"Linux software is like gold on the moon. It's wonderful, if you have a way to get it." --Kevin Carmony, President and CEO, Linspire Inc.Sick of Windows Viruses, Crashes, and Expensive Upgrades? There's a better alternative: Linux. It's not just for "geeks" anymore. It's for you--and it's for real. With Peter van der Linden's Guide to Linux(R), Linux isn't just powerful, it's easy and fun. While writing this book, the author spent an entire year helping new Linux users get started and once again demonstrated that he is flat-out brilliant at simplifying technology. He knows all the tricks and the quickest ways to help make you productive. Before demonstrating how to do something faster, easier, and better with Linux, he reminds you how it works in Windows. Along the way, he anticipates potential missteps and questions, and fills in the gaps other books ignore. *Get connected to the Internet, your email account, instant messaging, and your network*Get productive with OpenOffice, the amazing Microsoft Office clone that's absolutely free*Get solutions with van der Linden's easy, step-by-step troubleshooting help*Get into digital media--music, movies, DVDs, CD burning, digital photography, and more*Get secure and keep your data and email private with CIA-strength encryption *Get beyond the basics and leave Windows behind, download the best free software, and even master the command line The book includes a Linspire 5.0 CD-ROM, the world's easiest desktop Linux! Boot into Linux from the included CD, without installing anything or changing any Windows files at all.