Brief Contents -- Contents in Detail -- About the Authors -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1: Becoming a Penguinista - Welcome to the World of Linux -- What Is Linux? -- About the Penguin -- Why Should You Use Linux? -- But Is Linux Really Ready for the Desktop? -- What Is a Distribution? -- What Is Ubuntu? -- Why Ubuntu Then? -- Hardware Compatibility -- Hardware Requirements -- Good News for 64-Bit Machine Users -- Mixed News for Mac Users -- Speaking Ubuntu -- Where Do I Go from Here? -- 2: Wading and Diving - Running and (If You Like) Installing Ubuntu -- Going for a Dip -- Choices, Choices, Choices--Installation Options -- How Can I Get Back into Windows? -- Oh No, My Computer Won't Boot! -- 3: A New Place to Call Home - Getting to Know the Desktop -- Welcome to the GNOME Desktop -- The Top Panel -- The Bottom Panel -- Project 3A: Customizing the GNOME Panel -- Project 3B: Manipulating Menus -- Virtual Desktops -- Wanda Revisited--GNOME Easter Eggs -- Shutting Down -- 4: More Than Webbed Feet - Connecting to the Internet -- How Do You Connect? -- Setting Up a Wired Connection -- Checking Your Connection -- Setting Up a Wireless Connectiong -- Connecting with a DSL or ADSL Modem -- Setting Up a Dial-up Connection -- Mobile (3G) Broadband Connections -- I'm Connected . . . So Now What? -- 5: Slipping and Sliding - Exploring the Internet, Linux Style -- Firefox: Your Internet Browser -- Project 5: Installing Firefox Extensions -- Email with Evolution -- An Email Alternative: Thunderbird -- Chatting with Your Friends via Empathy -- Microblogging--Twitter and Friends -- Other Internet Applications -- 6: Rounding out the Bird - Downloading, Installing, and Updating Programs the Easy Way -- Project 6A: Installing Applications via the Ubuntu Software Center -- Performing System Upgrades via Update Manager -- Adding Extra Software Repositories.

Project 6B: Installing Software from a PPA: OpenSonic -- Project 6C: Installing DEB Packages Not Available via the Ubuntu Repositories: Skype -- 7: A Tidy Nest - File and Disc Handling in Ubuntu -- Nautilus: Your File Manager -- File Handling in Nautilus -- Navigating in Nautilus -- Understanding the Linux Filesystem -- What's in All Those Other Folders? -- Using Nautilus as a Network Browser -- Reading Data CDs and DVDs -- Burning Data CDs and DVDs -- USB Storage Devices -- Working with Bluetooth Devices -- Backing Up Your Files -- Recovering from a Backup -- Removing Unwanted Files -- Project 7: Creating and Extracting Compressed Files -- 8: Dressing up the Bird - Customizing the Look and Feel of Your System -- Project 8A: Creating a New User Account -- Project 8B: Customizing Your Desktop Environment -- Font Feathered Frenzy: Changing Your Fonts -- Project 8C: Installing TrueType Fonts -- Project 8D: Changing Your Login Screen -- Choosing a Screensaver -- Taking Screenshots -- Customizing Visual Effects -- 9: Simple Kitten Ways - Getting to Know the Linux Terminal and Command Line . . . and the Cool Things It Can Do -- Meet the Terminal -- Some Goofy Yet Useful Fun with the Command Terminal -- Nontoxic Commands -- Commands with Some Teeth -- A Couple of Other Biters You'll Be Using Soon -- Project 9A: Creating a Plan -- Project 9B: More Command Practice with pyWings -- Project 9C: Command Practice Review with Briscola -- Project 9D: Compiling and Installing Programs from Source: Xmahjongg -- Customizing the Terminal -- Tabbed Shell Sessions in the Terminal -- 10: Gutenbird - Setting Up and Using Your Printer and Scanner -- Printers -- Scanners -- 11: Polyglot Penguins - Linux Speaks Your Language -- Typing Nonstandard Characters -- Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Input -- Read-Only Language Support -- Project 11: Setting Up Asian-Language Support.

Setting Up IBus to Automatically Start Up When You Log In -- Viewing Your System in Another Language -- 12: Penguins at Work - Getting Down to Business in Linux -- OpenOffice.org -- Word Processing Done Lightly with AbiWord -- Some Other Cool Productivity Apps -- 13: Brush-Wielding Penguins - Linux Does Art -- Project 13A: Importing Images from Digital Cameras -- Project 13B: Working with Digital Images in F-Spot Photo Manager -- Getting Arty with the GIMP -- Phatch Photo Batch Processor -- gpaint -- Inkscape -- Project 13C: Installing Picasa -- A Few Other Graphics Apps to Consider -- 14: Tux Rocks- Music a la Linux -- Audio File Formats -- Project 14A: Installing MP3 Support for Audio Apps -- Rhythmbox--Your Audio Player -- Project 14B: Listening to Streaming Media with Rhythmbox -- Creating Audio CDs -- Project 14C: Listening to RealMedia Streams with RealPlayer -- Other Cool Audio Apps -- 15: Pluggin' in the Penguin - Working with Your iPod, iPhone, and Other Digital Media Devices -- Knowing Your Limits -- Mounting or Ejecting Your iPod or iPhone -- (Not) Auto-updating Your iPod or iPhone -- Working with Android-Based Phones -- Working with Other Digital Media Players and Cell Phones -- Managing Your Audio Device's Audio Files with Rhythmbox -- Problems Writing to Your iPod -- Working with Photos on Your Digital Device -- Converting Audio File Formats -- Playing Locked AAC (M4P) Files -- Linux on Your iPod? -- Working with . . . Your iPad? -- 16: Couch Penguins - Video and DVD Playback in Ubuntu -- DVDs -- Project 16A: Installing Support for Encrypted DVDs -- Totem Movie Player -- An Alternative to Totem: VLC Media Player -- Editing Digital Video with PiTiVi -- Project 16B: Capturing Digital Video with Kino -- Other Video Apps -- 17: Feathered Flippers - Linux Gaming -- Project 17A: Expanding Your Game Collection via the Ubuntu Software Center.

3D Games -- Project 17B: Installing a Java-Based Game: Schnapsen -- Online Gaming -- Searching for More Games -- 18: Penguins at the Gates - Working with Ubuntu in a Windows World -- Project 18A: Accessing Files on Your Windows Partition (for Dual-Booters) -- Accessing a Linux Partition While Running Windows -- Project 18B: Installing Microsoft Windows Core Fonts -- Dual-Booting: Changing the Boot Order and Timeout -- Linux Equivalents to Your Windows Applications -- Project 18C: Running Windows Programs -- Installing Windows Inside Ubuntu -- Sharing Files with Windows Users on Your Network -- 19: Defending the Nest - Security -- Does My System Need Protection? -- The First Line of Defense -- Software Firewalls -- ClamAV: Antivirus Software, Linux Style -- Project 19A: Virus Scanning with avast! -- Project 19B: Encrypting Your Files -- Project 19C: Shredding Documents Digitally -- 20: A Colony of Penguins - The Ubuntu Community -- Take Me to Your SABDFL -- Launchpad: Your Passport to the Ubuntu Community -- Bugs, Bugs, Glorious Bugs -- Sharing Ideas on How to Improve Ubuntu -- The Ubuntu Forums -- Chatting on IRC -- Keeping Up with the News -- LoCos and LUGs -- Stickers and Other Goodies -- Getting Involved -- 21: Wounded Wings - Fixing Common Problems -- I Can't Get Ubuntu Installed -- Something Goes Wrong Before Ubuntu Finishes Booting -- Sound and Video Problems -- Internet and Network Connection Problems -- Problems with the Display and Graphics Cards -- Hard Disks and Storage Problems -- Software Installation Problems -- Common Problems with Applications -- My Computer Is Running Slowly -- Lost Files -- Where Can I Go to Get More Help? -- A: Installing Ubuntu from a USB Flash Drive -- Preparing the Installer Files -- Creating a Bootable Installer Disk -- Booting from the USB Disk -- B: Ubuntu Desktop CDs for AMD64, Opteron, or Intel Core 2 Users.

Downloading and Burning Ubuntu Desktop CD ISOs to CD -- Ordering an Install Disc from Ubuntu -- Ordering an Install Disc from Other Online Sources -- C: Manually Partitioning Your Hard Disk -- Creating and Deleting Partitions -- Editing Existing Partitions -- Varieties of Paritions -- Example Partition Layouts -- Finishing Up -- D: Resources -- Forums -- Linux Reference -- Blogs -- Hardware Compatibility Issues -- Wireless Connections -- Free Downloads -- News and Information -- Magazines -- Books -- Ubuntu CDs -- Index.