Book Review: Linux Made Easy, Part 2 - Page 2

Linux Made Easy by Rickford Grant is intended to be a no-fuss, non-scary approach to both Linux specifically and computing in general. It walks you through everything from installing and seting up your computer with a version of Xandros (one of the name brand distributions of Linux), to an overview of the applications that come with it, and general tasks that most people would like to perform with their computers. At first I was struck with the detail that some of the sections contained ("It's telling me how to quit an application?!!"), until I remembered the "mom factor" and quickly realized how necessary this can be to novice users. There is a level of patience that comes with this detailed approach that is completely necessary, but not something I would be able to muster on my own (sorry, Mom).

About the only thing that I do always have patience for is a Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale. Brewed in Maine (can you think of a better place to make blueberry beer?), their fruity ale succeeds because it strikes the perfect balance between the two competing flavors. Too many beers infused with fruit suffer from being too sweet, while others suffer from being just barely there. If a beer ever has a "hint" of something, that's a bad sign and really means "I won't even be able to taste it three sips from now." But Bar Harbor has no problem with giving a rich taste that doesn't overpower. Although it is no match for Darkhorse Brewery's Blueberry Stout (which isn't a fair comparison since they are two different styles of beer to begin with), you cannot go wrong with a sixer of this.

Since Mom probably wouldn't appreciate all this talk of beer, I should probably get back to Linux... The other thing that I appreciate about the approach of this book is that after the installation and setup sections, it is more or less strictly laid out by activities. Printing is one chapter. Music is another. Taking a break with games is in there. Digital photos is yet another, and so on. This is great, as it doesn't try to make you a computer genius with successive lessons and advanced configuration that Mom definitely would not care about. It intentionally, and successfully, limits itself to normal computer functions that normal people are interested in. The thought process is that if you want more advanced content, then it's probably time to find a more advanced book anyway.

Article Author: David R Perry

Lost somewhere in the rolling hills of Tennessee, David R Perry can occasionally be found doing dark, unspeakable things to words. Printed words, spoken words, electronically mangled words... really any kind but twittered words.

Visit David R Perry's author page — David R Perry's Blog