Official Ubuntu Book, The (3rd Edition) Reviews

• Just what a beginner like me needed.

  
  By A3EJ5IF1E85J9D on 2006-09-11
  I decided to try Linux this summer when I was building a new computer and I got a defective Windows XP sp2 installation disk. While I was waiting for a replacement to be sent, I tried installing Fedora 5 Core, and SUSE 10.1 since they were given to me and just sitting on my shelf. I was soon lost and frustrated. I had no clue what I was doing or was supposed to do. So I ordered the Linux for Dummies book which helped get me better oriented, but it was woefully incomplete and seemed to sometimes assume that I knew something already about Linux. Then a friend recommended Ubuntu. I ordered this book first, and read the first 2 chapters before I tried installing it. I had much better success this time around. The few problems I had (such as configuring my modem), were resolved with some more reading on the subject. This book is just what I needed to explain to me about how Linux works generally, and how Ubunto is different than other distributions of Linux. It explains things and doesn't launch into a bunch of geek-speak about using "sudo bash logged in as root on terminal bla, bla, bla." The explainations of unfamilliar technical terms were easy to understand and in a logical order. The only suggestion I have is that there is a lot of bragging and horn-blowing about how wonderful Ubuntu and the Ubuntu community is throughout most of the book. That is great for the introduction, but becomes trite when you are trying to learn about the "nuts and bolts" of using Ubuntu in later chapters. That is only a minor complaint, however. This is an excellent book for someone who knows nothing about Linux and would like to give it a try. They say that Ubuntu is "Linux for human beings." I would agree with that, and say that this book is for human beings as well.
  
  

• Great Book- so stop apologizing!

  
  By A1CYW340ZG0II2 on 2006-09-12
  This is a great place to start for anyone considering making the move to Ubuntu and open source software. Thr first chapter gives a quick recap of the what exactly "open source" software means including F/OSS, Free Open Source Software, and a bit of background on the Ubuntu project itself. Some might skip that chapter but since that was exactly some of the info I was looking for, it was very helpful. . .except, "stop apolozgizing for writing such a great book!" At least three if not four times in the first chapter, the phrase, "If you've made it this far. . . " or "If you are still reading this. . . " was used. Hey guys, you did a great job, no need to apologize. I mean why else would someone buy this book rather than download it for free? ;-)
  
  Why? becuase it puts into one useful package everything one needs to know and I can take it with me on the airplane or beach or poolside, because it saves me time, because it's convenient, because time equals money and paying for good information is the open source business model. Yes, Ubuntu and other Linux distros are free but the time it takes to learn a new OS is not. This book makes that move easier and quicker.
  
  Two other small nits:
  - The included DVD is PC only. Since the DVD only includes the regular CD image, couldn't both the Mac & PC images fit?
  - Chapter 6 is huge! That's a little bit scary given that it covers troubleshooting and seems to indicate that there are more than a few problems. Granted someone will only look there if they are having problems and I know you probably wanted to cover some common problems but maybe pare it down and toss some of that stuff into an appendix.
  
  Nice forward by Mark, and just an overall nicely pacakged product - kind of like Ubuntu itself. :-)
  
  

• Very basic

  
  By A3JOPDJWLBV9TW on 2007-02-17
  To be fair - I was looking for a book that would help to help make the transition to Linux (Ubuntu in particular) from Windows, aimed at someone who is a "advanced user" in the realm of the Windows based OS. So with that expectation, I found this book to be to "basic". For example - I wanted more information on SAMBA (there is almost none) and scripting. There is very little done in this book that utilizes a terminal window - that alone sets the tone for the book.
  
  However, as a book "for the masses" - to allow someone to set up and run Ubuntu as a stand alone computer connected to the internet (no LAN) - it hits the mark. Based on that criteria, I would give it 4 stars.
  
  

• Great collaborative book effort...

  
  By A3R19YKNL641X3 on 2006-10-29
  There are a plethora of books hitting the market on the Ubuntu Linux distribution, and so far they've all been pretty good. But this one is at the head of the pack for getting started with your penguin experience... The Official Ubuntu Book by Benjamin Mako Hill, Jono Bacon, Corey Burger, Jonathan Jesse, and Ivan Krstic. It's a collaborative book writing effort that pays off on a number of levels.
  
  Contents: Introducing Ubuntu; Installing Ubuntu; Using Ubuntu on the Desktop; Advanced Usage and Managing Ubuntu; The Ubuntu Server; Support and Typical Problems; Using Kubuntu; The Ubuntu Community; Ubuntu-Related Projects; Welcome to the Command Line; Ubuntu Foundation Documents; Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Open Publication License; Ubuntu Equivalents to Windows Programs; Index
  
  This book, as you can see from the number of authors listed, was a collaborative effort. In addition to the listed authors, contributions were also taken from members of the Ubuntu community, so you truly have experts writing about the system they are deeply involved with. The quality that comes with that type of knowledge shows through here. Rather than focus on a number of applications that run on Ubuntu, the focus tends to stay with the operating system and the desktop environment. As such, I felt I was learning Ubuntu rather than learning OpenOffice. While the screen shots and directions are clear, there's not so much hand-holding that you feel like half the book is fluff. We've all installed software, and can figure that stuff out. Good job! I was also surprised and pleased with the chapters on the Ubuntu server and the Support chapter. It seems that Ubuntu Server only gets a passing mention in many books, and I wasn't really sure if there *was* an Ubuntu Server (there is). The support chapter is also very helpful in covering some of the basic problems you'll encounter. Obviously they can't touch on everything, but the chapter on the Ubuntu community fills in the gaps to show you where all your additional knowledge will come from.
  
  This is not a 1000 page "Ubuntu Exhaustive Reference" manual. Instead, it's focused, practical, and written by the experts. Equipped with this book and the included media, there's no reason you shouldn't be up and running Ubuntu in no time flat...
  
  

• Disappointing content

  
  By AGRYZEFLYYQL1 on 2007-01-10
  The hype surrounding this book leads one to think that this is the ultimate reference on Ubuntu.
  
  Unfortunatly nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of providing actual information on the myriad of things that a newbie (like myself) to GNU/Linux would be looking for, the book is little more than a reference work on where to find the "How to's" and "Help" information on virtually every topic that is covered.
  
  Let me be clear on this: Instead of containing actual/helpful information the book mostly contains references to where information can be found!
  
  Very disappointing and not worth the cover price.
  
  
• This book will help you get started
  By A2ZXLS5MFWRAZG on 2006-09-08
  I have had an Amazon account for many years, purchased many books, and have not written one review until this one. That should speak to how strongly I feel about this book. I've been a fan of Linux and Open Source software since the mid 90's and I had have had high hopes for the Ubuntu project since I heard about it a couple years ago. I must admit I didn't know much about the project except for their general "mission" but that was enough to peak my interest. This book is perfect for someone like me who wants to find out more and eventually spread open source to friends, family, and community. The book starts with a very good explanation about the history of the project and people involved. It clearly explains the goals and ideas that are held dear to the team and it's community. Then it gives you a basic understanding of the various aspects of the Ubuntu Project. Chapter 2 takes you right into installing Ubuntu and getting it up and running. The information about the installation program is very comprehensive and gives you real-world advice about what choices you should make and why. Chapters 3 & 4 take your fresh new system and show you what you can do with it. More than just showing you how to install new applications it shows you which applications come installed by default for many common tasks like browsing the web, sending and receiving email, IM, even VOIP. Chapter 5 gives you a basic understanding of the Ubuntu Server install which is still in its infancy, but looks very promising for a SysAdmin like me. Chapter 6 gives a very good start to taking care of your system and while there is much more documentation on-line, one of the things I loved was how often they point you to a URL where you can learn more about a topic. I really wish they had also done this in Chapter 3 when they discuss the basic applications, I kept thinking that it would be great if they dropped URL's for the alternative projects as well as sites that give tips for using the ones they mentioned. Next the book goes into detail about Kubuntu and the differences between it and Ubuntu. Chapter 8 was exactly what I was hoping to get from the book when I purchased it. For me it is the Ubuntu community that makes it so attractive and this chapter clearly explains how it operates and how to become part of it. If you're interested in contributing to Ubuntu, not necessarily in a programming capacity, then this chapter will help you make the first steps. Finally the book goes over the other associated projects with the Ubuntu distribution. Things like the Bazaar, Launchpad, and Malone are discussed so people can see how this project goes beyond being just another Linux distribution. Don't pass up the appendices as they contain good information such as windows equivalent programs. I plan to loan my copy of the book to a few of my friends who are still windows users and see if reading it convinces them to at least give Linux a try and then help them make those first steps. The Ubuntu distribution is determined to make Linux easier for all people and this book may help further that goal buy providing their current users a way to introduce the ideas of Ubuntu to the people they know. It even comes with an install DVD.
  
  
• More of a Reference
  By A2WKWSED6UZFJ3 on 2007-01-19
  I have read The Official Ubuntu Book from beginning to end and found it to be more of a reference book. If I had not read Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks first I would have been lost. The book is a good read but it's not for the newbie, its more for someone that already has ubuntu experience and is looking for a little guide. The book is written as if it assumes you already have some knowledge of Ubuntu, which I luckily did after reading the first book.
  
  
• Sketchy Ubuntu Book
  By A3M23OYXVJI5MR on 2007-04-23
  This publication is not an in-depth description of the Ubuntu Linix OS. Rather it gives a very cursory review of Ubuntu's capabilities. If you're looking for an operating maunal for this system, you'll not find it here. Most of the time the book refers the reader to a web site rather than showing the reader how to get a program to work properly. It skims over much of what is needed to get the best from the Ubuntu OS. Instead, I recommend the book, "Ubuntu Linux," by William von Hagen as a much more thorough and practical approach to the Ubuntu OS. This book will tell you how to install plug-ins, operate programs, and get things running directly from the textbook in most cases, i.e. not from a web site.
  
  
• Great book and Great learning experience
  By A1GTIX5AVVASZS on 2006-09-05
  You can take this review as you would like, as I am one of the authors of the book. However, it was a great time working w/ all of the other authors, along with Prentince Hall.
  The best part of this book is the chapter on Kubuntu as some of the other books mention but do not cover it a lot. Kubuntu, which is covered in Chapter 7, is Ubuntu with KDE as the default desktop enviroment. Information covered in Chapter 7 includes how to install diferent packages using Adept, Kubuntu's package manager, using the file manager Konqueror, ripping CD's using KAudiocreator and many other programs installed by default.
  
  This is a great book
  
  
• Good intro to Ubuntu the Linux Distro, GREAT intro to community
  By A1ENB8D3VCD06Z on 2006-10-17
  I received 3 Ubuntu titles and thought it might be useful to compare them. Ubuntu is a fairly recent Linux distribution that strives to be usable out of the box, with strong support. It has deep pockets and a thriving community behind it. I admire a lot of the design choices that went into Ubuntu, such as limiting the use of the all-powerful root account, which can get people into trouble. The bare-bones server install is the cleanest Linux server I've seen - *no* open ports, minimal services. Just enough to log in at a console and then install what you want. On the other hand, if you want a LAMP server (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP - the most popular combination on the internet), that's a one button install! Brilliant!
  
  I think all three books are pretty good, and your choice will depend on your technical level and religious ferver. If you are uncomfortable with computers, I think _Moving to Ubuntu_ is your best choice. If you are somewhat comfortable and into the philosophy behind Ubuntu, _the Official Ubuntu book_ is your best choice. If you are unintimidated by the topic, _Ubuntu Unleashed_ has the most detailed technical coverage. You can get a free, fully-functional installation and livecd just for asking, or downloading. The only thing I don't like is the iptables firewall. A "linux for everyone" needs an easier firewall to deal with. (I love pf, written for OpenBSD and now showing up on other systems.)
  
  The Official Ubuntu Book - Benjamine Mako Hill, et. al.
  This is at a midpoint in complexity. It is the strongest of the three in describing Ubuntu the phenomenon, rather than Ubuntu the tool. They honor their antecedents (especially the Debian distribution on which Ubuntu is built) and support projects built off of an Ubuntu base. The committment to the Open Source/Free Software community is very strong: even the book is Open Source, meaning you can copy, improve, and distribute it! Good technical details, few editing mistakes.
  
  One area where this exceeds even Ubuntu Unleased in technical detail is in the future of the server side. While not yet ready, there are features that will make Ubuntu more suitable for server farms and clusters than it currently is. They also describe high end features like support for Red Hat's Cluster suite. Ubuntu Unleashed doesn't mention that, even though it is a retailored version of Fedora Unleased.
  
  There are good points and advice throughout, and I picked up some neat tricks and tools. For example, I hadn't heard about zcat, zgrep, and zless, which work on gzipped files without requiring you to unzip them. Cool!
  
  In the installation section, they include some useful tips like how to switch to another console in case you need to do something in the middle of the install. (I had to do that last week.) There's great information on setting up partitions, including one tip to separate /var/spool and /var/log because both can fill up if there's a glitch of some kind. I've long put /var on a separate partition, but that's an additional level I may adopt.
  
  KDE is another desktop environment (Gnome is the default). TOUB gives the KDE flavor of Ubuntu, Kubuntu, full and fair treatment. Ubuntu Unleashed crams in a little Kubuntu stuff here and there.
  
  I liked the treatment of bug reports in Chapter 6. That's the most realistic way the average user can make a contribution - catching and describing bugs in a useful way.
  
  The discussion of scheduling jobs through cron was very good. I learned some stuff I hadn't heard before, such as using lists and ranges of times.
  
  A couple of issues:
  
  There is some very bad password advice on page 40, where the authors essentially suggest running a dictionary word through a 'leet-speak' filter, turning something like 'password' into p455w0rd' (substituting 4 for A, 5 for S, 0 for O). The bad guys crack this easily.
  
  The discussion of the X-windows client and server on page 53 probably only makes sense to those who already understand what's going on.
  
  The troubleshooting section for hardware was a little weak. "Want to watch DVDs? Check the forums." "Want to install a Tivo-like package? Check the forums." The book does a good job of describing the approach to software licenses and the exclusion of packages that aren't 100% free. But it doesn't do such a good job of how an individual can add those parts after the install. For example, playing dvd movies requires some additional libraries and the book doesn't provide much guidance. (Google "decss ubuntu" for starters)
  
  I mentioned the editing is pretty good, no huge glitches. The chapter subtopic is wrong on 319-329: an earlier topic got stuck, I guess. There are a few other typos as well.
  
  In sum, a good book and a great introduction to the Ubuntu community. Get this book if you want a family as much as an operating system.
  
  
• Not a Book Designed for Problem Solving
  By A1MVEE7XDHXMO2 on 2006-11-09
  If you are looking for a light-weight introduction to this fine operating system release, go for it. If, however, your needs go beyond "Space does not allow us to go into any detail..." or "Visit www.xxxx.com for more information" this book will disappoint you. You will also find discrepancies between the text and what you will experience using Ubuntu. This can be confusing and frustrating for a new user. For an experienced user just wanting a reference, this book is more than adequate.
  
  It is well-written and easy to understand, but it leaves unanswered many questions you might be asking if you are moving from Windows to Linux and this is your first attempt.
  
  If that is the case, I would recommend "Ubuntu Unleashed" from Sams Publishing, also available from Amazon.com. It is far more comprehensive, not so much in scope, but in depth. It is a little more expensive than "The Official Ubuntu Book" but well worth the difference in price.
  
  
• Didn't work with the os
  By ATY1U39ESIVAL on 2007-01-09
  I just didn't have luck using this book. Things it claimed worked didn't. Maybe they need to write an updated version. It became annoying and made me give up on Linux all together.
  
  
• Excellent, clear, outstanding!
  By A2OMLR4FP8IK9W on 2006-11-05
  This book is perfect: they clearly explain every interesting aspect of installing, configuring and using Ubuntu or Kubuntu version 6.06 (though most parts apply also for version 6.10).
  Definitively recommended!
  
  
• Ubuntu for President!
  By A2519BMUDTK57R on 2007-02-24
  All of the basic elements are in this book. I haven't been working with it much for the last few weeks while they dentist remodeled my teeth. Where I have used it, it has been excellent. Go to the Ubuntu web site, download the 6.10, make an imiage copy, and then put it on a blank disk. Then.. buy the book, and you will be a very happy person. It doesn't have all the frills in the other system.. it is excellent. And it ALWAYS works. And if you don't like the security level of this system, you can make if more secure. But as it is, security is probably greater than a Windows program with an add-on program to boot.
  
  Are you a school systems administrator? It networks well.. it works well.. you will wind up teaching a lot, lot more than fixing. Load it to a blank disk or load it to a disk with another operating system.
  
  
• Nice introduction
  By A883LYWVTD2QE on 2007-01-09
  I read through parts of the book I found relevant to my situation, and found it as a nice introduction. It is well written and not just a technical read, but provides some interesting insights. But as far as useful, I honestly don't use it as a reference for my Ubuntu needs. To help me set up my system, I almost always resort to the expansive Ubuntu forums, and free online documentation.
  
  
• A great help for beginners
  By A1BOFWWJ8DQ7E0 on 2006-11-12
  When you install and run Ubuntu, there is lots of "stuff" there that you can use just the way it is, but, using "The Official Ubuntu Book" allows you to customize and enhance the Linux experience without having to "get under the covers" and type cryptic command line code. I found it very helpful, except in one small area: I wanted to run some Windows applications under WINE, but I still haven't been able to make WINE work. I suspect I will have work a little harder at it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone just getting started with Ubuntu Linux.
  
  
• Great book....but
  By AAGT5Z0NBB47P on 2007-08-03
  You can find most of these details online @ the Ubuntu forums, which are free. However, by buying this book is a great of supporting a great OS that needs more recognition. The OS comes loaded with everything you will need in order to get you up and going on with everything you can imagine; Office suite with SUPPORT for .doc file format. When buying the book there is NO need to buy the OS seperately as it comes with the book.
  
  Ease of installation of this OS is significantly easier than Windows and borders on the simplicity of OSX (I am currently using all 3).
  
  The beautiful thing about Ubuntu, it's philosophy and it is not a gateway into getting you to buy anything. When looking for a Linux distribution I liked I tried them all, and while some claim to be free, you will find that many things are disabled or not available until you purchase their software license. Mandriva goes as far as placing their Purchase Icon on your desktop, so much for a "free" OS.
  
  This may not be for everyone but if all you use your PC for is web surfing and writing email as well as word processing this is a great solution. Oh there is also no damaging viruses, spyware, malware that affects Linux like MSFT Windows. GO FOR IT, GIVE IT A SHOT you will be glad you did. No I do not work for them I just love their philosophy and the OS.
  
  
• Everyone should buy it, but none-the-less it has flaws
  By A2IWBHRADKM1NB on 2007-11-05
  This is a must have book for anyone who (like myself) has invested the time and effort to install and use Ubuntu. It gives the big picture about Ubuntu and contains information that is tremendously helpful. For example, it explains all about the "Alternate Install CD" and how it can be used to install a LAMP configuation. (LAMP stands for Linux, Apache, MySql, and Php). It also explains the philosophy of Ubuntu as well as all sorts of Ubuntu options and abilities that would not be evident without this valuable book.
  
  Still, the treatment in this book of how to print remotely to a Windows computer is shockingly incomplete and really inexcusable (even though you still should buy this book). The book is 433 pages long, yet there are only two sentences in the entire book explaining this really important and confusing subject. Here is the entire book's advice, unedited and complete from the book: "If your Windows system is sharing a printer, you will have to specify Samba, which is the standard way to get Linux and Windows systems to communicate with each other. You will still have to specify a print driver as described earlier." That's it. Big help, right? They don't even show a screen shot of the relevant remote printer configuration screen, which in fact is a very confusing screen that asks for options that are not intuitive at all.
  
  For the money the book is a good deal and I'm very happy with it, but that doesn't change the fact that its treatment of printing to a remote Windows computer is shamefully incomplete.
  
  
• Lacks Detail
  By A58LSAQXT74FU on 2007-12-26
  This book was a good introduction to Ubuntu, but didn't offer much beyond a 30,000 ft view. It seemed that as soon as a concept was introduced in a chapter the chapter was over. I would recommend this book if you have absolutely zero experience with the Linux OS, but for anyone with even a minimal amount of experience should keep looking.
  
  
• Save your money; read Ubuntu's web site instead
  By A39GHSYRJLA5KF on 2008-03-10
  The book is very basic. If you like hardcopies yet don't wish to print pages from Ubuntu's site then perhaps you'll be satisfied. The chapters on Ubuntu's founding are well-written and honoring to their contribution to the computing world. But, as with setup details and troubleshooting help, all can be found on the site.
  
  
• nice book to get start using ubuntu
  By A2BWP89C1B99RV on 2007-01-10
  I'm disappointed from this book .because ubuntu authors could make a much better book . a much more long book .
  but ubuntu authors got there achievement from this book - to get you start using ubuntu . therefore i gave 4 stars to this book.
  next time make a much more long book !
  
  
• The Official Ubuntu Book
  By ARARHIIVEEEQF on 2007-01-12
  I am very happy with my purchase of "The Official Ubuntu Book".
  It came right on time. Thank you.
  
  
• Wonderful guide for newbies and vets
  By A1ZHY7GKQGA4L6 on 2007-06-22
  This guide assisted me in creating a cyber cafe' as well as home setups, it is a wonderful guide for anyone that may need a guiding hand with Ubuntu issues or configuration!!!
  
  
• Good for what it sets out to do.
  By ALKMYHFCRGI9I on 2008-07-27
  I'm a long-time Linux user, somewhat new to Ubuntu, and I was interested to see what this book brought to the table so I looked at it. This is a GREAT book if you have never used Linux before, or have little Linux experience and zero Ubuntu experience. However, for everyone else, this book is a waste of money, unless it is just to support the project (which is a very noble cause). The first part of the book tells you about the history of Ubuntu, which is interesting but not why I would buy this book. Then it goes over the install process, which to the credit of the distribution is so simple that if you've ever successfully installed Linux before, you don't need. Once you get to chapters 7 - 11 it talks about related projects in quick summary form, as well as the online forums and projects. Appendix B - E talks about licensing and other documents, as well as more forum information. So in the end, you're left with chapters 3 - 6 of information that you'd ever want to refer to more than once, plus Appendix A which gives you 10 pages on the command line, for a total of 134 (out of 497) pages. The rest is either available in a more ideal format on the internet or something you'd only want to read once. I think a better idea would have been to release two books: #1 "The Ubuntu Way" detailing the history, etc., and #2 a usage guide tailored to this distro.
  
  I think a better way to learn Linux with Ubuntu for those who want a physical book would be to read the Ubuntu wiki and pick up the latest edition of Linux in a Nutshell. Or Ubuntu for Non-Geeks.
  
  
• Absolute Beginners Only
  By A2OU12WXAGCZEN on 2008-09-22
  Well if you are wanting to know the entire history line of ubuntu rather than working the OS then this book is for you. I know that if I had known that over half the book was the history of Ubuntu I wouldn't have thought of buying it. Think this book will help you figure out a difficult hardware problem like wireless think again, rather it will tell you to buy a card that is compatible which is downright saddening. Ubuntu Forums has 20 times the info one would need to fix problems. If though you are a first time Ubuntu user or want to try it out buy it up. It comes with a Live/Install disk so you can test drive the OS.
  
  
• Ubuntu Linux Book Review
  By A3STY7CCU8UEC0 on 2007-01-08
  Good beginner book on Ubuntu Linux which is the easiest Linux OS I know off. I use Kubuntu which is also mentioned in the book. I use it for controlling a Computer Numercial Control milling machine and a CNC lathe. I also use it for web browsing, CAD drawing, Office aplications, etc. Ubuntu linux has come along way in being the most plug and play and easiest to install. The list of freely available approved software is large and is getting better everyday. Book explains how to find software and install it.
  
  
• Recommended
  By A13KY3W84O0WSF on 2007-11-22
  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132354136/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title
  The Official Ubuntu Book is useful for both starter or seasoned Linux user. Well written and easy to understand.
  I would suggest that any one interested in using the linux operating system. should start with this book. It contains the system DVD, so, it is a complete item...
  Bob
  
  
• UBUNTU: ONE OF THE BEST PRODUCTS IN THIS DECADE
  By A3IP0OD742ZY37 on 2007-12-06
  I've been a Ubuntu user for a few months now and decided to write a review to help others.
  This book is a must-have for Ubuntu Users (existing / new) and anyone who want to have a better Operating System (I think not only better, but also best). This book covers all the essentials topics that any Ubuntu User would like to cover.
  I really got inspired by the Ubuntu Promise (No commercial intention), Ubuntu Philosophy of Software Freedom and community support. I'm impressed with the Ubuntu's simplicity / user-friendliness / power / security etc.
  Best of all, Ubuntu comes with all the best open source / free software (Open Office, Firefox,etc.) and has a strong community and is growing super fast.
  The authors have done an excellent job of explaining all the core topics of Ubuntu. Thanks to the great minds behind the Ubuntu, GNU/Linux, Open Office and the Open Source / Free Software Community.
  
  
• Computer Learning
  By A1XSR8UIEURCUE on 2008-01-21
  Simply a great book for the new to Linux based operating system user. Ubuntu is a fine operating system on par if not better in most respects to Windows XP or Vista. Best of all it's free. There are several versions of Ubuntu out now and the book is a usefull guide for all. It is really great for the one that comes on the disk that is free in the back of the book. If you want a new twist in computing get this book.
  
  
• not worth ordering
  By A3FDY71JQZBQXW on 2008-12-16
  The book is a collection (apparently) of materials written by several authors. It needs: an editor; an update to the most recent distro; a glossary or someother vehicle to access non-defined terms. I returned the book. You can do as well by heading to Ubuntu "help pages" on the internet.
  
  

• Ubuntu Hacks: Tips & Tools for Exploring, Using, and Tuning Linux
• Ubuntu 8.04 DVD
• Ubuntu Linux Toolbox: 1000+ Commands for Ubuntu and Debian Power Users
• Ubuntu Linux Bible
• Ubuntu for Non-Geeks, 2nd Edition: A Pain-Free, Project-Based, Get-Things-Done Guidebook