About the Book

Ubuntu is a complete, free operating system that emphasizes community, support, and ease of use without compromising speed, power, or flexibility. It's Linux for human beings, designed for everyone from computer novices to experts. Ubuntu 11.04 is the latest release--more powerful, more flexible, and friendlier than ever. The Official Ubuntu Book, Sixth Edition, will get you up and running quickly.

Written by expert, leading Ubuntu community members, this book covers all you need to know to make the most of Ubuntu 11.04, whether you're a home user, small business user, server administrator, programmer, or novice. The authors explain Ubuntu 11.04 from start to finish: installation, configuration, desktop productivity, games, management, support, and much more. Among the many topics covered in this edition: Ubuntu One cloud storage, Ubuntu Server, and the groundbreaking Unity desktop.

This complete guide also covers standard desktop applications, from word processing, spreadsheets, Web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging, music, video, and games to software development, databases, and server applications. In addition, you will

• Learn how to customize Ubuntu for home, small business, school, government, and enterprise environments
• Learn how to quickly update Ubuntu to new release versions with upgraded applications
• Find up-to-the-minute troubleshooting advice from Ubuntu users worldwide from forums and other means to get the help you need quickly
• Learn Ubuntu Server installation and administration, including LVM and RAID implementation
• Learn how to use Ubuntu One to buy legal music from your favorite artists and how to use cloud storage to back up or share your important files
• Learn how you can be a part of the community that creates Ubuntu

The DVD includes the complete Ubuntu Linux operating system for installation on PC platforms. The disk is preconfigured with an outstanding desktop environment for both home and business computing. It can be used to install other complete variants of Ubuntu, including Kubuntu (with the KDE environment), and Ubuntu Server.

This Barnes & Noble Special Edition also includes a second, bonus DVD with helpful screencast lessons demonstrating the basics of Ubuntu use to get you up and running quickly and easily.

About the Author: Benjamin Mako Hill is a Seattle native working out of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Mako is a long-time free software developer and advocate. He was part of the founding Ubuntu team, one of the first employees of Canonical, Ltd., and coauthor of The Official Ubuntu Server Book. In addition to some technical work, his charge at Canonical was to help grow the Ubuntu development and user community during the project's first year. Mako is currently a fellow at the MIT Center for Future Civic Media, and a researcher and Ph.D. Candidate at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Mako has continued his involvement with Ubuntu as a member of the Community Council governance board, through development work, and through projects such as this book.

Matthew Helmke has been an Ubuntu user since April 2005 and an Ubuntu Member since August 2006. He served from 2006 to 2011 on the Ubuntu Forum Council, providing leadership and oversight of the Ubuntu Forums, and spent two years on the Ubuntu regional membership approval board for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He has written articles about Ubuntu for magazines and websites, is the lead author of Ubuntu Unleashed, and has written several books and articles on other topics. He works for The iPlant Collaborative, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and building the world's first cyberinfrastructure for the biological sciences.

Amber Graner is an active Ubuntu Community member, whose path to Ubuntu activism started as she blogged about her transition to Ubuntu in 2009. Amber contributes to the Ubuntu News Team, Ubuntu Women Project, Ubuntu North Carolina LoCo Team, and more. She assists with many of the online Ubuntu tutorial weeks and various UbuCons. Amber resides in western North Carolina where she works as the associate web editor for Linux New Media. Her writing can be found online and in print for Linux Pro and Ubuntu User magazines. Additionally Amber is often found at Linux and open source events promoting, advocating, and encouraging participation in the Ubuntu Community and with the Ubuntu project.

Corey Burger lives in Victoria, British Columbia, and is a long-term user and contributor to Ubuntu. A founder of the Ubuntu Canada group and a former member of the the Community Council, he has been involved with Ubuntu since its first release. Corey is currently a geography student and has most recently worked for a Canadian Linux company. He also contributes to OpenStreetMap and works to promote Ubuntu on Vancouver Island. Corey speaks regularly about Ubuntu, OpenStreetMap, and open source to a wide variety of audiences.