Ubuntu Books

Ubuntu is the most popular Linux operating system. Since its founding in 2004, several great books have been published to help beginners make the switch from Windows, Macintosh, or even other Linux systems, to Ubuntu.
Books geared toward novices, such as "Ubuntu for Non-Geeks" by Rickford Grant, and the free "Ubuntu Pocket-Guide" by Keir Thomas, introduce many of the system's key features and make it easy for anyone not familiar with Free Gnu/Linux operating systems to get up and running with minimal effort.
Gnu/Linux represents a unique approach to software development that results in an equally unique experience for the end-user.

The best book for those serious about learning the ins and outs of the Ubuntu OS is "Ubuntu - The Complete Reference" by Richard Peterson. This book lives up to its title, - and then some.

This reference book walks the reader through Ubuntu's applications and utilities, and it does it clearly, concisely, and thoroughly.

One of the key features of all Linux systems is the Terminal, and to those of us used to graphical desktop environments, the prospect of having to use a terminal is somewhat intimidating.
Though focused on Ubuntu's beautiful Gnome desktop, Ubuntu - the complete reference does a wonderful job of introducing and de-mystifying the terminal. For most of the applications and system features covered throughout the book, options, available only through the terminal, are also introduced. The authors have done a stellar job in driving home the point that the real power and convenience in computing is best accessed through the command-line. Very few other books present the Ubuntu operating system in such detail so clearly.

If your local library doesn't have a copy, this book is easily worth the $30.00 to $40.00 retail price. - (Used copies can are available on Amazon.com starting at $10.00).

The Ubuntu Manual

The Ubuntu Manual is one of the newest Ubuntu books.
It's unique in this list. It's available as a free download and, for those who know better than to accept anything for free, is available as a paperback for $9.68 through Lulu.com
The Ubuntu Manual is a community project – many contributors. It's a good introduction to the Ubuntu operating system – particularly for newcomers. From downloading the ISO, burning a disk and installation, right through to scripting work in a terminal.
Click the cover image to check it out the Ubuntu Manual Website – Since it is available as a free download, you can read through it before committing. A Great value.

Ubuntu: Powerful Hacks and Customizations

by Neal Krawetz is a new book for 2010. I haven't read the entire thing – haven't even been able to get my hands on a copy – but looking through the PDF content sample and index made me sit up and pay attention.
Ubuntu: Powerful Hacks and Customization seems to be exactly what it claims.
I read through the section on installation and was pleasantly surprised that the coverage of the subject is way beyond the usual "insert the liveCD in the CD-drawer and follow the directions...". (Use the above link to check out the PDF sample and you'll see what I mean.)
Looking at the index I got the impression that the rest of the book is equally detailed and sophisticated. I'll reserve judgement until I can get my hands on a copy, but it's looking like we have a winner, folks!

The Ubuntu Pocket Guide

is just what the title suggests. A guide to the Ubuntu operating systems. Keir Thomas doesn't bother trying to go into too much detail about the applications, and instead focuses on getting the user up and running in as little time as possible, - the first 36 pages explain what Ubuntu, (and Linux), is, its history, how and where to get it, and the various methods of installation. Then the book starts in earnest.

In some ways, The "Ubuntu Pocket Guide" reads like "everything I've learned about using Linux since I was five". Keir explains many of the topics and questions a new Linux system user is likely to ask. How to manage your file system, graphically and/or from the terminal. Installing software, and how to get the most from the many included applications.

"The Ubuntu Pocket Guide" is a surprisingly comprehensive manual that can help you get a handle on how Ubuntu/Linux works without having to search through hundreds of Google queries or re-asking "the top 50 questions asked" by new users in Ubuntu forums. For the $9.95 asking price, there is a lot of very useful information made easily accessible by someone who has looked for and found the answers to the questions that seem to crop up for all new users. Don't forget that this book is also available as a free PDF download. Well worth the 2 or 3 hours spent reading it, and likely to spare a newcomer some unnecessary aggravation in getting their system set-up.

Ubuntu Kung-Fu

Another book by Keir Thomas, Ubuntu Kung Fu, has a lot of cool tips to help you set up your Ubuntu desktop and get the most use out of it. The tips are set up in short, single paragraph form, so it's easy to leaf through and pick out useful tidbits. As with the Ubuntu Pocket Guide, Ubuntu Kung Fu contains mostly information that you can pick up online, in the forums or in people's personal Ubuntu-blogs - if you've got the time. It's essentially a collection of system and application specific pointers and ideas that you'd learn over the course of a year or two of working with an Ubuntu desktop if you were curious enough to take poke around the OS. That might sound somewhat dismissive, and it's not meant to be - Ubuntuhas a lot of nooks and crannies to poke around in. This book features 300 +plus little "insider" tips and tweaks. - It's a great read too - Keir Thomas uses humor to liven up his texts and effectively brightens up what would otherwise be some very dry reading. The PDF version is available for $22.00 at The Pragmatic Bookshelf. - Most of the tips in this book are relevant across the various releases too - kinda re-usable.

Ubuntu Linux Desktop

subtitled: "Your visual blueprint to using the Linux desktop system", is a unique beginner's guide that uses screen-shots extensively to illustrate the Ubuntu desktop experience. (NOTE: This book is mostly about Ubuntu 8.10, not 8.04 which is the long-term-support version, and as such is not the most current. Ubuntu 8.10 is officially supported until May 2010, and is a very respectable release in its own right. - as of Oct. 2009, there are 2 newer releases, 9.04 & 9.10, and there have been significant changes).
This book is not as in-depth as Ubuntu - the complete reference, but it provides a surprisingly clear introduction to the Ubuntu gnome-desktop.
Ubuntu Linux is, as it's sub-title suggests, very graphical. The book's pages are mostly screen-shots of applications accompanied by very clear, easy to follow step 1, step 2, step 3 instructions. It's a simple and effective system for teaching quickly and without confusion.

This book covers all the necessary aspects of the Ubuntu OS, - from installation to hard-disk, logging-on to your new system, browsing the Internet, setting up email accounts, using chat-clients, creating documents, photo-management, playing various media such as CDs and DVDs, installing new applications, and pretty much everything else that might be required on a day-to-day basis by the average user. - Again, fairly good coverage of the system's features and applications, and very easy to follow. - this is the best Ubuntu book for beginners (IMHO), and I hope they release newer versions for the newer releases of Ubuntu.

The Official Ubuntu Book

Authored by Benjamin Mako Hill, Corey Burger, and Matthew Helmke, is not bad – at least it wasn't when I read through it a couple years ago. It's reasonably comprehensive, but nowhere near as detailed as Ubuntu - The Complete Reference. To me, The Official Ubuntu Book is somewhat wordy. You have to chew your way through a lot of text to get to the useful info – I did say though, that I read this book a couple years ago, so it might have changed – Please take this particular assessment with a grain of salt, find a copy, and check it out for yourself. It is the official Ubuntu book and, as you can see by the cover images, has been updated for the latest Ubuntu releases. This year there is also an Official Ubuntu Server Edition.