Ubuntu Linux For Dummies (2007)

This appendix describes what you get on the companion CD and the minimum computer configuration you need for Ubuntu Linux.

The companion Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD contains the full Ubuntu Linux 6.10.

The companion CD contains most applications described in this book. However, you must download a few applications, such as Network Manager (Chapter 7), from the Internet. I describe where to find and how to download and install such applications.

System Requirements

To use the Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD-ROM, make sure that your computer meets (or exceeds) these minimum requirements:

· An Intel-compatible 32-bit PC with a CD drive, an LCD display or multisync monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. (The attached CD doesn't work with 64-bit PCs. You can download a compatible CD for 64-bit PCs from www.ubuntu.org.)

For reasonable performance using the graphical GNOME Desktop and X Window System, I recommend at least 512MB, but you can get away with only 256MB of main memory.

· Enough hard drive space for your planned Ubuntu system. You have two options:

o No hard disk space. Yes, that's right, none! You can run Ubuntu Linux directly from CD. However, your computer won't remember your settings and your work when you shut down.

The instructions for booting the Ubuntu Linux operating system directly (live) from the CD are in Chapter 2.

o If you want to make a permanent Ubuntu Linux installation that remembers your settings and your files, you need at least 3GB of hard disk space. I recommend at least 10GB of unused disk space so you can store plenty of document and media files.

Instructions for permanently installing Ubuntu Linux to your hard drive are detailed in Chapters 3 and 4.

You can run Ubuntu Linux on older, slower equipment if you run in text mode (enter at the boot prompt). However, most of the instructions and capabilities in this book use graphical mode.

Chapter C. About the CD

This appendix describes what you get on the companion CD and the minimum computer configuration you need for Ubuntu Linux.

The companion Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD contains the full Ubuntu Linux 6.10.

The companion CD contains most applications described in this book. However, you must download a few applications, such as Network Manager (Chapter 7), from the Internet. I describe where to find and how to download and install such applications.

System Requirements

To use the Ubuntu Linux For Dummies CD-ROM, make sure that your computer meets (or exceeds) these minimum requirements:

· An Intel-compatible 32-bit PC with a CD drive, an LCD display or multisync monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. (The attached CD doesn't work with 64-bit PCs. You can download a compatible CD for 64-bit PCs from www.ubuntu.org.)

For reasonable performance using the graphical GNOME Desktop and X Window System, I recommend at least 512MB, but you can get away with only 256MB of main memory.

· Enough hard drive space for your planned Ubuntu system. You have two options:

o No hard disk space. Yes, that's right, none! You can run Ubuntu Linux directly from CD. However, your computer won't remember your settings and your work when you shut down.

The instructions for booting the Ubuntu Linux operating system directly (live) from the CD are in Chapter 2.

o If you want to make a permanent Ubuntu Linux installation that remembers your settings and your files, you need at least 3GB of hard disk space. I recommend at least 10GB of unused disk space so you can store plenty of document and media files.

Instructions for permanently installing Ubuntu Linux to your hard drive are detailed in Chapters 3 and 4.

You can run Ubuntu Linux on older, slower equipment if you run in text mode (enter at the boot prompt). However, most of the instructions and capabilities in this book use graphical mode.

What You Find

The companion CD includes the full version of Ubuntu Linux and much more. In other words, it contains a ton of stuff, such as

· The GNOME Desktop graphical environment

· The rich, great-looking OpenOffice.org desktop productivity suite — word processor, spreadsheet, slide presentation program, and more

· Mozilla's powerful and cutting-edge Firefox browser

· The powerful, easy-to-use Evolution e-mail and calendaring client

· Many multimedia applications

· Numerous graphical tools

· System administration tools and utilities

· Network services

· Games

If You Have Problems with Your CD

We test the companion CD on as many computers and configurations as possible. Unfortunately, we can't test enough computers to ensure that our CD will work across the board.

Call the Wiley Product Technical Support phone number at 800-762-2974 if you have problems using the companion CD. Outside the United States, call 1-317-572-3994. Alternatively, browse www.wiley.com/techsupport — Wiley Product Technical support on the Internet — to obtain support. Wiley Publishing provides technical support for only [sam2]physical manufacturing flaws in the Ubuntu Linux CD. You must contact the program's vendor or author for application-specific support.

Call 800-225-5945 to place additional orders or to request information about other Wiley products.