Press Release
April 7, 2005
"Linux Desktop Hacks": One Hundred Ways to Customize Your OS
Sebastopol, CA--The Linux desktop has come a long way. Flocks of would-be
users who were put off by its early lack of polish or aesthetic flaws are
now revisiting Linux and finding an operating system and applications that
give Windows a run for its money. When it comes to choice, desktop
usability, and features, Linux actually surpasses Windows in many ways,
contend Nicholas Petreley and Jono Bacon, authors of Linux Desktop Hacks
(O'Reilly, US $24.95). "Just as many productivity applications are
available for Linux as for Windows, and it's surprisingly easy to run
Microsoft Office applications directly on Linux," they note. Moreover,
OpenOffice.org, the Ximian Evolution email and scheduler (a Microsoft
Outlook clone), the Firefox browser, and countless other programs make it
possible for users to leave Windows behind and never miss a feature.
"Admittedly, there are a few glitches to fix--features that still require
you to edit text files and a few other holes to fix here and there,"
Petreley and Bacon tell readers. "But we no doubt are entering the age of
the Linux desktop."
Linux Desktop Hacks shows readers how they can customize and configure
Linux to make it easier, more powerful, and more fun to use. The authors
include hacks to spiff up the boot experience with graphical startup
screens, creative ways to log, and various ways for multiple users to
access the same machine at the same time, each one using the graphical
desktop they like best. They also show how to extend the capabilities of
the graphical desktop and offer tips for those who prefer to do most of
their work at the text-mode console.
"Linux is an expansive and capable piece of technology," says Bacon. "As
such, it seemed that Linux Desktop Hacks was a natural choice for a
book. There are many unique ways of hooking together different tools on
the Linux desktop to create fun and interesting results."
Linux Desktop Hacks demonstrates how easy it is to modify Linux to suit
individual purposes. The book is packed with tips on customizing and
improving the interface, boosting performance, administering the desktop,
and generally making the most out of what X, KDE, Gnome, and the console
have to offer. "People who love tinkering with technology will love the
book," notes Bacon. "It will help readers optimize their use of the
desktop but it will also open their eyes to the vast array of different
ways that they can hack the desktop."
From the practical to the whimsical, the hacks in the book include the
following, and more:
Kill and Resurrect the Master Boot Record
Energize Your Console with Macro Music Magic
Konquer Remote Systems Without Passwords
Run KDE on the Bleeding Edge
View Microsoft Word Documents in a Terminal
Read Yahoo! Mail from Any Email Client
Motion Capture and Video Conferencing Fun
Automate Your Life with cron
Protect Yourself from Windows Applications
Make an Internet Connection Using Bluetooth and a Mobile Phone
Print to Unsupported Printers
Accelerate Your Gaming
Anyone who has wanted to customize Linux for greater ease-of-use,
productivity, or just plain fun will find one hundred tips and tools in
Linux Desktop Hacks to do just that.
Additional Resources:
Linux Desktop Hacks
Nicholas Petreley and Jono Bacon
ISBN: 0-596-00911-9, 318 pages, $24.95 US, $34.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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