The book is oriented to desktop users but have also tips for administrators. You can use ubuntu in a desktop pretty well with this book as it explains a lot of concepts clearly and has a lot of references to more information resources.

This book served as a one-stop resource to become part of the Linux culture. It is able to achieve this by combining breadth and depth coverage. Whether you are starting to learn Linux/Ubuntu for the first time, or has been using it but want a more streamlined approach, this is the book.

The author's style is riveting and I was able to read most of the book in two weeks. This is not the first Linux bible book I've tried, but this is the ONLY one that fulfills its promise.

I recommend it to anyone with no reservations.

I'm a computer professional who is new to Linux. As Ubuntu seems to be what everybody raves about these days, I decided to take the plunge and bought this book as my guide.

It's not a bad book by any means, but it certainly has room for improvement as well. I see a mistake that a lot of technical type books make. The author takes very simple topics and explains them to the level of a 4-year old who doesn't speak the language can understand (things like how to click the mouse). However, when it comes to more technical topics he seems to brush over them very quickly with much less explanation.

The author spent more time explaining how to use a graphical file explorer (like windows explorer) than explaining hard drive partitions and mounting them.

So the book is a good place to start, but I doubt it will be suitable for a true reference to refer back to when I'm facing more difficult tasks.

This book combined with the Office Ubuntu handbook are a must have for anyone just beginning to learn LINUX. They will walk you through the whole transition from VISTA (viruses, intruders, spyware, Trojans, and adware) or any other MS products.

I think of the Ubuntu books I have reviewed in hopes of getting better at Linux, this books covers the dual boot the best. Really clear steps that actually work. Once you have Ubuntu installed, there is not enough in depth coverage of how to set permissions and dealing with basic setup issues. I had some screen resolution issues and I could not find any great troubleshooting in this book. If you would like to get a book that covers the basic, I would say this books would meet your request.

The Ubuntu Linux Bible is a large book. Really, really large. Depending on where you live, it could be at least the size of your phonebook. So, be prepared to do a lot of reading.

This Bible is filled with just about everything a new Ubuntu user would ever need (or want) to know. It describes the installation process, the Gnome Desktop Environment, the various applications that come out of the box, how to get more applications (such as the ubiquious Open Office suite), and even the dreaded command terminal.

That said, the book is not aimed at those of us who are more technically inclined. While there are sections devoted to mounting file systems and whatnot (mostly in the command terminal section), most of this tome is part "My first Ubuntu computer" and part "Everything but the kitchen sink." There's a lot of information here, but most of it isn't very complicated to anyone comfortable using a Windows PC or Mac. Those of you already familiar with a Debian distro or the Gnome Desktop Environment most likely won't get much out of this. For new users hesitant about going with an unfamiliar OS, however, this book can be greatly beneficial.

One final note: like others have said, the book is a bit hard to read. Small dark gray font creates something of a strain for my eyes, and I don't need glasses to read.

As with most reference books written for a specific target audience this one is a bit dated (currently we're at version 7.1 while this book relates to versions through 6.1). Some areas of the book therefore relate to issues that are easier to contend with currently (for example areas dealing with samba have progressed since this book was written).

However. Even with this being the case the book contains data that still strongly relates to all ubuntu distros and many issues. This is basically a reference book not a "true-story" that you'd normally be reading cover-to-cover. If you have an issue look here to find a solution or at least point you in the right direction.

I find this book to be a very good reference book, covers most everything in just the right depth. It is hard on the eyes late at night with the gray text.

Well laid out. Concepts simply explained. Able to read directly through the book for a better understanding or skip to specific area to focus on just one aspect.

This is a must read for all new Ubuntu users. This huge book does not cover everything, BUT this most knowledgeable man does an excellent job of getting a beginner going in the right direction. What he can't cover for lack of reasonable space he makes up for in copious reference addresses. I also noted that even though the book is kind of written for the 6.06 version of Ubuntu (and the book DOES CONTAIN the 6.06 version CD in a plastic sheath in the BACK OF THE BOOK), it is applicable for any release. At this moment I may not be able to compare this book to any other linux book, but I highly recommend it for anyone interested in getting started with Ubuntu linux. I also recommend you get the latest ubuntu version separately to avoid hassles if you go for a dual boot system, AND you have a slow internet connection. After all of the expensive security hassles I've suffered with Microsoft Windows through the years, I've found Ubuntu linux to be a breath of fresh air (CAUTION! Learning a new Operating System DOES require patience and thinking skills!).

I'm an Ubuntu newbie, just a 50ish y.o. mom whose son advised I break away from the dominant economic megaculture that is trying to take over our computers. So, he loaded Ubuntu over my XP and I got the Ubuntu Bible. The Bible is very easy to understand, well organized and seems good at answering my questions. I'm loving the whole 60s thing coming alive again-- protest just because its the right thing to do.

Perhaps I am missing something since others seem to like this book, but my experience is that if you are new to Linux and the Ubuntu distro you will need another book to understand how to use the OS. I found that an old copy of Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Linux was needed along with this book. For instance, there is a lot of 'how to' for installing Ubuntu for desktop and servers but nothing in the Index about how to install new application software even though there is a section on the subject.

The small light print was also not good.

Perhaps I am missing something since others seem to like this book, but my experience is that if you are new to Linux and the Ubuntu distro you will need another book to understand how to use the OS. I found that an old copy of Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Linux was needed along with this book. For instance, there is a lot of 'how to' for installing Ubuntu for desktop and servers but nothing about how to install new application software.

The small light print was also not good.

Ubuntu Linux Bible by William von Hagen is decent guide for this popular, robust, and free operating system, and for the free application software that comes with the Ubuntu Linux distribution. The book is tuned for beginners as well as intermediate-level users. It includes Version 6.06 of Ubuntu on a CD. Version 7.04 is available as of writing this review. However, after installing 6.06, the user can easily perform an online upgrade to 7.04: just use the Ubuntu Update Manager mentioned on pg. 609 of the book and see if a new version is available. Chapter 17 Consumer Electronics and Ubuntu is a timely and useful addition for those users in need of moving data between their computers and other electronic devices: cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players etc. If the reader is looking for a well-organized book with plenty of information on Ubuntu Linux either for a PC or a server, I strongly recommend Ubuntu Linux Bible. You will love the book and the software.

After finding that with a powerful magnifying glass I could actually read the print, the first thing to try is to access the files in a FAT32 partition using the included Desktop CD, however:

The disk included with the book does not seem to match the text!. See page 37, where we are instructed to use System>Administration>Disks. Unfortunately the version of Desktop Ubuntu provided does not have a Disks menu item under Administration, so we can never get to a Disks Manager screen like Figure 2.13 on page 38!

Perhaps it would actually work if one were to install Ubuntu on the HD, but I'm not likely to do that until I see that the Desktop Version works properly.

It seems to be a trend with some computer books to use grey instead of black ink and to print in thin small type. I don't know if this is confined to one publisher.

This is very apparent in a bookstore. I don't know if one can find this kind of problem "looking inside" the book at Amazon.

If I can't see it I can't read it.

Thus 1 star and I am not going to purchase it.

Authors should pay more attention to what happens to their book after they turn in the manuscript.

For years, I've flirted with linux (SuSE, RH and Mandrake) but never fully committed to using it full-time until I was introduced to Ubuntu. I loved this distribution from the start: it's painless to install, requires very little tweaking and works on most any system. But using a book like the Ubuntu Linux Bible ensures that I'm never tempted to go back to Windows. As a desktop, Ubuntu is as good as it gets and von Hagen crams the book with nearly everything you need to know: browsing, mail clients, and multimedia tools, as well as as setting up common servers like DHCP, web, Samba, etc. This book doesn't answer every question you may have because it focuses primarily on the GUI vs. command line features of Ubuntu but it answers most all typical questions that a casual user would have or points users to resources where they can find out the answers. To further tweak your system, I recommend Hacking Ubuntu: Serious Hacks Mods and Customizations (ExtremeTech) but this "Bible" is a great tool.

Having said that content is there, that will suffice for that. However, I wonder if the publisher, Wiley, could have opened the valve a bit more to increase the flow of ink to the pages. The print is altogether too light and that coupled with the font size makes for a tough read.

I know increasing the font size would further add to a 900 page book, which is already too hard to handle.

This is a very comprehensive operating manual for the Ubuntu system. It covers every conceivable aspect of the Ubuntu-Linux OS. There is historical background in several places describing the evolution of the system. There are a large number of web sites listed for user's groups, support and general interest in the OS system. The author is thoroughly aquainted with the system. He admits that this 904 page volume does not cover all of Ubuntu's capabilities. What is covered is well written, describing how the various programs that are installed should operate and how to get them to operate correctly. Some files have to be downloaded, ex. plug-ins for the DVD player; they are copyrighted. This book shows how this is done including extraction of .tar.gz files. This book will be useful for many years for the Ubuntu user.

There's a lot of well organized excellent information in this book. Unfortunately the smallish gray typeface makes it quite difficult for my older eyes to read....

Few people realize Ubuntu is a very sturdy replacement for almost any operating system, and with the add-on of Open Office and Firefox, which are free, it becomes a very pleasant. sturdy, simple system to run your computers and communicate with the world. I hadn't considered the idea until this moment, but this OS can be networked and made to replace number one.

It does not have as many frills, but it ALWAYS works. If you have dealt with DOS in a semi-serious manner, this book provides the means to manipulate the system in a way that will protect you from hackers, and foolish operators. The only thing I would suggest is that you download Ubuntu 6.10 from the web site while applying the knowledge of the book. Hey folks.. if you learn the book, and 90% of it is very obvious, you won't go back. Ubuntu itself is free by the way... while the books help a lot with the 'perfect' tweak.

Like many other "Bible" publications, "Ubuntu Linux Bible" is an extensive study material and is a good addition to any Linux reference book collection. William von Hagen did a good job of dissecting the information into manageable chunks. The book is written in clear terms and reads easy. As any other Linux book, the intro covers a bit of Linux history. The installation of the OS is covered well. You will learn how to install Ubuntu on a special-purpose system or as a generic desktop. Ubuntu is a Gnome based distribution, so KDE is not presented here. You will learn how to use Linux command-line tools; some bash commands are included. Additionally, the author covered quite a few GUI applications such as: Evolution, office apps and a myriad of others, so your switch from Windows world will be rather painless. Subjects covered also include: multimedia, games, consumer electronics, file sharing, software development, and some systems administrator tasks. You will learn how to add/delete/maintain users and user groups and manage permissions. As far as full-blown systems administration goes, this is probably not your best book -- simply because each topic takes many books by itself. Don't expect to learn DNS or Samba in one chapter. Just be realistic... Setting up servers and administering them is covered in this "Bible" as well. I give the book five stars for it versatility. If you are looking for a specific Linux reference book covering a very specific subject, this is not a book for you. Newcomers are welcome!

This might be the best Linux "bible" book ever. The book is great from the perspective of those who want ubuntu for desktop use. Its coverage of ubuntu for server use is brief. It also does not cover kubuntu or xubuntu (but it does cover some KDE applications that beat everything offered under GNOME, like k3b for burning DVD's and CD's). The book is well written, includes some geek humor, and does NOT include any inadvertent references to "ubuntu core". This is an excellent book for someone who wants to get the most out of ubuntu on the desktop -- with ubuntu and this book, Vista is obsolete already!