Introduction

Welcome to Red Hat Fedora 4 Unleashed! This book covers the free Linux distribution named Fedora Core and includes a fully functional and complete operating system produced by the Fedora Project, sponsored by Red Hat.

Fedora Core continues the strong legacy left behind by Red Hat Linux and has benefited from contributions from the global open-source community as well as from the sponsorship of Red Hat. This makes it the most exciting Linux distribution currently available, and one that is very easy to get to grips with.

If you're new to Linux and to Sams Publishing's Unleashed books about Linux, congratulations you've picked one of the best books on the market about Fedora Core. Get ready for an exciting, safe, and productive journey as you read this book and install the included software.

This book provides information to match the latest developments found in Fedora and, as always, includes a free copy of the latest distribution on DVD and CD-ROM. Linux, the kernel of a free operating system, is no longer the new kid on the block because it has been available for more than 10 years now. Linux forms the core of a stable, mature, and secure operating system. From embedded devices (such as PDAs) to laptops, desktops to servers, and mainframes to new 64-bit CPUs, Linux continues to be in the vanguard and a major force in the free software marketplace.

Make no mistake: While Linux has been deployed in many corporate- and enterprise-level environments, it is also steadily advancing toward use on millions of desktops. Thousands of open-source programmers around the world improve, test, and update the Linux kernel and Linux-related software packages. Their efforts have contributed much to the success of Linux for many types of users. Fedora Core incorporates many of these software packages, along with the latest stable version of the Linux kernel. This means you can put Fedora to work right away.

This book contains everything you need to plan, install, configure, maintain, administer, rebuild, and use Fedora. You can use this software at school, at home, or in the workplace. You can also make as many copies of Fedora as you want and freely distribute those copies to anyone interested in using Linux.

After an introduction to Red Hat and the Fedora Core project, you will see to how to set up and plan for an install. You will then get step-by-step directions on how to install Fedora in a variety of ways. Following directions on configuration, you will be introduced to basic system administration, followed by instructions on advanced administration techniques and concepts. Sections on programming, productivity, and multimedia round out the host of skills you'll acquire and learn when you use this book. Keep in mind, however, that this book assumes you have at least some experience with using a computer operating system.