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Files are what make the world of Linux go round. They're the currency of any kind of operating system, because every time you use your computer, you generate new files, even if they're only temporary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter guides you through setting up all the essential components of your Fedora installation. This includes hardware configuration, as well as setting up e-mail and online software repositories. It covers the postinstallation steps necessary for getting your system up and running efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chances are that your installation of Fedora will complete without a hitch, and you'll find yourself with a first-rate operating system up and running within just a few minutes. However, if a problem rears its ugly head, you should be able to find the solution in this chapter, which addresses the most common installation problems. These problems are organized by when they occur: before you begin the installation, during the installation, and after the installation. The final section of the chapter describes how to configure the graphical subsystem with the X.org configuration utility, which can be useful if graphical glitches arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One area where Linux particularly excels is in its support for networking, including the Internet. If you wish to learn about how networks operate on a fundamental level, then Linux is an ideal choice, because it puts you in virtually direct contact with the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this book, you've learned about various tasks you can perform to keep Fedora running smoothly. You may decide that you want some of these tasks to occur on a regular basis. For example, perhaps you want your /home folder to be backed up every day, or perhaps you want to clean the /tmp folder to ensure that you always have enough free disk space. You could carry out each task individually, but human nature would no doubt step in, and you would forget, or you might perform the action twice, because you've forgotten that you've already done it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every computer user knows that backing up data is vital. This is usually because every computer user has lost data at some point, perhaps because of a corrupted file or accidental deletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One slight problem with Fedora (and all Linux distributions) is that it takes a one-size-fits-all approach—the default installation attempts to provide services for every kind of user. While this offers the widest range of compatibility, it doesn't always ensure an optimized system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linux was designed from the ground up to be a multiuser system. When it's deployed on huge mainframe computers, it's capable of serving hundreds, if not thousands, of users at the same time, provided that there are enough terminal computers for them to log in. In a more domestic setting, such as when Fedora is installed on a desktop PC, it usually means that more than one family member can have their very own account on the PC. Any files that users create will be private, and users will also get their own desktop environment that is separate from those of the other users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the fun things about running any operating system is the ability to expand it—for adding in new software over time to improve your workflow, or just for entertainment value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution isn't part of the OpenOffice.org suite. It was originally created by Ximian, an organization founded by the creators of the GNOME desktop project and acquired by Novell in August 2003. Even long after the acquisition, Evolution is still developed by many of the key GNOME desktop developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OpenOffice.org includes a number of tools to both interface with database servers and perform tasks such as entering and editing data. However, for most day-to-day users who have humble needs, creating such a setup is rather complicated. It requires some knowledge of how databases work on a technical level. For this reason, a new component was added to OpenOffice.org 2.0: Base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impress is the presentation package within OpenOffice.org. At first glance, it appears to be the simplest of the key OpenOffice.org components, and also the one that borrows the most look and feel from Microsoft Office. However, delving into its feature set reveals more than a few surprises, including sophisticated animation effects and drawing tools. Impress can also export presentations as Adobe Flash-compatible files, which means that many Internet-enabled desktop computers around the world will be able to view the files, even if they don't have Impress or PowerPoint installed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calc is the spreadsheet component of OpenOffice.org. Like most modern spreadsheet programs, it contains hundreds of features, many of which few average users will ever use. However, it doesn't abandon its user-friendliness in the process and remains very simple for those who want to work on modest calculations, such as home finances or mortgage interest payments. In many regards, Calc is practically a clone of Excel, and anyone who has used Microsoft's spreadsheet program will be able to get started with it immediately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The word processor is arguably the most popular application within any office suite. That said, you'll be happy to know that OpenOffice.org's Writer component doesn't skimp on features. It offers all of the text-editing and formatting functionality you'd expect, along with powerful higher-level features such as mail merge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the programs in the OpenOffice.org suite rely on a common interface, and therefore look and operate in a similar way. They are also configured in an identical way, and all rely on central concepts such as wizards, which guide you through the creation of particular types of documents. In addition, many components within the suite are shared across the various programs. For example, the automatic chart-creation tool within Calc can also be used within Writer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

You might be willing to believe that you can get a complete operating system for no cost. You might even be able to accept that this offers everything Windows does and much more. But one stumbling block many people have is in believing a Microsoft Office-compatible office suite comes as part of the zero-cost bundle. It's a step too far. Office costs hundreds of dollars—are they expecting us to believe that there's a rival product that is free? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PC has become an increasingly useful tool in the field of photography. In fact, these days it's hard to imagine a professional photographer who doesn't use a computer in some way, whether to download digital camera images or to scan in images taken using traditional film-based cameras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movie playback on computers is becoming increasingly popular. Modern PCs come equipped with DVD-ROM drives, and coupled with the right software, these can play movies on DVD. In addition, many web sites feature streaming movie clips or offer them for download. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's PC is a multimedia powerhouse, and it's hard to come across a home computer that doesn't have at least a set of speakers attached. Some people take this to extremes and have surround-sound speakers on their computers, as well as large monitors for crystal-clear video playback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BASH shell is the product of many years of development work by a lot of people. It comes from the old days of UNIX and was an important step in computer software evolution. It's a program that retains complete simplicity, yet packs in more features than most users could ever hope to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By now, you should be starting to realize that the shell offers an enormous amount of power when it comes to administering your PC. The BASH shell commands give you quick and efficient control over most aspects of your Linux setup. However, the shell truly excels in one area: controlling the processes on your system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windows views text files as just another file type, but to Fedora, they can be essential components that make the system work. Configuration files are stored as plain text, and program documentation is also stored as text. This is clearly different from Windows, where it's very likely any information you're supposed to read will be contained in a Windows Help file, a rich text format (RTF) file, or even a Microsoft Word document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of us are used to dealing with files—the things that live on our hard disks, floppies, and CD-ROMs and contain data and program code. It should come as no surprise that Linux has its own file structure that is different from Windows in terms of where data is stored and also the underlying technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As you learned in Chapter 1, strictly speaking, the word Linux refers to just the kernel, which is the fundamental, invisible program that runs your PC and lets everything happen. However, on its own, the kernel is completely useless. It needs programs to let users interact with the PC and do cool stuff, and it needs a lot of system files (also referred to as libraries) to provide vital functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If you're an avid computer user, there's a good chance that you've heard of Linux. You might have read about it, or perhaps you've seen TV ads that refer to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fedora is a thoroughly modern operating system and, as such, includes a comprehensive selection of software for just about every day-to-day task. Regardless of whether you want to write letters, edit images, or listen to music, Fedora offers something for you. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If you've read this book from Chapter 1, by this stage, you no doubt have become comfortable with Fedora. You've started to realize its advantages and are on the way to making it your operating system of choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linux is widely considered one of the most secure operating systems around. On a basic level, Linux is built from the ground up to be fundamentally sound, and it forces users to work with security in mind. For instance, it enforces the system of ordinary users who are limited in what they can do, thus making it harder for virus infections to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]