This was a good intro book in 2004, but now it's hopelessly out of date. If you intend to use any of the modern versions of Linux, this book will be of very little help.

I have Linspire 5.0 and I wanted to learn more about Linux command line. The book is good if you are using Fedora Core and it was a good start for command line. I enjoyed it but it could be a little more in depth.

If you want to learn to use Linux for your desktop computer but are not intested in indepth technical jargon then this is the book for you. It is written in simple, easy to understand "non-geek" English so that the average computer user can understand what is going on. Anyone should be up and running Linux in a short time. And by running Linux I mean doing all the things you want to do on the computer. This book focuses on teaching the average home user how to do the things you want to do like customizing your desktop and icons, surfing the net, playing your CD's and mp3's, downloading and installing games and software (all for free), and much more. Even after using Linux for a few years I still use this book for reference if I need to look something up.

I would like to say one thing. I bought this book right after it was released in 2004. Since then Linux has come a long way. This book comes with Fedora Core 1 and Fedora Core is now up to release 5 (at the time of this writing). Now there is really no reason to feel like you have to have the newest release because there are lots of people still running 1 (or older versions) but if you are running a newer computer with new hardware there might be a chance that Fedora Core 1 will not have drivers for the newest stuff. I say this not to discourage anyone from buying this book, but rather to let people know that if the CD this book comes with does not work with your computer you did not waste your money. Your next best option would be to find the newest release of Fedora by either free download or buying it cheaply somewhere online. This may well solve your problem and if not check out the many forums for Linux as people are always willing to help and are very friendly. This book is still great and I highly recommend it, but it would be really nice if a new updated edition would be released.

Edit 2/6/07: I felt the need to edit this review. Everything I have said still stands, but this book along with the software it walks you through is dated. Fedora Core 1 is no longer supported. I said that it would be really nice if a new updated edition would be released and it looks like there has been, though as another book. I have not read this new book but it might be a better place to start since it uses more up to date software. The book is called Ubuntu Linux for Non-Geeks by the same author. I would advice you to look into it before purchasing this book.

The book is very helpful in setting up a Fedora Linux installation if the accomopaning disks were complete. The insturctions in the book were clear and concise.

My problem was that I have only one hard drive and needed to repartition it using a partition program. (I used Partition Magic.) When it came time to load the linux supplied with the book onto the machine, it had difficulty recognizing the partions and did not load properly. it froze up upon being loaded onto the machine for its first boot. I was forced to download Fedora 4 in order to install it properly (Fedora 4 worked just fine.). I also downloaded the documentation including installation instructions which were clear although much broader then I needed them. I am still working my way through the projects in Linux for Non-Geeks.

I had tremendous prior difficulty when I tried to use Linux because I could not configure essential components like my modem nor could I figure out how to run essential programs to expand and install programs. Rickford Grant's book was amazingly easy to follow and within 1/2 hour, I had installed Linux and was actually using the internet and email. I have been using the system for 3 hours sofar, setting up Palm, opening and editing all kinds of Microsoft Office documents, downloading my Yahoo mail, etc. No crashes. No glitches, and faster speed. I was so impressed I wanted to write this review to encourage other seasoned and disgruntled Windows XP users to take the plunge.

Updated 3-6-06. To date, Linux has NEVER crashed or frozen to the point necessitating reboot. There have been some trouble spots including inability to configure my old (but not new) flatbed scanner. I like Linux so much I got a laptop to be a dedicated Linux machine. My first attempt was to convert my old Presario 1240, but it was so dreadfully slow that it was useless. I am now going to try to convert a Dell laptop. More to come....