Fedora X for Dummies [Paperback]

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.

I am just learning Linux in a desktop environment, not as a developer or network administrator. By its nature, Linux is a highly variable environment: no two installations are exactly alike. As a free alternative to Windows, however, it is very attractive to me. After much research, I chose the Fedora distribution because it looked like it would have the most consistent support and updates (including an online update feature). I downloaded and installed, and while the basic features worked fine, I had lots of problems trying to do anything fancy (modems, DVD player, etc) and could not install new software.

I bought this book with a simple intent: to get a clean installation of the software with a MATCHING text. In other words, if I did EXACTLY what the book told me to do, the software would work fine. It didn't work out that way.

First, be aware that the disk that comes with the book is a DVD, not a CD. You must have a computer with a DVD drive AND be able to boot from that drive (your manufacturer can tell you how to boot from the drive). If you need CDs instead, you can order them for free from the publisher.

The install did go well, and the book guided me through it well. I chose to do a clean install, wiping out everything on the machine. After installation, basic features like email, Open Office software, and internet (not dial-up) worked well. If that is all you want to use it for, you should be OK. The book also gives a good "real person" explanation of what Linux is and how it works.

But as I continued through the book, I have hit instances where the text assumes packages are installed that are not (XMMS and Mozilla Mail client). Also, the MAIN reason I bought it, to help me install a DVD player called MPlayer, has been no help at all. I followed the instructions to the letter, and have the same errors and problems I had when I did it myself. It annoys me that I now have to grope around the Internet for explanations that I thought I was buying.

I have other problems which are a function of Linux, not the book, such as an unsupported modem. But, the book is NOT a troubleshooting guide, just a basic introductory and getting-started guide.

All in all, the book will help you get started and is a convenient way to get the software and instructions all at once. I will say, however, that if you need to boot from CDs, you may be just as well off downloading the CDs from Fedora (must have Broadband) and the PDF instruction guide.

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.

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