Product: 0131488724

It’s about time. Linux has been the tekkies choice for operating systems for some time. But making it to the desktop is necessary before it can really grow up. Finally, people are beginning to put together simple to install systems that don’t take a lot of reading about strange acronyms.

This book uses MEPIS. It’s software on a CD that just like the title says you point and click. You put the MEPIS CD in a PC and in a few minutes you have a graphical screen asking you just a few questions (and in English) and then you have a graphical (I hate to, but I’ve got to use the word) window in front of you.

No the screen isn’t exactly like the other Windows, but it’s fairly recognizable. You have a bunch of icons on the screen that correspond to the programs that were automatically installed on the system. Unlike Big Windows, MEPIS comes with most of the applications you’ll need for traditional desktop use. This includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentation programs, graphics programs, etc. It does not include a full distribution with things like web server, database and so on, but you can install them yourself.

For you tekkies, MEPIS uses the Debian distribution, with KDE, and OpenOffice. Because Linux changes so often, instructions are included on how to go to various web sites and get the latest version.

This book has literally everything you need to get Linux running on your desktop in about five minutes. Great idea that’s been a long time coming.
Rating: 5
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