This is not a general introduction to Linux, it is a general introduction to Fedora - as the other reviewers note.

As someone who is very, very well-acquainted and comfortable with Windows, I had a hard time getting past the authors preachy tone. First, when she makes comparisons with Windows (which she does regularly) she is just plain wrong in several circumstances. Second, the whole thing is rah-rah cheerleading for Lunix and Open Sores in general. An introduction to the open source movement is a requirement. It doesn't need to preach, and that preaching (and smug superiority) doesn't need to pervade every subsequent page.

I checked this book out from the library, whatever I purchase from Amazon for a desktop reference won't be this.

This book is almost solely devoted to Fedora. Not all Linux OS are the same. I was very disappointed with the contents of the book.

I have 20 yrs experience with computers. I have installed other Linux variants successfully. After installing Fedora Linux per the instructions in this book - TWICE - with an fdisk inbetween installs, and following the instructions in this book, I was unable even to logon to the system - AND this book has NO LOGON TROUBLESHOOTING SECTION! Astounding. Fedora Linux (the flavor this book recommends) will prob always be Geek Linux. There are other Linux variants which are MUCH, MUCH more user friendly. This is the first DUMMIES book that I've found to be substandard. Great on opinions and generalizations, short on the details that really count.

Well... I don't want to go in depth too much. The DVD is ok, but it only contains Fedora Core as the item description states. Fedora is ok, but it doesn't contain the mainstream programs such as Gparted (although there is a partitioner, when I became fed up with Linux the partitioner doesn't support NTFS). The reason I didn't keep Fedora is I couldn't get the resolution changed on my X1400 GPU. I was constantly running into snags but most were minor except the 1024x768 default res that I couldn't figure out how to get to 1280x800. Don't get me wrong, the book is very, very informative but the bundled software wasn't a great choice. There are other distros such as Ubuntu and PCLinuxOS that could've easily been given on multiple CD's.

Bottom line, if you are like me, and just wanted to learn more about linux than you know, this is it. But I also wanted to know more and actually have Linux for backup. Fedora isn't great, but if Windows goes blue on you and don't have time to reinstall, get you a 5gb partition and just use this for those quick days.