Book Review: Ubuntu Kung Fu: Tips, Tricks, Hints and Hacks by Keir Thomas

For this review I’m going to skip all the fluffy, hook paragraphs and get right into the juicy insides of Ubuntu Kung Fu: Tips, Tricks, Hints and Hacks, because I know that’s what you’re looking for anyway, right?

So let me start by first off saying this title is a little misleading. “Kung Fu” makes me think this is the ultimate level of Ubuntu usage after which you’d be able to level up and conquer “the ultimate boss.” However, technology always moves faster than print. I doubt there’s a book out there for masters of this system except the good ol’ internet. And even if there were, Ubuntu Kung Fu is for beginning or intermediate users, someone perhaps too advanced for O’Reilly’s Ubuntu for Non-Geeks but still not versed in Ubuntu capabilities. If that’s you, keep reading. But if you’re writing the online guides, you should probably stop reading this review, and ask for a job at O’Reilly instead.

Alright, so you’ve stayed with me. You have Ubuntu booted and are able to navigate. This book will help you move past the beginning stages by providing a good overview of the different applications that can personalize your desktop and streamline your workflow. A small portion of Ubuntu Kung Fu is dedicated to a basic introduction or “crash course” into Ubuntu. This provides a good brush up of skills; however, if you’re new to this entire operating system, I would suggest backing up and reading this review instead. The overview is short and quickly diverges into the larger section devoted to the "tips."

Some tips have practical applications, such as getting your wireless card to work properly and remote controlling your computer. Because of these, this book makes a great reference guide later for times when you forget how to do certain tasks, like find your IP address or kill a crashed program. However, there are also tips on fun things, like cowsay! Overall, much of the information in this guide is extremely useful and provides insight for those who are unfamiliar with the vast sum of possibilities that accompany free software, such as major programs like Inkscape, Scribus, and Blender to name a few.

Article Author: Janica Unruh

Janica Unruh has her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the college of Professional Writing at the University of Oklahoma. She is happily married to a very nerdy engineer and enjoys writing more than breathing, but refuses to give up the latter.

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