Preface

Welcome to the Official Red Hat Linux User’s Guide! From installation to navigation and instructions on performing common tasks, this book is designed to help new and intermediate Linux users get up and running with Red Hat Linux.

If you need more advanced coverage of Red Hat Linux, see the companion book to this one: the Official Red Hat Linux Administrator’s Guide (Red Hat Press/Wiley, 2003).

As you read this book, keep in mind that Linux looks, feels, and performs differently from other operating systems you may have used, such as Windows or Mac OS. Our advice is to forget about the conventions of those other operating systems, and with an open mind, approach Red Hat Linux as a new, interesting, and versatile alternative.

Conventions Used in this Book

As you read this book you will see that certain words are represented in different fonts and styles. These conventions are designed to help you easily navigate the book so that you can find whatever you need fast. The following sections discuss the major typographical conventions used in this book.

Commands and File Names

Linux commands (and other operating system commands, when used) are represented in a monofont style; for example: boot: linux console=device. This style indicates to you that you can type the word or phrase on the command line and press Enter to invoke a command.

File names, directory names, and paths are also represented in monofont to set them visually apart from normal text; for example: /test/new/RedHat.

Computer Output

Computer output is displayed by the computer as text on the command line. You will see this output, which includes responses to commands you typed in, error messages, and interactive prompts for your input during scripts or programs, displayed in monofont against a gray background, as follows:

$ ls Desktop axhome logs paulwesterberg.png Mail backupfiles mail reports

User Input

Text that the user has to type, either on the command line or into a text box on a GUI screen, is displayed in bold font; for example: To boot your system into the text based installation program, type text at the boot: prompt.

Navigational Callouts

Throughout this book, we use several methods of calling out important or otherwise noteworthy information. In order of how critical the information is to your system, these items will be marked as Note, Tip, Important, Caution, or Warning. Following are examples of each of these items:

Note

Remember that Linux is case sensitive. In other words, a rose is not a ROSE is not a rOsE.

Tip

The directory /usr/share/doc contains additional documentation for packages installed on your system.

Important

If you modify the DHCP configuration file, the changes will not take effect until you restart the DHCP daemon.

Caution

Do not perform routine tasks as root. Use a regular user account unless you need to use the root account for system administration tasks.

Warning

If you choose not to partition manually, a server installation will remove all existing partitions on all installed hard drives. Do not choose this installation class unless you are sure you have no data you need to save.