Rating: 
Summary: A great book for first-time users of Linux
Review: Linux can be complicated, but Linux for Dummies is straightfoward and easy to understand. With Linux for Dummies you will never be confused about Linux again.
Rating: 
Summary: this should be called "linux by a dummy"
Review: the included red hat is an old, incomplete version, presumably included as a teaser to get you to buy the retail version. the instructions are poor and as another person mentioned, it doesnt give straightforward instructions about basic things like how to set up your modem and add hardware, which is the reason i bought the book in the first place. also the parts on unix are too basic. avoid this book or at the very least wait for a new edition. even better, stick with windows or macintosh, which are clearly superior to linux if you arent running a server. james smith's "review" should be characterized as "irrelevant comments by a dummy"
Rating: 
Summary: This book blows
Review: I was so completely unimpressed. Running from one end of the spectrum to another, if one was completely new to linux (aka, has just heard of it and thought this book was the answer), they would be completely let down, and cursing themselves for opening the plastic sleeve (meaning they could not return it). A complete waste of money. I suggest Red Hat Linux Unleased (Third Edition, contains Redhat 5.2). RedHat Linux Unleashed is an excellent RESOURCE book, for those with a good understanding, but nowhere mastering, of linux.
Rating:
Summary: Dreadful
Review: If this is for dummies, I better check myself for a pulse. I have about 16 years of computer experience, but I found this book very frustrating. I was able to load install Linux, but I attribute that more to RedHat than to this book. The commands listed in the book don't work the way they should, at least not with the Linux version on the included CD-ROM. Stay away from this stinker.
Rating:
Summary: This book is not good.
Review: I love the Dummies books, but this book doesn't help much in understanding the main things a newbie wants to know how to do. I know, I am one.
Rating:
Summary: A poor book at best
Review: I will try to add to what the others have already written. Even though there is absolutely no hand holding with this book, I was able to follow along and get the installation going (not easy). However, I continually received a mysterious "input/output" error about half-way into the installation. When I contacted IDG books for an explanation, I was pointed to Sun's installation website (where I should have looked before buying the book). However, if the person read my e-mail at all, she would have seen that I knew how to set up the partitions and get the installation running; I simply couldn't figure out the error message. I was finally told that they did not support Red Hat Linux! What a copout!!I then had to buy an Official copy of Linux (the install was successful) and figured I could at least get my money's worth by learning the basics of Linux. I wanted to edit a file so that xWindows could start automatically. However, the author fails to mention how to get out of a text file when you're finished! I combed through every page of the book including the index because I couldn't believe that an author could be so negligent. Believe me, it's not straightforward especially for a windows user like myself (you have to hit 'Esc' to get into edit mode, then type ':wq' to exit). I'm no dummy. I have a bachelor's in mechanical engineering and have designed a number of windows and dos-based applications. However, when the author doesn't have solutions to questions and simply neglects to fully explain even the most basic elements of Linux, it's time to look for another book. I'm simply writing this to make sure that no one else wastes their money on this poorly written book. It really gives a bad name to the other ...dummies books.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad for beginners
Review: I was not as impressed at this book's attempt to be a beginner's guide for Linux, as Linux is a difficult OS to master. I purchased this book for our IS staff to get familiar with the OS or us to run the Apache webserver. Don't be discouraged by narrow minded pinheads like "immunizer@netscape.net" who thinks he is some kind of OS god. This OS can be used by any skilled IS professional with patience and hard work. Any arrogant fool can write a nasty remark.
Rating:
Summary: Not very relevant material
Review: Obviously, others have spoken well on this subject (but I have to enter my two cents). There have been plenty of times when I'd searched for quick, plain-English answers to everything from installation tips (when a search through Deja News served me better) to how to use glint -- only to find little if any use. I applaud the author's attempt to cover finding the lowest common denomenator for something as complex as Linux. This is not a book for total newbies, however. A better choice might be "Using Linux."
Rating:
Summary: Dummies shouldn't run Linux.
Review: Linux, Like UNIX from which it is descended, is not an operating system for dummies. If you are a dummy, get (but don't buy) windoze. I am amazed at the arrogance of the author. Linux is a beautifully complex system, which no 'dummy' could ever hope to comprehend. If you are indeed a dummy, linux is just not for you; you will have little success. As a great man once said: "UNIX _is_ user friendly, it is just particular about which users it is friendly to"
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: Contrary to what the majority of the people who wrote reviews said, I thought it was a very good book. I got Linux because I heard many good things about it. The installation instructions where sub-par, but otherwise I thought that it was a very well writen book.
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