About the Author -- Dedication -- Author's Acknowledgments -- Contents at a Glance -- Table of Contents -- Introduction -- About This Book -- Conventions Used in This Book -- What You Don't Have to Read -- Who Are You? -- How This Book Is Organized -- What's on the DVD? -- Icons Used in This Book -- Where to Go from Here -- Book I: Linux Basics -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Introducing Linux -- What Is Linux? -- What a Linux Distribution Includes -- What Linux Helps You Manage -- Getting Started -- Chapter 2: Installing Linux -- Following the Installation Steps -- Burning CDs from ISO Images -- Checking Your PC's Hardware -- Setting Aside Space for Linux -- Trying Out Knoppix Live CD -- Installing Debian GNU/Linux -- Installing Fedora Core -- Installing SUSE Linux -- Installing Xandros Desktop -- Chapter 3: Troubleshooting and Configuring Linux -- Using Text Mode Installation -- Disabling Hardware Probing in Fedora -- Troubleshooting X -- Resolving Other Installation Problems -- Setting Up Printers -- Managing DVDs and CD-ROMs -- Installing Other Software -- Chapter 4: Trying Out Linux -- Starting Linux -- Exploring GUI Desktops -- Playing with the Shell -- Shutting Down -- Book II: Linux Desktops -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Introducing the GUI Desktops -- Getting to Know the Common Features of the GUIs -- Introducing Debian's KDE Desktop -- Introducing Fedora Core's GNOME Desktop -- Introducing the Knoppix Desktop -- Introducing the SUSE Desktop -- Introducing the Xandros Desktop -- Chapter 2: Commanding the Shell -- Opening Terminal Windows and Virtual Consoles -- Using the Bash Shell -- Discovering and Using Linux Commands -- Writing Shell Scripts -- Chapter 3: Navigating the Linux File System -- Understanding the Linux File System -- Using GUI File Managers -- Navigating the File System with Linux Commands.

Chapter 4: Introducing Linux Applications -- Taking Stock of Linux Applications -- Office Applications and Tools -- Databases -- Multimedia Applications -- Graphics and Imaging -- Chapter 5: Using Text Editors -- Using GUI Text Editors -- Text Editing with ed and vi -- Book III: Networking -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Connecting to the Internet -- Understanding the Internet -- Deciding How to Connect to the Internet -- Connecting with DSL -- Connecting with a Cable Modem -- Setting Up Dialup Networking -- Chapter 2: Setting Up a Local Area Network -- Understanding TCP/IP -- Setting Up an Ethernet LAN -- Configuring TCP/IP Networking -- Connecting Your LAN to the Internet -- Chapter 3: Adding a Wireless Ethernet LAN -- Understanding Wireless Ethernet Networks -- Setting Up the Wireless Hardware -- Configuring Wireless Networking -- Chapter 4: Managing the Network -- Discovering the TCP/IP Configuration Files -- Checking Out TCP/IP Networks -- Configuring Networks at Boot Time -- Book IV: Internet -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: E-Mailing and IMing in Linux -- Understanding Electronic Mail -- Taking Stock of Mail Readers and IM Clients in Linux -- E-Mailing in Linux -- Instant Messaging in Linux -- Chapter 2: Browsing the Web -- Discovering the World Wide Web -- Web Browsing in Linux -- Chapter 3: Reading Newsgroups -- Understanding Newsgroups -- Reading Newsgroups from Your ISP -- Reading and Searching Newsgroups at Web Sites -- Chapter 4: Using FTP -- Using Graphical FTP Clients -- Using the Command-Line FTP Client -- Book V: Administration -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Learning Basic System Administration -- Taking Stock of System Administration Tasks -- Introducing Some GUI Sysadmin Tools -- How to Become root -- Understanding How Linux Boots -- Taking Stock of Linux System Configuration Files -- Monitoring System Performance.

Viewing System Information via the /proc File System -- Understanding Linux Devices -- Managing Loadable Driver Modules -- Scheduling Jobs in Linux -- Chapter 2: Managing Users and Groups -- Adding User Accounts -- Understanding the /etc/passwd File -- Managing Groups -- Exploring the User Environment -- Changing User and Group Ownership of Files -- Chapter 3: Managing File Systems -- Exploring the Linux File System -- Sharing Files with NFS -- Backing Up and Restoring Files -- Accessing a DOS/Windows File System -- Using mtools -- Chapter 4: Installing and Updating Applications -- Working with RPM Files -- Working with DEB Files -- Building Software Packages from Source Files -- Updating Linux Applications Online -- Chapter 5: Customizing the Linux Kernel -- Rebuilding the Kernel -- Building the Kernel and the Modules -- Installing the Modules -- Creating the Initial RAM Disk File -- Installing the New Kernel and Setting Up GRUB -- Rebooting the System -- Book VI: Security -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Introducing Linux Security -- Why Worry about Security? -- Establishing a Security Framework -- Securing Linux -- Delving Into Computer Security Terminology -- Keeping Up with Security News and Updates -- Chapter 2: Securing a Linux Host -- Securing Passwords -- Protecting Files and Directories -- Encrypting and Signing Files with GnuPG -- Monitoring System Security -- Chapter 3: Improving Network Security -- Securing Internet Services -- Using Secure Shell (SSH) for Remote Logins -- Setting Up Simple Firewalls -- Chapter 4: Performing Computer Security Audits -- Understanding Security Audits -- Implementing a Security Test Methodology -- Exploring Security Testing Tools -- Contents at a Glance -- Book VII: Internet Servers -- Chapter 1: Managing Internet Services -- Understanding Internet Services -- Using the Internet Super Server.

Running Standalone Servers -- Chapter 2: Running a Web Server -- Understanding HTTP -- Exploring the Apache Web Server -- Configuring the Apache Web Server -- Chapter 3: Setting Up the FTP Server -- Installing the FTP Server -- Configuring the FTP Server -- Chapter 4: Managing Mail and News Servers -- Installing the Mail Server -- Installing the INN Server -- Configuring and Starting the INN Server -- Setting Up Local Newsgroups -- Chapter 5: Managing DNS -- Understanding Domain Name System ( DNS) -- Configuring DNS -- Chapter 6: Using Samba and NFS -- Sharing Files with NFS -- Setting Up a Windows Server Using Samba -- Book VIII: Programming -- Contents at a Glance -- Chapter 1: Programming in Linux -- An Overview of Programming -- Exploring the Software Development Tools in Linux -- Understanding the Implications of GNU Licenses -- Chapter 2: Programming in C -- The Structure of a C Program -- Preprocessor Directives -- Declaration and Definition of Variables -- Structures, Unions, and Bit Fields -- Expressions -- Operator Precedence -- Statements -- Functions -- The C Library -- Shared Libraries in Linux Applications -- Chapter 3: Writing Shell Scripts -- Trying Out Simple Shell Scripts -- Exploring the Basics of Shell Scripting -- Chapter 4: Programming in Perl -- Understanding Perl -- Determining Whether You Have Perl -- Writing Your First Perl Script -- Getting an Overview of Perl -- Understanding Perl Packages and Modules -- Using Objects in Perl -- Understanding Perl Objects -- Appendix: About the DVD -- System Requirements -- DVD Installation Instructions -- What You'll Find on the DVD -- Troubleshooting -- Index.