Product: Ubuntu Made Easy

The authors have considerable experience (and it shows) with documenting Linux and in particular, the Ubuntu Distribution. Rickford Grant is the author of two other fine volumes documenting Ubuntu and Linux, and Phil Bull is an author and member of the official documentation team both for Ubuntu and the Gnome GUI project. This exciting handbook takes a unique project oriented approach leading a novice either with the Linux Operating System or with the Ubuntu Distribution through the most necessary activities of installation, updating, accommodating various hardware (e.g., printers and specific keyboards and mice, finding and installing games, and even (although this is a small section and definitely not the primary focus of this book) use of the Linux command line utilities. This project oriented approach with step-by-step instructions encourages beginners to duplicate the projects and thereby acquire necessary knowledge. Overall the project approach is exciting and unique; there is a slight drawback for experienced users of Linux in locating the the easiest approach to common tasks such as launching a terminal window in the Unity GUI. Incidentally, the Unity user interface which characterizes the release of Ubuntu described in this excellent book emphasizes a launcher-based approach with large icons oriented around netbooks and tablets and is extremely attractive but is less oriented to command-line activities and this is reflected in the emphasis of this project-oriented handbook.

An excellent introduction to the extremely popular Ubuntu distribution with perfect pedagogy for the Linux novice. I recommend it highly for its intended audience.

–Ira Laefsky, MS Engineering/MBA Information Systems Consultant and HCI Researcher
formerly on the Senior Consulting Staff of Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation
Rating: 5
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