Moving to the Linux Business Desktop 211
| Moving to the Linux Business Desktop | |
| author | Marcel Gagné |
| pages | 696 |
| publisher | Addison-Wesley |
| rating | 9/10 |
| reviewer | Raymond Lodato |
| ISBN | 0131421921 |
| summary | Very valuable guide for business user of Linux. |
M. Gagné, a writer for The Linux Journal, does not assume you're going to use any specific distro for Linux. He gives instructions and examples for the most common ones: Fedora (Red Hat), Mandrake, SUSE, Debian, etc. KDE is the primary desktop, but GNOME is covered fairly well, too. I have to admit that, as a long-time Red Hat user, I was well entrenched in the GNOME world. However, after reading Marcel's book, I've make KDE my default environment, and I've been very happy with it.
This book is broken up into three major parts: Getting to Know Linux, Administration and Deployment, and The Linux Business Desktop. Each part is packed with information in an easy-to-follow format. In fact, I found it hard to just read and not fire up my Linux to follow along.
Part One (Getting to Know Linux) covers the essentials of installing Linux and customizing your desktop. As I remarked earlier, Marcel covers multiple distros. He includes instructions on how to install using Mandrake, Fedora Core 1, and SUSE. For those of you who just can't wipe Windows from your hard drive completely, M. Gagné covers setting up a dual-boot environment clearly enough that you will be able to have the best of both worlds.
The second part (Administration and Deployment) assists in setting up a fully functional business environment. In Chapter 7 (Installing New Applications), Marcel covers the various installation programs available across the distros. SUSE's YaST2 installer, Mandrake's urpmi, Kpackage (from the K Desktop Environment), rpm (the shell program), dpkg (Debian's package manager) and apt-get are all covered. In addition, he gives a clearly written explanation of how to build from source (The Extract and Build Five-Step -- page 124) that dispels any anxiety a newbie to Linux might have.
The next chapter covers the device support in Linux. When I started using Linux, device support was spotty at best. Now it's tremendously improved. Marcel shows you the basic of Linux's support. He then goes on to explain about network and Internet connections. Unfortunately, there is one major piece of errata in this area of the book. During his explanation of the difference between Class A, B, and C IP addresses, the information for class A was inadvertantly switched with the class C info. I've been informed that the errata is corrected on his website (www.marcelgagne.com) and in future editions of the book. Outside of that one unfortunate error, the rest of the book is pretty clean.
Later chapters dig into the topics of Backup and Restore (the most important and most underutilized functions), printing, email, web servers, file sharing (both Windows-like with Samba and Unix-like with NFS), thin clients (server-side and client-side) and desktop remote control. He even includes a chapter on installing and configuring LDAP (something rarely written about, but becoming more and more important).
The third and final part of the book covers the usual business applications. Email, arguably the "killer app" for office environments, is addressed first. Focusing on KDE, Kmail gets the lion's share of the coverage, with Evolution following behind. Desktop organizers come next, with Korganizer the favorite and Evolution (again!) nipping at Korganizer's heels.
The web-browsing chapter focuses on Konquerer, KDE's jack-of-all-trades application, and Mozilla. Most notably, significant coverage is given in the next three chapters to OpenOffice and its basic applications Writer, Calc, and Impress. For working with images, digital cameras and USB scanners are covered, with The GIMP as the preferred image editor. On-demand contact via instant messaging and video conferencing rounds out this marvelous book. Kopete and GAIM are discussed in depth for the IM arena, and GnomeMeeting for the VC work.
As with most Linux books, a CD is supplied. However, this book does not give you a specific distro for installation. Instead, Marcel chose to include a branded copy of Knoppix, the CD-bootable Linux. The idea is to let you play around with the various aspects of Linux using Knoppix before committing yourself to the actual installation.
All in all, this is a valuable book, covering most of the areas a business user wants to address. Notably lacking was coverage on how to try to run Windows applications under Linux. At the top of the review, I mentioned I keep trying to steer away from Windows as much as I can. Unfortunately, I usually have a couple of applications that I need but don't come in a Linux version. Even though VMWare, Win4Lin, and Wine were mentioned briefly, I would have liked to have read some examples of running a Windows application using them. In addition, the major snafu with the IP address space marred an otherwise excellent book.
You can purchase Moving To the Linux Business Desktop from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Knoppix is Debian-based, right? (Score:2, Informative)
So it is giving you a specific distro to play around with: it's giving you Debian GNU/Linux. In fact, you can do a HD install of it and have a fully functional Debian system with OO.o, Moz, and other things installed fairly quickly.
How we did it... (Score:5, Informative)
No specific distro? (Score:5, Informative)
No specific distro? Knoppix is a specific distro (based on Debian) which can be installed on a hard drive! Last I heard, all you had to do was type knx-hdinstall at a prompt, but that may have changed since I used it.
Re:Unserious (Score:1, Informative)
Wrong. Novell's Ximian Desktop [novell.com] is completely GNOME-based. And you're telling me that can't make money for a huge company like Novell?
Review of the review (Score:2, Informative)
Linux in the workplace (Score:4, Informative)
WFTL-LUG (Score:1, Informative)
Definitely worth a try for the mailing list lovers. I used to subscribe, but not anymore, I don't have any more time.
Re:Linux is fine on the business desktop (Score:4, Informative)
Just not true anymore (Score:2, Informative)
That's so 1990s... I work with banks (deal with the network security) and one after another of my clients have switched to thin-client desktops where all they need is a compliant browser. Imagine their surprise when I showed them instead of that brand new $800 Wyse unit, or $1200 Dell PC, a Linux thin client did the same job and actually used the old Windows PC they were planning to throw away (actually, most PAY people to take them, secure wipe the drive, etc.)
Banking apps, finance apps, etc. are increasingly going web-based for interface. Those that aren't are losing interest in the financial circles.
Linux does just fine - actually, I'm concerned Microsoft won't be able to match the value and their thin-client inherits the nightmare of IE and its security issues.
Re:KDE rocks and I tell you why. (Score:1, Informative)
KTurtle [kde-apps.org] for Logo stuff.
Quanta Plus [kde-apps.org] for Web development.
QTIPlot [kde-apps.org] for plotting stuff.
Chemical equitation [kde-apps.org] for Chemical courses at school and university.
NeuroScope [kde-apps.org] for neurogic things e.g. in hospitals etc.
Klusters [kde-apps.org]for neurological stuff also for hospitals etc.
KMobileTools [kde-apps.org]for cellphones.
Quantum GIS [kde-apps.org] for Geographical stuff.
Umbrello [kde-apps.org] for UML, Klass diagramms etc.
and many more applications like KDevelop, KOffice and so on. There are countless of usable and needed tools for KDE if you look on kde-apps.org a lot of the stuff available on KDE (with impressing quality) is absolutely missing on GNOME. So why should I use a Desktop Environment that lacks true usable applications while I can find everything on KDE ? GNOME is nice but needs years to solve all it's architectual issues and then offer programs with rapid development and maintainance.
A Rehash of Moving to Linux: Kiss the Blue Screen (Score:4, Informative)
Which wasn't a bad book. But, I don't like people milking something by putting a slight editorial slant on it "for business" and making a new book out of it. Still, I'll have to check it out. I need a good book to give to people switching to Linux and this one, because it is newer and hopefully improved with feedback from readers, should be better than the previous one.
Re:Linux is fine on the business desktop (Score:4, Informative)
Run that one by me again. You're saying that after going to the hassle of Linux migration the IT deprtment isn't going to spend the 1 minute required to heck if the new printer they would like to buy is supported?
And then ignoring that issue for a minute - you said "laser printer". I think you're confused. It's the inexpensive home desktop inkjet printers that don't work with Linux. Pretty much all laser printers speak either PostScript (which any UNIX based OS has zero issues with, no extra drivers of any kind required) or PCL which again Linux has no problems with. I dare you to find any decent laser printer that doesn't work flawlessly immediately with Linux.
Jedidiah.
not beginner books, but should be mentioned.... (Score:2, Informative)
A quick search on google gave me this one [freeprogra...ources.com] which looks helpful.
Re:Linux is fine on the business desktop (Score:3, Informative)
I know I bought a printer about 5-6 years ago that was the same thing built by somebody else (Sony I think?). It used a SourceGear driver. The ghostscript guys said they'd actively write a driver for it's language because they were such nice printers. Unfortunately, they never released the specs, and the printer line died shortly there after. It actively advertised that is did "PostScript", but the problem, was it did PostScript in software, not hardware.
I believe we have two 3500 series color laserjets that don't do PostScript, or PCL that anyone around here can figure out. We can use Samba to queue from them from Linux, but you have to use the Windows drivers. It uses "JetReady" according to the specs on the HP website.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/1897 2-236251-236268-15077-f51-315862.html [hp.com]
That is a decent printer, and it doesn't work with Linux at all. Let alone immediatly or flawlessly. What do I get for successfully completely the dare?
Oh, and you can't say it's not a decent printer because it doesn't do PCL or PostScript, that's cheating. So yes, you still actually have to read the specifications to see if they will work with Linux. Our Admin wasn't paying attention. I normally wouldn't either, because it was an HP printer. They have always done PCL in hardware. However, a friend of mine warned me after picking up a 1012 not too long ago to be on the lookout.
Kirby
Re:HP 1012 (Score:3, Informative)
It is the HP printer that doesn't have Linux listed as on the web page. They do mention Linux as being supported on most of the rest of their hardware.
The 1012 might work, however, I know that the 3500's don't work. They use a propriatary JetReady language that I haven't seen anyone say they can use.
Even more curious the 1012 lists the printer language as "Host Based", which generally means it's a one that is software based on the driver. So I'm highly curious what driver the software used. You can normally print text to them even if they don't support anything else. However, generally you can't print anything that isn't a flat text document. So does it do graphics and all that? Even the 3500 I can get to print text from Linux, however, it's printing raw postscript last I saw it.
I sure don't see the 1012 listed on my printer configuration when I try and configure my printer via RedHat's printtool. However, that doesn't mean you can't get it to work. The HP 1000 series says that it uses a non-standard printer driver. So I might be wrong it might work as a stand in.
Kirby
Re:Great work; Almost there. (Score:3, Informative)
They have trouble understanding paths - one user could not understand why she did not have C:\ - and since we do not usually give them admin access, they try creating files and folders in places where they aren't allowed to, etc.
There are a lot of problems that I could go on and on about, but the basic fact is that it is different and it's an inherent resistance. And when these people decide to leave and go to another place, companies do not know or understand what OpenOffice is - which complicates their problems. You'd be surprised, but a lot of backoffice folks are aware of this problem and some would refuse to take up a job if they are asked to use non-Office products.
Really blows, but that's reality for you.
Don't go cold turkey (Score:2, Informative)
Here is an part of a report I made on the subject:
Linux Desktop Server
I have been running Linux on my desktop for the last two years and have enjoyed the added flexibility ever since. It combines the features you're familiar with on Windows and Macintosh as well as adding several of its own to the mix. Check the "Linux Desktop Features" sidebar for details.
You will get the power of the Linux Desktop as well as keep the application availability of Windows.
The Linux desktop includes all of the benefits available with the Citrix Windows Application Server with some additional features mentioned below.
I've been using an OSS program called VNC (Virtual Network Computing) that allows you to control a computer remotely over the network. It runs on Windows, Macintosh and Linux. On Windows and Macintosh, VNC only allows you to remotely control one desktop per machine. But on Linux, you can remote control one or several separate desktops over the network and easily handle one desktop for each user from one or several servers.
VNC also allows users to move from one computer to another, open their Linux Desktop on the network and use the same programs right where they left off.
Upgrades only needing to be performed on the server. This reduces costs in new equipment, and time required to manage the software installed.
With all of these advantages, there are some disadvantages. The Linux Desktop runs Linux programs best (running Windows programs on the Linux Desktop is best left to a future project).
There are programs that do not have replacements yet under Linux. So far the list is small: Filemaker, Mas90 and Attendance Enterprise. There is a solution though - continue running them under windows!
Linux Desktop Features
All of the Linux features mentioned below are included standard, are absolutely free and open source.
Linux can have multiple desktops (each with their own applications) on the same screen and switch between them with the click of a mouse or press of a keyboard combination. You can also move application windows between the desktops or put one on all desktops at once.
OpenOffice fully supports Word and Excel files. It has most of the features available in Word and Excel, and some additional features such as "Type Ahead" and standard "Export to PDF". The only hindrance is the current minimal support for RTF, which excludes it from Letter Art work..
The GIMP has most of the features of Photoshop (including all that are needed by Match Mail) and supports PSD, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, GIF and several other formats.
PostScript and PDF are native formats on the Linux platform. The PDF format is an Open Standard like PostScript and there are replacements for Acrobat under Linux.
Linux supports Windows TrueType, Macintosh Type1 and Postscript Fonts.
There are several development languages available such as C, C++, Perl, Python, Borne Shell, and many others that can be used for data processing, database integration, graphical programs and more. Also, there are several command line and graphical development environments available.
Upgrade Linux applications while they're still running. To use the new version, simply close the program and open it again. You can't do that under Windows, and that is one of the reasons why you have to restart a Windows machine after running some upgrades. Though, that isn't the only reason.
There are very few reasons to reboot a Linux server. Here are a few situations where a Linux server would not need to be rebooted: Install Software, Uninstall Software, Change network settings, add network services, install application security updates. All of these would require rebooting under windows. This means less downtime and higher up times. Basically, unless there is a problem in the kernel (the heart of