SUSE Linux 9.3

About This Book

SUSE Linux 9.3 For Dummies is a beginner’s guide for the upcoming SUSE Linux distribution. The approach to the subject matter and the writing style is that of the successful For Dummies series. The focus is on introducing you to the SUSE Linux desktop with all the GUI tools, including the office pro­ductivity suite (OpenOffice.org) and multimedia applications (audio player, digital camera, CD burning, image editing, and so on). I include a chapter on connecting to the Internet using cable/DSL modems and setting up a basic home network because these have become necessities for anyone who has more than one PC and, especially, for those who plan to run SUSE Linux on a PC. I also include a part that introduces the basics of routine system adminis­tration, how to add and update software, and how to tighten up the system’s security.


Here are some of the things that this book shows you how to do:

* Install and configure SUSE Linux from the DVD-ROM included with the book.
* Connect the SUSE Linux system to the Internet through a DSL or cable modem.
* Set up dialup networking.
* Add a wireless Ethernet to your existing network.
* Get tips, techniques, and shortcuts for various uses of SUSE Linux, such as
• Using the OpenOffice.org office suite
• Browsing the Linux file system
• Using Linux commands
• Using multimedia applications
* Understand the basics of system and network security. w* Perform system administration tasks.

How This Book Is Organized

SUSE Linux 9.3 For Dummies contains 23 chapters organized into five parts. The book’s organization is that of a typical For Dummies title that covers an operating system such as SUSE Linux where the reader is expected to install the software and then learn to use it. The five parts cover installation and setup, test driving the system to learn the ropes, using the system to do productive work, learning to be a budding system administrator, and the mandatory “Part of Tens.” Here’s a quick overview of the five parts and the appendix:

* Part I: Getting to Know SUSE introduces the reader to SUSE Linux, pro­vides step-by-step installation instructions, and explains what happens when you start the system for the first time.

* Part II: Test Driving SUSE is about getting started with SUSE Linux — how to use the desktop and the file manager, how to connect to the Internet (and set up a home network), and figuring out what else is there to play with.

* Part III: Doing Stuff with SUSE turns to doing day-to-day things with the SUSE Linux system such as browsing the Web, reading e-mail and news­groups, using the OpenOffice.org office suite and some multimedia appli­cations, and, finally, working with the command line shell.
* Part IV: Becoming a SUSE Wizard includes chapters on the basic system administration and security. In particular, Part IV explains how to add new software and keep the SUSE system up to date with the YaST (Yet another Setup Tool) installation/configuration tool and YaST Online Update (YOU).

* Part V: The Part of Tens is the standard Part of Tens with chapters that present ten frequently asked questions about SUSE, ten best things about SUSE, ten great SUSE-related Web sites, and ten most commonly used SUSE Linux commands.