Linux for Small Business Owners

Learn how you can take complete control and run your small business with powerful, free open source software (FOSS). This book introduces small business owners to the power and security of Linux and other FOSS tools to manage any small business as well as the many advantages it has over expensive, proprietary software. While exploring the reasons for using Free Open Source Software, you'll investigate the assertion that, “The value of any software lies in its usefulness not in its price,” set forth by Linux Torvalds, the creator of Linux. 

This book examines the use of Linux and also the other Free Open Source Software you need to meet your business challenges including the usual accounting, Email, web browsing, word-processing tasks. You will be introduced to advanced tools such as those that enable you to create audio and video clips you can use to promote your business or that can even be your primary product, such as how-to instruction.


Most small business owners perform many tasks including that of administering their computers. This book shows you how to find and install new software you need to run your business and keep it up to date using the tools already provided by Linux and the secure, trusted repositories available online. It also explores how to decide which tasks to do in-house and which you might want to sub out to external resources such as advertising and contact services to attract and keep customers. 


Linux for Small Business Owners provides some logic, reason, and explanation for each of the steps that are needed and the tools used to implement Linux in your small business. 
It is a detailed guide to removing Windows from your computers and installing Linux and some commonly used open source software like the LibreOffice suite of programs, accounting, and other software useful to many small businesses. It also provides the information and tools necessary to manage and maintain Linux and applications up-to-date and secure.

What You'll Learn

• Understand what the term "free/open source" means and how you can apply it to your business.
• Look at the operational and financial advantages of using Free Open Source Software instead of expensive, proprietary software.
• See why you will never need to pay for anti-virus and anti-malware software again.
• Replace expensive software like Microsoft Office with open source tools such as LibreOffice 
• Review the factors required to make an informed decision about switching to Linux.
• Install new applications, updates to Linux, and the application software.
• Explore why backups are critical, how to create them, and how to use them to restore lost data.

Who This Book Is For

Ideal for small business owners and owner-operated small businesses looking to streamline operations, save money, time and energy managing the common problems associated with using more popular operating systems.

​David Both is an Open Source Software and GNU/Linux advocate, trainer, writer, and speaker. He has been working with Linux and Open Source Software for more than 25 years and has been working with computers for over 50 years.  He is a strong proponent of and evangelist for the "Linux Philosophy for System Administrators." David has been in the IT industry for over forty years.

David  prefers to purchase the components and build his own computers from scratch to ensure that each new computer meets his exacting specifications.

He has written articles for magazines including, Linux Magazine, Linux Journal, and OS/2 Magazine back when there was such a thing. His article "Complete Kickstart," co-authored with a colleague at Cisco, was ranked 9th in the Linux Magazine Top Ten Best System Administration Articles list for 2008. He currently writes for OpenSource.com and Enable SysAdmin, both of which are supported by Red Hat. He particularly enjoys learning new things while researching his articles.

David has published four books with Apress, “The Linux Philosophy for SysAdmins,” August 2018, and a three volume self-study training course, “Using and Administering Linux — From Zero to SysAdmin,” released in December, 2019

David currently lives in Raleigh, NC, with his very supportive wife and a strange rescue dog that is mostly Jack Russell. David also likes reading, travel, the beach, and spending time with his two children, their spouses, and four grand-children.

David can be reached at LinuxGeek46@both.org or on Twitter @LinuxGeek46.

Cyndi Bulka is a Health Coach and Yoga Specialist and currently owns and operates Zakti Health, a small business offering therapeutic Yoga, Yoga teacher training, Yoga and wellness retreats and health/wellness individual and group coaching programs.

Prior to Zakti Health, she was the owner operator of Moving Mantra Yoga Studio in Raleigh, NC. She has been teaching Yoga for more than 25 years. Cyndi has traveled the world to obtain multiple trainings as a teacher, qualifying at the highest recognized level of certification. She obtained her Health Coaching training at Duke University's Integrative Health Center in Durham, NC in 2014.

Cyndi is a creative writer and poet, a lover of nature, an avid traveler, dedicated Yogi and passionate teacher. She enjoys hiking, gardening, music festivals and cooking. As the mother of two adult children and one rescue dog, grandmother to 4 precious grandchildren, and dedicated partner to a wonderfully supportive man, she stays happily busy. She currently resides in Raleigh, NC.

Cyndi can be reached at cyndi@zaktihealth.com or via her website www.zaktihealth.com