Linux in Easy Steps: Amazon.co.uk: Mike McGrath: Books

Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Linux is a computer operating system that can run on a variety of hardware including the popular Intel system found on most desktop computers. Read the first page

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

linux(1)

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Reviews

6 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

3.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Seriously misleading title, 28 Aug 2008

By

N. D. Livesey - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Linux in Easy Steps (Paperback)

I bought this book for a colleague on the assumption that it would be a general introduction to Linux for beginners. Earlier reviews had erroneously suggested it was specific to the Suse distribution releases which would have been fine for us as that's what we usually use (with KDE desktop). Unfortunately, for our purposes, it turns out it is based on Ubuntu, this would not be a problem if it was made clear that this was the case and if it pointed out where it was being distribution or desktop environment specific.

If you are just starting with a Linux based system and have already chosen/installed Ubuntu then this is a fine introduction. If you haven't decided on a distribution and/or desktop or have already chosen something else, then half of this book will be at best irrelevant or just plain confusing. The problem for beginners is that they will not know which half is relevant and which isn't.

Regrettably it makes what is becoming a common assumption - that Linux=Ubuntu/Gnome, which is not the case and it is important to point out that one of the advantages of using Linux based systems is having a choice.

Rename it "Ubuntu in easy steps", explain that Ubuntu uses the Gnome desktop and that there are other choices and it earns a 5* rating, as it is otherwise well written, clear and concise.

Produce an equivalent version for Suse/Fedora/Mandriva etc focusing on KDE, Give it a truthful title and I'll have one of those thanks.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comments (2)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best visual guide found, 27 Aug 2008

By

Satisfied at Last (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Linux in Easy Steps (Paperback)

Highly visual, masses of screenshots, and how to do's.

Each page is a "complete" how to topic, such as Partitioning the Disk, Making space to install Linux, and the different ways to install (reduce the windows partition or add a second Hard drive to the system).
Standard issue like changing Screen resolution - but every page is covered in visual step by step diagrams.

Too many Linux books are "wordy", and don't focus on the immediate hit and runs that you need to get started fast.

At the end are shell scripting and an index of commands.

Very concise, tight, colourful, easy.
Logical and highly structured, in a visual manner.

Easy to follow, easy to learn from.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Linux Ubuntu 8.10, 29 Mar 2009

By

Mr. Colin Hawes - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Linux in Easy Steps (Paperback)

Not fully compatible with all aspects of Linux Ubuntu 8.10 desktop edition
but has been a great help in both basic and advanced understanding of the
operating system, I think Microsoft should be concerned as i find Ubuntu
every bit as good as windows Vista and XP thanks to the easy steps and plain english instructions. Mike Mcgrath has produced a good book.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 6 customer reviews on Amazon.co.uk

Would you like to see more reviews about this item?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars

Were these reviews helpful? Let us know

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
This is a terrific book for anyone wanting to get to grips with Linux basics

Published 19 months ago by Andy Key