Download the Linux Starter Pack

Posted at 4:00pm on Friday February 20th 2009

New to the wonderful world of Linux? Looking for an easy way to get started? Download our complete 130-page guide and get to grips with the OS in hours rather than weeks or months. We show you how to install Linux onto your PC, navigate around the desktop, master the most popular Linux programs and fix any problems that may arise.

We put the Linux Starter Pack on sale one year ago, and in our quest to support the community we're giving it away as a free download. Please go ahead and tell everyone about this offer -- all we ask is that you link to this page rather than directly to the zip below.

Click here to download now!

After reading the guide, head over to Linux Format for more information on the world's finest Linux magazine. Each month we include all the tutorials, features, tips and help you need to get the most from your operating system. Don't miss it!

You should follow us on Identi.ca or Twitter

Your comments

THIS FREAKING ROCKS

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 20, 2009 @ 8:31pm

Very nice guide. Thanks to the person (or people) who did this guide. You should receive a medal! :D

Thank you, kind sir

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 21, 2009 @ 4:45am

Thank you, kind sir

Cool! Thanks!

terrywang - February 21, 2009 @ 7:05am

Cool!

I don't know Linux Format magazine because it is not sold in Australia. But I do know Linux journal and some other stuff...

Normally I don't buy any mag, full circle and some Chinese mag from linuxpk.com rock:)

Thanks. It's good for Linux usrs, just try to digg some more interesting stuff that I don't know.

Re: Cool! Thanks!

Hudzilla - February 21, 2009 @ 10:34am

@terrywang: Linux Format has several thousand readers in Australia - it's available in some of the larger magazine outlets, and you can subscribe too and have it delivered to your door. It's not that cheap, mind you; if you use the code from the podcast, it costs $150 AUD for a year (13 issues).

good

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 12:46am

good

student

zy (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 12:47am

good

Miro

Klutzier than most (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 12:58am

The book is great. It has many step by step instructions on how to install and set up programs in it. I would say most anyone would come away with something new in this book. Thank you.

Super cool!

chanux (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 3:31am

This will definitely make my life is when I get newbies in. This will be the Montessori guide for linux :)

correction..

chanux (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 3:36am

It should be "This will definitely make my life *easy* when I get newbies in" in my previous comment.

super nice gift

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 5:59am

thank you very much, knight of linux

Free is great...

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 6:03pm

and I don't usually complain about free. BUT... the quality of graphics in this pdf make it useless. I was going to share this with some Linux newbies, but can't.

Another step forward

Cage (not verified) - February 22, 2009 @ 7:55pm

Great guide guys, a link will be forwarded to everyone that I have migrated to linux (shouldn't take too long then! )
Its a great move and with the PDF archives of LXF articles gives me more to read when I'm on my box to keep me away from the more nefarious sites on the web ;-)

Ubuntu Pocket Guide

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 23, 2009 @ 9:17am

Also if you want a FREE guide to using Ubuntu, check out Ubuntu Pocket Guide:

www.ubuntupocketguide.com/download2.html

very good

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 23, 2009 @ 11:25am

Thank you!

很好！谢谢！

Really useful

Betelgeuse (not verified) - February 23, 2009 @ 8:04pm

Thanks from Spain (I have to improve my english :))

Brilliant Beginers Guide

Andy (not verified) - February 25, 2009 @ 1:38am

I'll definately use this for people that ask me.
Thanks so much.

No *buntu

eriefisher (not verified) - February 28, 2009 @ 1:24am

All information is a good thing BUT I'm tired of having to weed out the *buntu specific stuff.

Very nice job on the book though, thanks.

Good guide, this was needed.

Vadim P. (not verified) - February 28, 2009 @ 9:28pm

Good guide, this was needed.

LinusxStarterPack

TwitRumors (not verified) - March 1, 2009 @ 5:59pm

KUDOS and more kudos.
-T

Just started it...

TC (not verified) - March 2, 2009 @ 12:24pm

I just saw this for the very FIRST time and I am now downloading it. This is a very good idea that is well needed. THANK YOU!!
TC

Just started it...

TC (not verified) - March 2, 2009 @ 12:24pm

I just saw this for the very FIRST time and I am now downloading it. This is a very good idea that is well needed. THANK YOU!!
TC

Great work but...

Ed the piguin (not verified) - March 2, 2009 @ 4:19pm

This is something really great, way to go, I'm impressed! This is stuff that people need, a free system with free manuals full of pictures. And the pictures are the only negative thing in this guide. They should be clear, it looks terrible this way.

If you read French better than English.

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 2, 2009 @ 5:15pm

Thanks to LXF for the good work, here in the UK the magazine can be found in mainstream superstores, that's good for gnu-linux.

One little critic would go to the poor graphics quality, should have been possible to do better.

If you read French better than English, don't miss the free (gratis in pdf edition, released under Creative Commons) book "Simple comme Ubuntu" ("Easy as Ubuntu").

You can find it there : http://www.framabook.org/ubuntu.html

Keep up the good work LXF !

It was good.

Barbara (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 2:01am

It was good.

Worthless at the image quality provided...

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 2:26am

The quality of the images makes is non-usable for the newbie.

Thank you TuxRadar and LXF!! Is there a HQ version of this PDF?

Sushil (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 4:00am

Great! Work!!

Is there a better image quality version for download?

Thanks again,

Great work

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 6:07am

Thank you!

thanks

satrix (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 12:57pm

thanks

sweet & sour

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 3:20pm

good sweet info but sour images

sweet & sour

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 3, 2009 @ 3:20pm

good sweet info but sour images

thanks

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 4, 2009 @ 4:51am

thanks

Love the idea

zaggynl (not verified) - March 4, 2009 @ 12:11pm

But the screenshot images are of very low quality!

Good starter guide

Hardcastle (not verified) - March 4, 2009 @ 2:26pm

Although the screenshots are low-res and on the blurry side (that's OK, as the mind seems that way a lot these days), this guide is a good reference to get Linux n00bs started on the right foot. While it would be nice to have a high-res version available, we should remember that this PDF is offered to us gratis and shareable.

A possible option: to keep the server hosting load nice and light, perhaps a torrent link could be prepared for a high-res version for those who want a clear screenshot copy.

Thanks to TuxRadar for making this guide freely available!

Linux Format is available in Australia

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 5, 2009 @ 1:22pm

Cool! Thanks!

terrywang - February 21, 2009 @ 7:05am

Cool!

I don't know Linux Format magazine because it is not sold in Australia.

I spent a year in Australia recently, and I was able to buy Linux Format every month, albeit a month later than in the UK.

Try a different newsagent.

Goodbye Microsoft

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 5, 2009 @ 9:26pm

Goodbye Microsoft

On demand printing

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 6, 2009 @ 1:38am

Looks like a great guide to give a newbie. Is it avavilable through any of the 'print on demand' services (such as lulu.com)???

The Obvious Question

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 9, 2009 @ 5:21pm

While I am happy to have this FREE information, the book in print included a DVD. How do I acquire this?

Re: DVD

TuxRadar - March 10, 2009 @ 10:35am

The DVD was Ubuntu Linux, which you can download from www.ubuntu.com (or get a disc in the post for free from http://shipit.ubuntu.com)

Linux

Thyago (not verified) - March 13, 2009 @ 10:54pm

Num entendi nda do q voces falaram, mas ainda assim o linux é otimo....

so thank you

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - March 17, 2009 @ 3:15pm

i would like to say very thanks for this e book

Linux twice as fast .... now available for Windows moped drivers

2 3 D or not 2 3 d (not verified) - April 6, 2009 @ 5:37pm

Like it very professional for such a good price .... what is the problem with the graphics ..... are some people viewing the manual on Windows in 640 x 480 mode ..... due to it only working at a reasonable speed in that resolution .... lols ...

thanks

Anonymous Penguinalbythom (not verified) - April 7, 2009 @ 10:50am

thanks guys much appreciated

Wow! it is grate.

dileep (not verified) - April 9, 2009 @ 5:39pm

This e-book have good contents & it's free.

Wow! it is graet.

dileep (not verified) - April 9, 2009 @ 6:08pm

This e-book have good contents & it's free.

Wow! it is great.

dileep (not verified) - April 9, 2009 @ 6:11pm

This e-book have good contents & it's free.

Super Stuff

Badiger (not verified) - April 13, 2009 @ 4:36am

Nice Book Sir, Thanks a lot for this wonderful gift to Linux World

thank you

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - April 13, 2009 @ 7:49am

Many thanks. It's over a decade since I used linux regularly, and that was with an rpm based distro. This will be invaluable in refreshing and updating my basic linux skills.

...with respectful greetings from
Canada

Thanks for the

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - April 18, 2009 @ 3:02am

Thanks for the book,

Dhnyavaad from INDIA

great linux

the flyinggrasshopper (not verified) - April 25, 2009 @ 7:31pm

even still stranger in used in indonesia but i respect for you...thank's linux

Perfecto

alucardi (not verified) - April 26, 2009 @ 3:15am

Perfetto, Perfecto!

Please provide the High-Res Version

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - April 26, 2009 @ 9:18am

First, thank you for providing what you have. For me, I know my way around Ubuntu, however, I really wanted better images from it because I want to include it on the desktop of new-installs that I do for friends. It provides so much useful information for a NewB that I hate to see it spoiled by poor image quality.

Thanks

linux starter pack

branlin86 - April 27, 2009 @ 9:59pm

just saved it, will read soon.

a good fuel for beginners

harish (not verified) - May 17, 2009 @ 7:43am

the book was really useful

Thank U BOSS

Pranavi Joshi (not verified) - June 8, 2009 @ 4:18am

This e-book really very useful for me, thankx once again...

biru

lautbiru (not verified) - June 13, 2009 @ 11:45am

thanks for this book

The best ebook about Linux users

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - June 22, 2009 @ 12:13am

thanks buddy .great great e-book .

Excellent ice breaker

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - July 19, 2009 @ 11:16pm

You stars.

For the last 4 months I have been buying your magazine from the newsagent. There has always been stuff of interest to me, but this guide has just prompted me to get a subscription because you take care of us Linux noobs.

rich key

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - July 25, 2009 @ 11:28am

good n very good
my god. thank you to my frend/ sponcer
10 Q 4 All.

thank you

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - August 12, 2009 @ 3:26pm

thank you

Thankyou Sir!!!!!!!!!! Thanx

Minnie (not verified) - September 21, 2009 @ 3:20am

Thankyou Sir!!!!!!!!!! Thanx a lotttt........[:)]

Thank you

Sandeep (not verified) - October 6, 2009 @ 8:30pm

I really appreciate this kind of community service.

Great going

goli

venubabu (not verified) - October 27, 2009 @ 6:47pm

nothing

thank you for your sharing!

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - November 12, 2009 @ 3:02pm

It is really helpful for beginners. Hope to get more news about the further improvement.

Linux

R.Saravanan (not verified) - November 20, 2009 @ 8:33pm

Thank u for free download about Linux

For is very useful because i am begineer

Wining

OliV (not verified) - November 24, 2009 @ 3:40pm

You Must Have Award Wining Linux For Newbie!

Thanks

Tarun Yadav (not verified) - January 2, 2010 @ 12:32pm

Thanks.

Thanks

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - February 24, 2010 @ 12:55am

Thanks

Student

排骨杀手 (not verified) - March 8, 2010 @ 11:45am

你有linux精神。

Thanks

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - April 8, 2010 @ 7:46am

Thanks

Bravo!!!

Samuel (not verified) - April 14, 2010 @ 1:02pm

You are the BOMB....

School Paper

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - May 3, 2010 @ 5:22pm

I have to write a paper and do a power poiont on WHY somone would want to switch from microsoft to Linux. Any suggestions?

Great....

Javad Kamiabi (not verified) - May 15, 2010 @ 2:51pm

Thanks, I'm an an starter of ubuntu and I recently started to do my Ms. Project,

I've read about open source community and open source culture and interested on it...

so I decided to do my last project on Linux ubuntu...

Thanks again...

Bye...

demade de livres de linux

amrane (not verified) - May 27, 2010 @ 11:20am

bonjour , si est possile envoye moi des livres de linux
a l'adrece suivante :
tifaou Ait Yahia Moussa
Tizi Ouzou (algerie )

A++++ WILL READ AGAIN!!!11!

jammit (not verified) - June 9, 2010 @ 12:22am

Thank you. This will be read by many.

BYE CLOSE SOURCE

Javad Kamiabi (not verified) - June 29, 2010 @ 2:03pm

Bye close source
Bye software traders...

The science was victim of your trade...

great....

Anish (not verified) - July 30, 2010 @ 8:03pm

great....

Senior system software

jalal hajigholamali (not verified) - July 31, 2010 @ 12:17pm

Thanks a lot, very nice material

Thanks

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - August 16, 2010 @ 9:52am

Thank you for this great work