beginning ubuntu linux, second edition

this print for content only—size & color not accurate spine = 1.369" 728 page count BOOKS FOR PROFESSIONALS BY PROFESSIONALS ® Beginning Ubuntu Linux, SECOND EDITION Dear Reader, Since its release just a few years ago, Ubuntu has become the world’s most pop- ular Linux and has won countless awards—and not without reason! It’s one of the most user-friendly versions of Linux yet is also extremely powerful. This second edition of Beginning Ubuntu Linux has been thoroughly revised and updated for the 6.10 and later releases of Ubuntu. The accompanying DVD- ROM contains the complete 6.10 and 6.06.1 LTS releases of Ubuntu, as well as the Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Xubuntu, and PowerPC (Apple Macintosh) releases. The book begins with an introduction to Linux fundamentals, before pro- viding an illustrated, step-by-step installation guide for Ubuntu 6.10. This is followed by a troubleshooting chapter for any problems that may arise. Next, you’ll learn how to configure common hardware components under Ubuntu, such as printers, network cards, and digital cameras. Following this, I spend time explaining how to secure your new Ubuntu setup. To help you quickly begin using Ubuntu as an all-purpose desktop, I show you how to configure your system for listening to audio CDs and MP3s, watching movies, and editing images. You’ll learn how to create text documents, spread- sheets, presentations, and databases using OpenOffice.org, Ubuntu’s powerful office solution. I also introduce Evolution, the enterprise-grade e-mail client. Finally, I delve into the heart of Linux: the powerful command-line interface. You’ll learn how to take complete control of your system: managing processes, installing software, adding and removing users, backing up data, optimizing your system, and much, much more. The book is also packed with tips and hints to help you get the most out of the Ubuntu experience, along with several reference appendixes. Keir Thomas Author of Beginning Ubuntu Linux Beginning SUSE Linux, Second Edition US $39.99 Shelve in Linux User level: Beginner–Intermediate Thomas SECOND EDITION Ubuntu Linux THE EXPERT’S VOICE ® IN OPEN SOURCE Keir Thomas Beginning Ubuntu Linux SECOND EDITION CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK PANTONE 123 CV ISBN-13: 978-1-59059-820-7 ISBN-10: 1-59059-820-2 9 781590 598207 53999 Companion eBook Available DVD INCLUDED Fully revised and updated for Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft) and above! Fully revised and updated for Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft) and above! The complete guide to Ubuntu—includes everything you need to take advantage of the world’s favorite Linux operating system www.apress.com Companion eBook See last page for details on $10 eBook version THE APRESS ROADMAP Beginning GIMP Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server The Definitive Guide to Samba 4, Second Edition From Bash to Z Shell: Conquering the Command Line The Definitive Guide to Linux Network Programming Practical MythTV: Building a PVR and Media Center PC Beginning Accompanying DVD includes full versions of Ubuntu 6.10 and 6.06.1 LTS, as well as Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu! Beginning Ubuntu Linux Second Edition ■■■ Keir Thomas Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page i Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition Copyright © 2007 by Keir Thomas Ubuntu is a registered trademark of Canonical Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher. ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-59059-820-7 ISBN-10 (pbk): 1-59059-820-2 Printed and bound in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Trademarked names may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Lead Editor: Jason Gilmore Technical Reviewer: Eric Hewitt Editorial Board: Steve Anglin, Ewan Buckingham, Gary Cornell, Jason Gilmore, Jonathan Gennick, Jonathan Hassell, James Huddleston, Chris Mills, Matthew Moodie, Jeff Pepper, Paul Sarknas, Dominic Shakeshaft, Jim Sumser, Matt Wade Project Manager: Richard Dal Porto Copy Edit Manager: Nicole Flores Copy Editor: Heather Lang Assistant Production Director: Kari Brooks-Copony Production Editor: Ellie Fountain Compositor: Susan Glinert Proofreader: Nancy Riddiough Indexer: Broccoli Information Management Artist: Kinetic Publishing Services, LLC Cover Designer: Kurt Krames Manufacturing Director: Tom Debolski Distributed to the book trade worldwide by Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 233 Spring Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10013. Phone 1-800-SPRINGER, fax 201-348-4505, e-mail orders-ny@springer-sbm.com, or visit http://www.springeronline.com. For information on translations, please contact Apress directly at 2560 Ninth Street, Suite 219, Berkeley, CA 94710. Phone 510-549-5930, fax 510-549-5939, e-mail info@apress.com, or visit http://www.apress.com. The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author(s) nor Apress shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this work. Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page ii Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM Dedicated to the muse Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page iii Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page iv Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM v Contents at a Glance About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxv About the Technical Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvii Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxix Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxi PART 1 ■ ■ ■ Introducing the World of Linux ■CHAPTER 1 Welcome! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ■CHAPTER 2 A History and Politics Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ■CHAPTER 3 The Realities of Running Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 PART 2 ■ ■ ■ Installing Ubuntu ■CHAPTER 4 Preinstallation Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 ■CHAPTER 5 Installing Ubuntu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 ■CHAPTER 6 Solving Installation Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 PART 3 ■ ■ ■ The No-Nonsense Getting Started Guide ■CHAPTER 7 Booting Ubuntu for the First Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 ■CHAPTER 8 Getting Everything Up and Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 ■CHAPTER 9 How to Secure Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 ■CHAPTER 10 Personalizing Ubuntu: Getting Everything Just Right . . . . . . . . . . 193 ■CHAPTER 11 Ubuntu Replacements for Windows Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 ■CHAPTER 12 Managing Your Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241 Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page v Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM vi PART 4 ■ ■ ■ The Shell and Beyond ■CHAPTER 13 Introducing the BASH Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 ■CHAPTER 14 Understanding Linux Files and Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 ■CHAPTER 15 Working with Text Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 ■CHAPTER 16 Taking Control of the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 ■CHAPTER 17 Cool Shell Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 PART 5 ■ ■ ■ Multimedia ■CHAPTER 18 Digital Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353 ■CHAPTER 19 Movies and Multimedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 ■CHAPTER 20 Digital Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387 PART 6 ■ ■ ■ Office Tasks ■CHAPTER 21 Making the Move to OpenOffice.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413 ■CHAPTER 22 OpenOffice.org Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423 ■CHAPTER 23 In Depth: Writer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 439 ■CHAPTER 24 In Depth: Calc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 451 ■CHAPTER 25 In Depth: Impress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 ■CHAPTER 26 In Depth: Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471 ■CHAPTER 27 In Depth: Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481 PART 7 ■ ■ ■ Keeping Your System Running ■CHAPTER 28 Installing and Removing Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505 ■CHAPTER 29 Managing Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533 ■CHAPTER 30 Optimizing Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543 ■CHAPTER 31 Backing Up Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559 ■CHAPTER 32 Scheduling Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 571 ■CHAPTER 33 Accessing Computers Remotely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577 Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page vi Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM vii PART 8 ■ ■ ■ Appendixes ■APPENDIX A Glossary of Linux Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595 ■APPENDIX B BASH Command Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617 ■APPENDIX C Getting Further Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631 ■APPENDIX D Exploring the DVD-ROM: Other Versions of Ubuntu . . . . . . . . . . . . 641 ■INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651 Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page vii Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page viii Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM ix Contents About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxv About the Technical Reviewer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvii Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxix Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxi PART 1 ■ ■ ■ Introducing the World of Linux ■CHAPTER 1 Welcome! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 What Is Linux? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Age of Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The Problems with Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The Benefits of Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fewer Crashes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Free and Shareable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 No Annoying Copy Protection or Usage Restrictions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Linux Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ■CHAPTER 2 A History and Politics Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 In the Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The GNU Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Proprietary Software and the GPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 GNU and Linux Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Different Flavors of Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Linux Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Modern Linux Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Contents Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page ix Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM [...]... get further help when using Ubuntu, and the fourth explains how to use the DVD-ROM and the differences between the various versions of Ubuntu What’s New in the Second Edition This second edition of Beginning Ubuntu Linux has been thoroughly updated and revised to take into account improvements introduced with the 6.10 release of Ubuntu (code-named Edgy Eft) The previous edition covered the 5.10 release,... most of its power There’s also an entire chapter discussing (and illustrating) how to initially install Ubuntu on your computer Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition really is a complete guide xxxi Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm Page xxxii Thursday, March 1, 2007 3:01 PM xxxii ■I N T R O D U C T I O N About Ubuntu Linux applies an alternative philosophy to computing that revolves around the sharing of not only... find yourself having to pay a fee further down the line, even if you want to install additional software Ubuntu will always be free of charge What You’ll Find in This Book Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition is split into seven parts, each of which contains chapters about a certain aspect of Ubuntu use These parts can be read in sequence, or you can dip in and out of them at will Whenever a technical... DVD-ROM: Other Versions of Ubuntu 641 Ubuntu 6.10 or 6.06 LTS? 641 Other Versions of Ubuntu 642 Kubuntu 643 Edubuntu 644 Xubuntu 646 PowerPC and Alternate Install Ubuntu ... the need for a fundamental, authoritative, and down-to-earth guide to Linux, done in the context of one of the most popular flavors of Linux in existence today It’s a book that is desperately needed in our modern world, especially as Linux becomes more and more popular and enters homes and workplaces Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition purely and simply focuses on what you need to know to use Linux... are included to give you the best choice of Ubuntu experience Some users might prefer the long-term support package offered by the 6.06.1 release rather than the cutting-edge features in the 6.10 release In Appendix D, I explain more about the differences between versions of Ubuntu The DVD-ROM also contains the Ubuntu spin-off projects: Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu, in both the 6.06.1 and 6.10 releases... need to know to use Linux It’s concise and to the point, aiming to re-create under Linux all the stuff you used to do under Windows, or even Apple Macintosh But don’t think that this means Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition cuts corners Wherever justified, this book spends time examining the topics you need to know in order to gain a complete and comprehensive understanding For example, you’ll find... 6.06.1 and 6.10 releases You’ll also find the PowerPC version of Ubuntu on the disc for users of older Apple Macintosh computers, as well as the alternate install version of Ubuntu, which can help if you run into problems installing Ubuntu Again, you’ll find more details in Appendix D Conventions Used in This Book The goal when writing Beginning Ubuntu Linux was to make it as readable as possible while providing... 5.10 release, and the changes introduced with the 6.10 release, though often subtle, make a dramatic difference in the Ubuntu experience In many cases in this second edition, I’ve attempted to make the book more robust by adding extra content Chapter 9, which examines how to make your Ubuntu setup secure, now includes a section that looks at installing an antivirus program, for example Chapter 28, covering... the CD-ROM offered on the first edition This edition offers a double-sided DVD-ROM that contains both the latest Ubuntu 6.10 release and the older 6.06.1 release You can opt to install either version or run in “live” mode, which means that the entire operating system boots from the disc and doesn’t touch your hard disk This can be useful for those who wish to “try out” Ubuntu, but there are a handful . and Media Center PC Beginning Accompanying DVD includes full versions of Ubuntu 6.10 and 6.06.1 LTS, as well as Kubuntu, Edubuntu, and Xubuntu! Beginning Ubuntu Linux Second Edition ■■■ Keir Thomas Thomas_820-2FRONT.fm. version THE APRESS ROADMAP Beginning GIMP Beginning Ubuntu Linux, Second Edition The Definitive Guide to SUSE Linux Enterprise Server The Definitive Guide to Samba 4, Second Edition From Bash to Z. you get the most out of the Ubuntu experience, along with several reference appendixes. Keir Thomas Author of Beginning Ubuntu Linux Beginning SUSE Linux, Second Edition US $39.99 Shelve in Linux User