Playing DVDs and watching video clips from the Internet (Chapter 12)

Part 3 shows you how to manage your Ubuntu system:

• Installing and updating software packages (Chapter 13)

• Configuring network access (Chapter 14)

• Installing and using external devices such as printers and scanners (Chapter 15)

• Configuring your display and setting up multiple monitors (Chapter 16)

• Adding new users (Chapter 17)

• Controlling running programs and monitoring the system (Chapter 18)

• Using the Ubuntu command line (Chapter 19)

In Part 4, you'll see how to install and configure the Ubuntu server packages:

• Creating a domain name server (DNS) (Chapter 20)

• Maintaining a web server for dynamic web applications (Chapter 21)

• Using Samba to interact with other devices on a Microsoft Windows network (Chapter 22)

• Managing a complete email server (Chapter 23)

• Running a full-featured database server using either MySQL or PostgreSQL (Chapter 24)

The last section of the book, Part 5, demonstrates how to use your Ubuntu workstation as a complete programming development environment:

• Writing and running shell scripts from the Ubuntu command line (Chapter 25)

• Working with Perl and Python scripts to manipulate data (Chapter 26)

• Using the C programming language to create professional applications (Chapter 27)

• Installing the Java programming environment to write applications (Chapter 28)

• Installing Ruby to write local and web applications (Chapter 29)

• Using PHP on the Ubuntu LAMP server to write dynamic web applications (Chapter 30)

Conventions and Features

There are many different organizational and typographical features throughout this book designed to help you get the most of the information.

Secrets

When the author wants to provide additional information to help you get the most out of your Ubuntu system, the information will appear in a Secrets sidebar, separate from the main chapter material.

Minimum Requirements

To get the most from the Ubuntu workstation software you must have a PC with at least a 700-MHz processor, 384 MB of system memory (RAM), 8 GB of disk space, and a graphics card capable of at least 1024 × 768 resolution. It also helps to have a sound card if you plan on working with audio and video, and a network card if you plan on interacting with a local network or the Internet.

Where to Go from Here

Once you've completed Ubuntu Linux Secrets you'll be well on your way to being an Ubuntu Linux guru. In the ever-changing world of Linux, it's always a good idea to stay in touch with new developments. The Ubuntu Linux distribution comes out with a new version every 6 months, adding new features and removing some older ones. To keep your knowledge of Ubuntu fresh, it's important to stay well informed. Find a good Linux forum on the web and monitor what's going on in the Linux world. There are many popular sites, such as Slashdot and Distrowatch, that provide up-to-the-minute information about advances in Linux. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on the Ubuntu distribution site itself. Each new release goes through a series of beta releases, which are a great way to be introduced to new features before they're released in the next version.