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 15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
 Disappointing, January 9, 2004
 Reviewer: [83]JULIA E HAMMETT (NEW YORK, NY
 
 I got the book since it's relatively recent and
 dealt with the SuSE9 linux distro. However, it
 was too general for me. It didn't help me deal
 with the failure of my monitor to display the
 GRUB loader for a dual boot, how to create a
 floppy-based version of GRUB loader, how to
 modify the menu to reflect a new software
 installation, how to test whether my SCSI
 devices were working, to mention only a few of
 the issues I faced installing SuSE.
 
 Any experienced Wndows user doesn't need this
 book but for the less experienced it will
 hopefully encourage experimentation with Linux.
 
 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
 The easiest way yet to switch from Windows!, November 19, 2003
 Reviewer: [88]Didier (Erie, PA United States) -
 
 The author has a very down-to-earth way of
 explaining the simplest way of switching to
 LINUX. I would recommend this book for the
 person who would like to try LINUX, but maybe
 feels slightly intimidated. It is very helpful
 and straightforward without to much command-line
 usage.  Concentrates on how to accomplish things
 using a GUI interface.  Excellent!
 
 17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
 Great book to help you move from Windows to Linux, November 16, 2003
 Reviewer: [93]Thomas Duff (Portland, OR
 
 I've been interested in running a Linux desktop
 lately, and I've looked at a number of books to
 help me get there. The problem is that you
 either geta good oo on installing Linux, or you
 get a book that delves into the guts of Linux.
 But what if you just want to learn how to do
 day-to-day activities (like create documents,
 spreadsheets, listen to msi,etc.)? f thts your
 situation, this is your book.
 
 The author does a good job in explaining what
 Linux is and the installation process for the
 different distributions, like Red Hat, Mandrake,
 and SuSE. Following his instructions, you should
 be able to get a Linux desktop running with
 little effort. While not an in-depth install
 manual, the typical user should have enough
 detail to accomplish the job. From there, you
 will get acquainted with the different commonly
 used tools in a Linux distribution like
 Konqueror, Kmail, GIMP, and OpenOffice. It's
 this information that will help you make the
 transition from being competent in a Windows
 environment to being competent on your new Linux
 desktop.
 
 For those who want to get beyond the user
 desktop experience, you will find plenty of
 references to how the Linux shell operates and
 how you can use the command line utilities to
 experience the full power of Linux. It's enough
 to allow you to do useful tasks without bogging
 you down in too much detail.
 
 The book also includes a Knoppix Linux CD in the
 back. This CD allows you to run a Linux system
 on your computer without installing anything.
 While somewhat slow (since it runs from the CD)
 and limited (can't easil save your work), it
 does give you the chance to experience Linux
 with no commitment.
 
 Do keep in mind that this book is not meant to
 be a complete reference book for Linux. If you
 want to become an expert on shell scripting,
 you'll want something more than this. But if
 you're looking for the tool to help you cross
 over from Windows to Linux, you'll like the
 level of coverage.
 
 Conclusion - This is the best book I've read so
 far that talks about how to install and run
 Linux as a typical user. It also covers all the
 applications you will want to run on a regular
 basis. Truly a very good book.
 
 [115] See all 20 customer reviews...
 
 

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