Customer Reviews (41)

Comprehensive but overwhelming for a n00b
I found this book to be just ok - it covers the basics of Linux and many important/frequently used commands but I am remotely satisfied with this book because the author focuses on stuff that many users probably will find less useful.

The learning curve is quite steep if you're relatively new to Linux - the author is describing very basic stuff like GNU, Linux file systems, simple shell commands and such, and then suddenly rushes into complicated shell programming and scripts.

Few examples from this book that I know I will never use but who knows, other users may find that:

-This book is great if you're into emacs and vi(m) since it dedicates over 100 pages on these two text editors but I prefer using nano so for me these chapters were more or less wasted.
-This book is great if you're into shell programming.

Why spend 100+ pages on vim and emacs when at least some pages could've been dedicated to a Security Section that this book doesn't have?
Perhaps emacs and vim are important because programming requires a good set of text editors..?

The Appendix is great though - there's an extensive collection of commands that can be useful for all newbies and intermediate users.

Someone will probably flame me for this review, saying I should've read the book's title before purchasing it. Yes, you are right - I should've.
But then again, if this book clearly was written for intermediate users, why mention GNU, basics of Linux and its file systems and so forth to begin with?

Practical Guide to Linux Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming
Practical Guide to Linux Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming

The book give a solution to one of the most biggest problem of a Linux junior Sys Admin:
How to automate tasks and decrease the amount of time that "waste" for
Regular operations.
Although from first look, the book content look like a "Boring Staff", after reading
It, the reader would improve his theoretical and practical capabilities -
And may help to itself to focus it the real job.
The book give a lots of useful examples that provide a good background
To the theoretical fields.
The only disadvantage from my point of view is that this book don't
Cover Perl and Python (and Optional PHP).
Although one book may not cover all, I hope that the author will write
A second volume that will cover this nice script languages.

It is what it says
This book is exactly what the title states - a practical guide to Linux commands, editors and shell programming.It doesn't teach you how to make all the server software run on your machine.But it does give an excellent and detailed explanation of the commands in the Bash and TC shells, and explains how to write shell scripts.The details the author goes into with the two most common editors (VI and EMACS) was just about right for me.He also has a 250 page reference section on each command in Linux.It's been several years since I used Unix, so this was a great refresher session for me, and it makes a good reference manual when I'm writing new scripts.

For beginners only
This Practical Guide is really a *Beginners* Guide for linux end-users.The volume is comprehensive from the point of view of an end user that is new to linux.I was looking for something with more depth for that could assist a beginner that is setting up linux server.Most administrative tasks like setting up networks and local services are glossed over with no practical reference.

This book goes back Amazon.

The rare technical book that's still useful one year after I bought it...
I'm a reasonably technically competent computer user who a bit less than one year ago wanted to try using Ubuntu Linux as my primary operating system.To make that happen, I needed a book that could help me get oriented to Linux usage and help me learn some of Linux's "more than newbie" tricks and techniques.

Well, the good news began when A Practical Guide to Linux got me started with some excellent chapters and summary lists of many useful albeit less obvious Linux commands.

But the book didn't stop there.It also has some VERY good chapters about both the VIM and EMACS text editors.I especially found the VIM chapters (more than one!) very good at getting me up to speed on both basic and advanced VIM commands and techniques.

But wait, don't answer yet.After nearly a year of using Linux, I find The Practical Guide to Linux back beside my keyboard.This time it's helping me begin doing some shell programming and C programming.

In short, A Practical Guide to Linux is both well written and well edited.It's a book the author and publishers can be justifiably proud of having produced.

If you're technically competent enough to get Linux up and working, but still need a "friend" to help you make Linux do some useful work, I believe The Practical Guide to Linux will be a very useful addition to your technical library and a very good complement to your Linux adventure... ... Read more

Book Description
O'Reilly's Pocket Guides have earned a reputation as inexpensive, comprehensive, and compact guides that have the stuff but not the fluff.Every page of Linux Pocket Guide lives up to this billing. It clearly explains how to get up to speed quickly on day-to-day Linux use. Once you're up and running, Linux Pocket Guide provides an easy-to-use reference that you can keep by your keyboard for those times when you want a fast, useful answer, not hours in the man pages. Linux Pocket Guide is organized the way you use Linux: by function, not just alphabetically. It's not the 'bible of Linux; it's a practical and concise guide to the options and commands you need most. It starts with general concepts like files and directories, the shell, and X windows, and then presents detailed overviews of the most essential commands, with clear examples. You'll learn each command's purpose, usage, options, location on disk, and even the RPM package that installed it.The Linux Pocket Guide is tailored to Fedora Linux--the latest spin-off of Red Hat Linux--but most of the information applies to any Linux system. Throw in a host of valuable power user tips and a friendly and accessible style, and you'll quickly find this practical, to-the-point book a small but mighty resource for Linux users. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Does what it says at a price you can't argue with.
This is definitely a great companion for any Linux administrator or hobbyist who is trying to become a level 60 command line warrior.There are plenty of commands to familiarize yourself with, and they are grouped logically (rather than alphabetically), which means that when you look up a command, you can find other similar commands in the same section.This book was written with Fedora Core Linux in mind, so it may not cover some of the commands unique to other Linux distros.

Small, Useful and Nice For Beginners
These book includes most used unix commands. One step more explanatory than man pages. With its small size, it's very appropriate for reading while travelling with bus or metro.
But this is not a complete reference book, for advanced users.

An excellent reference
This book is exactly the type of excellent work one comes to expect from O'Reilly.Tons on useful information in a handy pocket reference size.I bought it because I had been away from Linux for awhile and was rusty on all of the commands.This filled the bill perfectly.

good handbook
A good, standard handbook for Fedora and other Linux flavors.A good reference when you already know the OS and need a reference back to refresh your memory on command syntax, etc

Great Product!
This book has helped me to have a better understanding of the Linux commands. ... Read more

Book Description
In order to thoroughly understand what makes Linux tick and why it works so well on a wide variety of systems, you need to delve deep into the heart of the kernel. The kernel handles all interactions between the CPU and the external world, and determines which programs will share processor time, in what order. It manages limited memory so well that hundreds of processes can share the system efficiently, and expertly organizes data transfers so that the CPU isn't kept waiting any longer than necessary for the relatively slow disks.

The third edition of "Understanding the Linux Kernel" takes you on a guided tour of the most significant data structures, algorithms, and programming tricks used in the kernel. Probing beyond superficial features, the authors offer valuable insights to people who want to know how things really work inside their machine. Important Intel-specific features are discussed. Relevant segments of code are dissected line by line. But the book covers more than just the functioning of the code; it explains the theoretical underpinnings of why Linux does things the way it does.

This edition of the book covers Version 2.6, which has seen significant changes to nearly every kernel subsystem, particularly in the areas of memory management and block devices. The book focuses on the following topics:

Memory management, including file buffering, process swapping, and Direct memory Access (DMA)

The Virtual Filesystem layer and the Second and Third Extended Filesystems

Process creation and scheduling

Signals, interrupts, and the essential interfaces to device drivers

Timing

Synchronization within the kernel

Interprocess Communication (IPC)

Program execution

"Understanding the Linux Kernel" will acquaint you with all the inner workings of Linux, but it's more than just an academic exercise. You'll learn what conditions bring out Linux's best performance, and you'll see how it meets the challenge of providing good system response during process scheduling, file access, and memory management in a wide variety of environments. This book will help you make the most of your Linux system. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

This book might melt your brain
Prepare to have you brain melted. This book is FACINATING but not for everyone. It's EXCEEDINGLY nerdy and doesn't attempt to simplify complex nitty gritty details, and it shouldn't. This book is an excelent place to start if you want to dig deeper into the kernel itself. It would be an excelent choice to read before a book on drivers (Linux Device Drivers (Nutshell Handbook)) or low level networking Understanding Linux Network Internals) which are both also very good books.

I would give it 4 stars but it's not quite as well written as some of the other books on Free software published by O'Reilly.

Great book on the design of the linux kernel
This is a great book to help you understand the linux kernel. It reads easily and helps you to not get lost inside of the details.

The best linux kernel book
If you only read one kernel book, read this one.Also serves as a good general operating system design and implementation primer.

Must Have for all CS Students
I'm reading this book for fun, and I've been learning so much that I didn't know from Linux, wish our Operating System courses in Venezuela was taught following this book.

N00BSp3Ak - Deciphering the Linux Kernel
To be honest, I am a complete newbie to Linux (more so, the kernel), having only recently shifted to Ubuntu (which, appropriately enough, is often called a "newbie's distribution"). Fortunately, I've had my share of background in C programming both in university and as an employee.

I've only recently delved into the "deeper" side of C - the kind that involves mapping memory and handling register sets to control hardware components. So far as I have read, this book is probably not suitable for the inexperienced, but with a little re-reading, anyone who has the least bit background in computer architecture, operating systems, and, of course, programming can catch up.

"Understanding the Linux Kernel" presents Linux in an abstracted manner, using diagrams whenever possible to illustrate how certain mechanisms - such as, let's say, memory allocation - are executed in the Linux kernel. The presentation, reviewed in line with the Linux kernel code itself, allows the average skilled programmer to obtain at least a basic understanding of Linux and the concept of operating systems in general. In the long run, this material will definitely add to (or completely revolutionize) your repertoire of programming techniques.

Required knowledge to be comfortable with the content are the C syntax, data structures, and an understanding of the binary and hexadecimal number systems. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive Real-World Guidance for Every Embedded Developer and Engineer

This book brings together indispensable knowledge for building efficient, high-value, Linux-based embedded products: information that has never been assembled in one place before. Drawing on years of experience as an embedded Linux consultant and field application engineer, Christopher Hallinan offers solutions for the specific technical issues you’re most likely to face, demonstrates how to build an effective embedded Linux environment, and shows how to use it as productively as possible.

Hallinan begins by touring a typical Linux-based embedded system, introducing key concepts and components, and calling attention to differences between Linux and traditional embedded environments. Writing from the embedded developer’s viewpoint, he thoroughly addresses issues ranging from kernel building and initialization to bootloaders, device drivers to file systems.

Hallinan thoroughly covers the increasingly popular BusyBox utilities; presents a step-by-step walkthrough of porting Linux to custom boards; and introduces real-time configuration via CONFIG_RT--one of today’s most exciting developments in embedded Linux. You’ll find especially detailed coverage of using development tools to analyze and debug embedded systems--including the art of kernel debugging.

• Compare leading embedded Linux processors
• Understand the details of the Linux kernel initialization process
• Learn about the special role of bootloaders in embedded Linux systems, with specific emphasis on U-Boot
• Use embedded Linux file systems, including JFFS2--with detailed guidelines for building Flash-resident file system images
• Understand the Memory Technology Devices subsystem for flash (and other) memory devices
• Master gdb, KGDB, and hardware JTAG debugging
• Learn many tips and techniques for debugging within the Linux kernel
• Maximize your productivity in cross-development environments
• Prepare your entire development environment, including TFTP, DHCP, and NFS target servers
• Configure, build, and initialize BusyBox to support your unique requirements

About the Author

Christopher Hallinan, field applications engineer at MontaVista software, has worked for more than 20 years in assignments ranging from engineering and engineering management to marketing and business development. He spent four years as an independent development consultant in the embedded Linux marketplace. His work has appeared in magazines, including Telecommunications Magazine, Fiber Optics Magazine, and Aviation Digest.

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent survey
I am an experienced embedded developer that just inherited an embedded Linux-based project already in progress. As there happens to be no one else at my company with any embedded Linux experience, I automatically became the de-facto Linux expert and I needed to come up to speed on a lot of topics very quickly. I found this book to be an excellent survey of the must-know topics for the embedded Linux developer. It also contains many references to the most definitive sources of information on the various topics. Highly recommended for coming up to speed on embedded Linux.

If it could fly it would be an X-Wing T65
Wow!
So far the book proves that embedding Linux while not easy can be fun and interesting. You never know what Tux will do during his startup sequences, even if you did indeed write the stuff the kernel is using for that series of startup steps.

It's a good for comprehensive for a new embedded linux.
I'm a new developer of embedded linux and have a few background about linux. When I come to embedded linux and I read this book, it quite difficult for me. However I have a big picture of the embedded linux.

If you want to have a detail of step by step of building kernel or bootloader, the detail not enough. More detail about how to or step by step of configiration and compile kernel or bootloader you should read more from recommended website.

I rate this book 4 stars because I am a new embedded linux developer, the author don't give me detail enough.

Excellent book for embeded developers
This book is an excellent primer on the Linux Embedded system development and applications support.

Mr Hallinan goes over all the important topics for Linux embedded applications support and development.

A great tutorial for system developers or technical support staff involved with Embedded Linux.

Practical advice from an experienced practitioner
Hallinan's book presents a balanced tour of the basic knowledge
required for an embedded Linux design effort. The subject is
exceedingly large and the author wisely chooses to focus on essentials
such as tools, debugging, and architecture. There is less emphasis on
quickly dated material such as source code tours and build
instructions as is found in other texts. This book will add to your
knowledge... not just your script library.

Two attributes of this text are notable: a) This is the only text on
the market with an overview of the latest CONFIG_RT technology found
in the Linux kernel. CONFIG_RT is a new way of reaching real time
performance requirements that does not depend on sub-kernels or
interrupt abstraction. b) The author remains true to making this a
"primer". This is an ideal book to start with and lay the foundation
for future learning ... Read more

Book Description

“As this book shows, Linux systems are just as functional, secure, and reliable as their proprietary counterparts. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of thousands of Linux developers, Linux is more ready than ever for deployment at the frontlines of the real world. The authors of this book know that terrain well, and I am happy to leave you in their most capable hands.”
—Linus Torvalds

“The most successful sysadmin book of all time—because it works!”
—Rik Farrow, editor of ;login:

“This book clearly explains current technology with the perspective of decades of experience in large-scale system administration. Unique and highly recommended.”
—Jonathan Corbet, cofounder, LWN.net

“Nemeth et al. is the overall winner for Linux administration: it’s intelligent, full of insights, and looks at the implementation of concepts.”
—Peter Salus, editorial director, Matrix.net

Since 2001, Linux Administration Handbook has been the definitive resource for every Linux^® system administrator who must efficiently solve technical problems and maximize the reliability and performance of a production environment. Now, the authors have systematically updated this classic guide to address today’s most important Linux distributions and most powerful new administrative tools.

The authors spell out detailed best practices for every facet of system administration, including storage management, network design and administration, web hosting, software configuration management, performance analysis, Windows interoperability, and much more. Sysadmins will especially appreciate the thorough and up-to-date discussions of such difficult topics such as DNS, LDAP, security, and the management of IT service organizations.

Linux^® Administration Handbook, Second Edition, reflects the current versions of these leading distributions:

• Red Hat^® Enterprise Linux^®
• Fedora^TM Core
• SUSE^® Linux Enterprise
• Debian^® GNU/Linux
• Ubuntu^® Linux

Sharing their war stories and hard-won insights, the authors capture the behavior of Linux systems in the real world, not just in ideal environments. They explain complex tasks in detail and illustrate these tasks with examples drawn from their extensive hands-on experience.

Customer Reviews (40)

A great reference
This book is extremely well written and packed full of useful tidbits. It is not a collection of "HOWTOS", but rather an informative guide to Linux administration. It provides easy to understand explanations of the various aspects of the job. This is a must have book for any entry level to junior Linux sysadmin.

Linux Administration Handbook
This book was a gift for my son in CA who works for Yahoo.He actually had the book on his Wish List at the top!He received it for his December birthday, and loves it.I wouldn't be surprised if he has it on the plane he and his wife are in, heading for a week in Thailand.It was Greek to me, but he loves it!

Very Happy
Book showed up quickly.In very good shape (like new for my needs).All in all I'm very happy with everything.

Non Fiction
The Linux Administration Handbook by Evi Nemeth is a very in depth look at the subject, from the ground up, so to speak.They cover right from the start, and do point out a few distributions, and things like that.

The only problem I can see is that you probably will want this to be longer!

Awesome
The only Linux book you'll need.I took this book to work with me and it has helped me with the not too common issues that come up as well as being a good teaching guide for newbies.This book covers all the major distributions. ... Read more

Book Description
Over the last few years, Linux has grown both as an operating system and a tool for personal and business use. Simultaneously becoming more user friendly and more powerful as a back-end system, Linux has achieved new plateaus: the newer filesystems have solidified, new commands and tools have appeared and become standard, and the desktop--including new desktop environments--have proved to be viable, stable, and readily accessible to even those who don't consider themselves computer gurus.

Whether you're using Linux for personal software projects, for a small office or home office (often termed the SOHO environment), to provide services to a small group of colleagues, or to administer a site responsible for millions of email and web connections each day, you need quick access to information on a wide range of tools. This book covers all aspects of administering and making effective use of Linux systems. Among its topics are booting, package management, and revision control. But foremost in Linux in a Nutshell are the utilities and commands that make Linux one of the most powerful and flexible systems available.

Now in its fifth edition, Linux in a Nutshell brings users up-to-date with the current state of Linux.Considered by many to be the most complete and authoritative command reference for Linux available, the book covers all substantial user, programming, administration, and networking commands for the most common Linux distributions.

Comprehensive but concise, the fifth edition has been updated to cover new features of major Linux distributions.Configuration information for the rapidly growing commercial network services and community update services is one of the subjects covered for the first time.

But that's just the beginning. The book covers editors, shells, and LILO and GRUB boot options. There's also coverage of Apache, Samba, Postfix, sendmail, CVS, Subversion, Emacs, vi, sed, gawk, and much more. Everything that system administrators, developers, and power users need to know about Linux is referenced here, and they will turn to this book again and again.

Customer Reviews (35)

Essential Linux Reference
This book is a constant companion on my physical desktop....if you deal with Linux in anyway at all this book is a necessity.

A very big nutshell!
This book is as it promises, lots of information in a very (relatively) small space. The chapters are organized on topics that the newbie (read: me!) needs to know about and the explanations are thorough and well-written. While the old hand will understand the material covered easily and without much review, the newbie will have to read and re-read to get it all. Chapter 3 lists the most common LINUX commands and details arguments that go with them. The index and the fact that the commands lists are alphabetical make it very easy to look up a specific command or function and find out what you need to know to make it work on the spot. The chapters on Shells and on the VIM Editor are very informative and make two tough topics easy to understand. Reading through the VIM editor chapter as I did a lab practical made the process almost fun. For me, the best part was that I could understand the book, and my way experienced friend also finds it a useful reference for his more advanced work. So, I'll be able to use it while I grow into it as a LINUX user.

It's a Nutshell book. Duh.
If you've been in the tech field for any length of time you own at least one Nutshell book. If you like them, you own several; if you don't, you probably stopped at one.

good Linux desk encyclopedia
This is a good paper Linux reference for system administrators and (to some extent) software developers. If you are using Linux as a desktop system this is probably not the book for you, because you will do everything through a GUI and will never need anything in this book.

Despite initial appearances, this is not just a dump of all the Unix man pages. Each command entry is considerably condensed, with less-used options omitted and most of the more verbose option descriptions shrunk to one line. On the other hand it gives lengthier and more useful synopses than the man pages do. Some of the more complicated programs such as gawk and cvs have their own chapters with detailed introductions to the tools.

This is almost totally a reference, with no tutorial information and some scattered examples. The introductory sections on each tool are good. The book has a good functional index which helps find the relevant commands.

I have mixed feelings about the level of coverage in this book. It's perched in an awkward place between a really comprehensive reference (which would have to be multiple volumes) and an overview that alerts you to the capabilities and where to find the commands, without giving you the parameters and options. I think I would like it better if it had less detail, so I could quickly get an overview (without rummaging through 942 pages) and then delve into the man pages for the details. Think of the present book as a desktop encyclopedia: it gives you a good overview, and if you already know an area it can remind you of the parameters, but it's neither a tutorial nor a complete reference.

Excellent Reference Book
When you need to know what a Linux command does and all the options you can use with it, this book is the one to buy.I have two other books on how to install and use Linux.They teach you about the integrated software and some of the operating system commands for specific actions.This book details the commands and syntax in depth. ... Read more

Book Description
This soup-to-nuts collection of recipes covers everything you need to know to perform your job as a Linux network administrator, whether you're new to the job or have years of experience. With Linux Networking Cookbook, you'll dive straight into the gnarly hands-on work of building and maintaining a computer network. Running a network doesn't mean you have all the answers. Networking is a complex subject with reams of reference material that's difficult to keep straight, much less remember. If you want a book that lays out the steps for specific tasks, that clearly explains the commands and configurations, and does not tax your patience with endless ramblings and meanderings into theory and obscure RFCs, this is the book for you. You will find recipes for: Building a gateway, firewall, and wireless access point on a Linux network Building a VoIP server with Asterisk Secure remote administration with SSH Building secure VPNs with OpenVPN, and a Linux PPTP VPN server Single sign-on with Samba for mixed Linux/Windows LANs Centralized network directory with OpenLDAP Network monitoring with Nagios or MRTG Getting acquainted with IPv6 Setting up hands-free networks installations of new systems Linux system administration via serial console And a lot more. Each recipe includes a clear, hands-on solution with tested code, plus a discussion on why it works. When you need to solve a network problem without delay, and don't have the time or patience to comb through reference books or the Web for answers, Linux Networking Cookbook gives you exactly what you need. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Linux Admin or Consultant should have one ...
If you want to leverage your existing Linux admin and configuration skill, you should have one of this. Even if you don't dirty your hand with it, it gives you the scope of work and resources require when you are proposing to your boss or your customers. It will make you boss happy.

Just what I needed!
I bought this book because I enjoyed the Linux Cookbook book that Carla also wrote.This book is formatted much the same.I don't have to read pages and pages of discussion just to find what I need.It's a handy reference.

Network stuff can be complicated.Thanks to this book, I'm better at it.

I only hope that Carla is working on the next "cookbook"!!8-)

Excellent Resource
This cookbook gets quickly down to business with an amazing breadth of useful networking information.I've found it to be an excellent guide for hands on learning of networking with Linux

The book only asks that you have a basic understanding of working from the command line.Where applicable the instructions for various solutions are given for Fedora and Debian.

The most valuable parts for me thus far are how to access machines remotely and this applies to working on your linux box remotely and working with windows machines remotely from a linux machine.As networks become increasingly mixed with unix/linux and windows - this book is going to be more and more relevant and useful in that area.

The amazon price makes this useful collection of knowledge a really great deal.

A time-saver book
Linux networking cookbook is a book for both a seasoned and new Linux network administrator. It includes valuable time saving recipes, tools and related resources. The book is written in clear and concise style with tons of examples and working code.

Sure you can dig out all info presented here with the help of man pages, web, forums and chat rooms, but not in one handy guide. (remember time is an important factor in Enterprise computing).

Overall it is a great book that touches all important Linux networking aspects. This book is highly recommended to all RHCEs/ Geeks / MCESs / UNIX admin and small business owner who manges their own Linux boxes. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Updated to cover version 2.4.x of the Linux kernel, the second edition of Linux Device Drivers remains the best general-purpose, paper-bound guide for programmers wishing to make hardware devices work under the world's most popular open-source operating system. The authors take care to show how to write drivers that are portable--that is, that compile and run under all popular Linux platforms. That, along with the fact that they're careful to explain and illustrate concepts, makes this book very well suited to any programmer familiar with C but not with the hardware-software interface. It's worth noting that the emphasis in the title is on "device drivers" as much as "Linux." This book will make sense to you if you've never written a driver for any platform before. It helps if you have some Linux or Unix background, but even that is secondary as a prerequisite to C skill.

For a programming text--and one concerned with low-level instructions and data structures, at that--this book is remarkably rich in prose. You'll typically want to read this book straight through, more or less skipping the code samples, before sketching out your plan for the driver you need to write. Then, go back and pay closer attention to the sections on specific details you need to implement, like custom task queues. For coding-time details about specific system calls and programming techniques, count on the index to point you to the right passages. --David Wall

Topics covered: Techniques for writing hardware device drivers that run under Linux kernels 2.0.x through 2.2.x. Sections show how to manage memory, time, interrupts, ports, and other details of the hardware-software interface.Book Description
This book is for anyone who wants to support computer peripherals under the Linux operating system or who wants to develop new hardware and run it under Linux. Linux is the fastest-growing segment of the Unix market, is winning over enthusiastic adherents in many application areas, and is being viewed more and more as a good platform for embedded systems. Linux Device Drivers, already a classic in its second edition, revealsinformation that heretofore has been shared by word of mouth or in crypticsource code comments, on how to write drivers for a wide range of devices.

Version 2.4 of the Linux kernel includes significant changes to devicedrivers, simplifying many activities, but providing subtle new features that can make a driver both more efficient and more flexible.The second edition of this book thoroughly covers these changes, as well as new processors and buses.

You don't have to be a kernel hacker to understand and enjoy this book; all you need is an understanding of C and some background in Unix system calls. You'll learn how to write drivers for character devices, block devices, and network interfaces, guided byfull-featured examples that you can compile and run without special hardware. Major changes in the second edition include discussions of symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and locking, new CPUs, and recently supported buses. For those who are curious about how an operating system does its job, this book provides insights into address spaces, asynchronous events, and I/O.

Portability is a major concern in the text. The book is centered on version 2.4, but includes information for kernels back to 2.0 where feasible. Linux Device Driver also shows how to maximizeportability among hardware platforms; examples were tested on IA32 (PC) and IA64, PowerPC, SPARC and SPARC64, Alpha, ARM, and MIPS.

Contents include:

• Building a driver and loading modules
• Complete character, block, and network drivers
• Debugging a driver
• Timing
• Handling symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) systems
• Memory management and DMA
• Interrupts
• Portability issues
• Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

Book Description

The Linux kernel is one of the most important and far-reaching open-source projects. That is why Novell Press is excited to bring you the second edition of Linux Kernel Development, Robert Love's widely acclaimed insider's look at the Linux kernel. This authoritative, practical guide helps developers better understand the Linux kernel through updated coverage of all the major subsystems as well as new features associated with the Linux 2.6 kernel. You'll be able to take an in-depth look at Linux kernel from both a theoretical and an applied perspective as you cover a wide range of topics, including algorithms, system call interface, paging strategies and kernel synchronization. Get the top information right from the source in Linux Kernel Development.

Customer Reviews (36)

Perfect Book
This book is just great! I've been reading linux kernel source codes for a while and this book put all things together.

Very impressed.
Hi,
eveything is good,
the price, the shipment, and the time to delivery.
very impressed.
Thanks,
Sridhar

Excellent Book
I heartily recommend this book to anyone doing Linux Kernel or Kernel module development.Although the Modules chapter could be expanded upon, the rest of the book gives excellent insight into the workings of the 2.6 Kernel.Also, the three appendices provide good examples and additional information.This book has provided invaluable information for completing and documenting a complex project I've been working on.

Primer for transitioners to Linux
Excellent book for Linux rampups(esp with years on other OS'es).
A flowing style that explains effortlessly about scheduler, slabs, dentry.

In Chap 12, it would be nice to have filesys comparison in table format(e.g. Reiser, ext3, jfs wrt performance, journalling), although this strictly is not kernel.
Chap 18(Debugging) could also be more polluted with real life tools info, e.g Kprobes, LTT, lcrash or LKCD or the coolest toy on sourceforge)

Overall, money very well spent on this book.

Good book for Linux kernel basics
This book presents the kernel basics in a lucid language with the necessary details, that both newbies and experienced kernel programmers can grasp. My favorite section is the one about the new 2.6 scheduler. A chapter on the open source community is also included towards the end.

Once you have read this book and understood the kernel a bit, it would be helpful in dwelling into subsystem specifics that this book might not have gone into. I suggest reading the Linux Device Drivers by Corebet, Rubini, Kroah-Hartman for that purpose. These books, together with articles on the web, should certainly help anyone interested. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Provided you have some previous basic exposure to C and Unix, Beginning Linux Programming delivers an excellent overview of the world of Linux development with an appealing range of essential tools and APIs.

The standout feature of Beginning Linux Programming is its wide-ranging coverage of important topics in basic Unix programming. In a series of short chapters, the authors discuss the basics of writing Unix programs in C, with material on basic system calls, file I/O, interprocess communication (for getting programs to work together), and advanced topics such as socket programming and how to create Unix device drivers.

Parallel to this, the book introduces the toolkits and libraries for working with user interfaces, from simpler terminal mode applications to X and GTK+ for graphical user interfaces. While you won't be an authority on X or GTK+ after reading this book, you will certainly be able to explore real Linux development on your own after the capable introductory guide provided here. (The book's main example, a CD-ROM database, gets enhanced in subsequent chapters using new APIs and features as the book moves forward.) This text also serves as a valuable primer on languages and tools such as Tcl, Perl, and CGI. (There's even a section that explains the basics of the Internet and HTML.)

More than ever, there is no shortage of specific information on Linux programming, but few titles provide such a wide-ranging tour of what you need to know to get serious with Linux development. In all, Beginning Linux Programming gives the reader an intelligent sampling of essential topics in today's Linux. It's a wise choice for aspiring Unix C developers or folks seeking to extend the range of their Linux knowledge. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: Linux overview, compiling C programs, shell programming, pipes, script keywords and functions, Unix file I/O in C, Unix system functions, terminal interfaces (termios, keyboard input, the curses library), memory management, file locking, dbm databases, make and source control basics, man pages, debugging with gdb, processes and signals, POSIX threads and synchronization, IPC and pipes, semaphores, queues and shared memory, sockets, Tcl basics, X Windows and GTK+ for GNOME, Perl basics, HTML and CGI, writing Unix device drivers.Book Description
What is this book about?

If you have some programming experience and are ready to venture into Linux programming, this updated edition of the bestselling entry-level book takes you there. The authors guide you step by step, using construction of a CD database application to give you hands-on experience as you progress from the basic to the complex. You’ll start with fundamental concepts like writing Unix programs in C. You’ll learn basic system calls, file I/O, interprocess communication, and shell programming. You’ll become skilled with the toolkits and libraries for working with user interfaces.

The book starts from the basics, explaining how to compile and run your first program. New to this edition are chapters on MySQL® access and administration; programming GNOME and KDE; and Linux standards for portable applications. Coverage of kernel programming, device drivers, CVS, grep, and GUI development environments has expanded. This book gives you practical knowledge for real wor ld application.

What does this book cover?

In this book, you will learn how to

• Develop programs to access files and the Linux environment
• Use the GNU compiler, debugger and other development tools
• Program data storage aapplications for MySQL and DBM database systems
• Write programs that take advantage of signals, processes and threads
• Build graphical user interfaces using both the GTK (for GNOME) and Qt (for KDE) libraries
• Write device drivers that can be loaded into the Linux kernel
• Access the network using TCP/IP sockets
• Write scripts that use grep, regular expressions and other Linux facilities

This book is for programmers with some C or C++ experience, who want to take advantage of the Linux development environment. You should have enough Linux familiarity to have installed and configured users on Linux.Download Description
Completely revised and updated, this bestseller continues to offer a unique, straightforward, and structured approach to learning UNIX programming on the Linux platform.
New chapters cover topics such as MySQL access and administration, programming GNOME using the GTK GNOME architecture, programming KDE using Qt, and Linux standards for portable applications.
Selling Points
* Offers in-depth coverage of Linux programming basics for the reader needing a thorough introduction
* Detailed and realistic examples help readers learn by doing, enabling them to move from programming basics to sophisticated custom applications
* Covers C programming fundamentals on the Linux platform, including material on basic system calls, file I/O, interprocess communication, and shell programming ... Read more

Customer Reviews (74)

A Big Disappointment
I have about 3 years of working with Visual Basic under Windows as a hobbyist and have been using K/Ubuntu for about a year and half at home. I wanted to get back in writing some simple GUIs for personal use and this book appeared to be the perfect match.

There just isn't any help available if you get jammed up while trying to write, compile and run your programs.Absolutely not enough detail for a newbie to get up and running.I never could get the simplest GUI programs toward the end of the book to run with GTK.Since the title states it is "Beginning" Linux Programming a little hand holding & places for help is expected.I know my problem was no doubt caused by not having the proper things loaded with Synaptic but I had no idea of what to do.After futzing with it for a week, I finally cut my losses and chucked the book in the trash.

A non-beginner would not have my trouble, no doubt, but I am a beginner.I have since been playing with wxWidgets and have had much more success.

I do guess there are NO books out there for beginners wishing to do simple apps with Linux.In general, most Linux programming books & web sites are very poor compared to what is available for Windows.

Really a good book for begginner
Well the book is self explanotary and helps a new bee to understand easly the concepts of linux programmming

Great book
I bought this book 1996 when I was in high school. It was challenging, and now when I returned to it in 2006, I realize how much I skipped on my 96' reading. The great thing with this book (at least the 96 edition) is that is has such a nice flow. You will learn the concepts of Unix programming, introduced in a perfect order and pace.

The source code compiles with no problems.

Not worth it
As a true beginner, I had a lot of trouble understanding the concepts in the book. It did not give nearly as many examples as were necessary nor was the presentation beginner friendly. I wouldn't recommend this book... unfortunately, I don't know of a good alternative.

Excellent, extremely readable from page 1
As an absolute beginner in Linux, this book has answered most of my questions and took me out of my closed 'windows' based mentality. I warmly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description
Aimed squarely at aspiring Linux power users and professional administrators, the Ubuntu Linux Toolbox offers more than 1000 examples of useful Linux command lines.

This compact, handy reference is made to carry with you, whether you are maintaining hundreds of Linux systems or just want to dig beneath the surface of your Ubuntu desktop system.

This is the Linux reference book you need to step up to the next level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excelent reference
This book is part of a "collection" for the most important distros, and the authors did a great job in the selection of subjects and examples.

The only thing I don't like at all is the big cut-and-paste made in several chapters between the books of this "collection", I think starting from the "fedora sibling" one. For example, on page 240 of the "ubuntu sibling" you may see a ftp session showing how to get a Fedora 7 iso image; on page 157 they forgot to translate a "yum install...".

So mi only advice is to the people planning to buy all the collection: compare first before because a lot is verbatim repeated.

Considered alone, this book is very good for several reasons the other reviewers did write and I totally agree.

Great for the ubuntu enthusiast
This book is a great book. I didn't buy it from Amazon but I felt I needed to give it some credit.

Just found this one.
I just picked this book up at a local Borders (cheaper here, btw).After looking through their entire section trying to find an up-to-date book on Linux commands for the purposes I wanted, I chose this one.

Although Ubuntu is often called "Linux for Human Beings" or "Linux for non-geeks", I wanted to get geekier with the command line and have better control over my Ubuntu PCs.This book is perfect for someone who isn't afraid to tinker a little to get a lot in return.The section on multimedia is excellent.

Fantastic Book!
There are good books, and then there are fantastic ones."Ubuntu Linux Toolbox" is the latter!You will be pleased to find that this book covers a vast amount of usable content in an easy to follow format, all the while sparing the reader from useless history and installation filler content that many other books seem to regurgitate over and over again.I mean, how many times do you really need to read about how to install Ubuntu?The content is clear, concise, and useful for day to day tasks and objectives, no matter if you are an experienced GNU/Linux administrator, or simply eager to learn how to become one.This book gets a well deserved 5 star rating.

Perfect Book for Power Users Wanting to Extend Their Skills
Hey folks... I've been an RHCE since 2000, training RHCEs since 2003, and "doing Linux" since 1996.

What I like:
The three big things that I like about Linux Toolbox are:
1) It concisely shows you how to use the Linux command line to solve many of the most common personal and administrative tasks.
2) It uses the proven "learn by doing" method to show the reader how to just "get stuff done" from the Linux command line.
3) What really sets this book apart from other "next level" type books is its well thought layout and how they organized the content in a quickly accessible way.Negus & Caen split the content out by Shell stuff, Working w/Files, Text Manipulation, Multimedia, Administration, Backups, Networking, etc.. .Well thought out and quickly useful as an on-hand reference.

So who should buy this book?
I see it being a "best fit" for two groups of people:
1) Technical users and admins who want to become more competent on the command line and be able to do ten times more work thought automation (scripting).
2) Windows power users who want to become more savvy on the Linux side (Linux power user wannabes).Especially those who need to get Linux CLI/shell proficient quickly (such as Windows sys-admins who have had Linux forced on them)

Old Timers Too:
The cool thing is that even if you've been using Linux for years (as I have), there are still useful "Oooo.. cool!" moments peppered throughout the book.Do you know how to properly (and quickly) get the most out of classic power tools like find, sed, awk, case, and tr?Are you armed with experience in all the newer über tools such as screen, dmidecode, growisofs?Do you know how to do software RAID from the command line (mdadm) or know how to build & control LVM via its command line tools?If you answered "no" to any of these.. you should check check out Linux Toolbox.

Negus and Caen have a winner here.Good job guys.

Tweeks ... Read more

Book Description
Make the Most of Today’s Smallest, Fastest Desktop Linux Distribution–Damn Small Linux!

Customer Reviews (6)

Well worth the investment!
This book consolidates material that you would otherwise have to spend days scouring the web and forums to find.(Not to mention the misinformation that is often floating around out there.)Damn Small Linux is a great operating system with a great development team and community.And this book provides tons of detail on how to use it.

One of Two Must Have Embedded Linux Books
I first started my journey into DSL via another book; Craig Hollabaugh's "Embedded Linux, Hardware, Software, & Interfacing," 2002, ISBN 0-672-32226-9. This book is extremely valuable, if you wish to know how to put together a small single purpose embedded Linux system. However, by the time that I began to read it in 2005 (marriage, moving), it was beginning to show it's age. Most of the links to additional reading, at the end of each chapter, were broken. In addition, most of the projects that I have been associated with, require some form of primitive GUI.

Enter DSL! I fell in love immediately. Here were all of the missing pieces. Until the appearance of this book, the web and patience, were the only way to gain a good grounding in the techniques specific to this distro. The contents of this work are not just a repeat of that found on the net. The materials included are complementary to that information.

Don't just read the 1st half of the book. Read the project material also. There are gems to be gleaned therein.

The only complaint that I have about the book is in the binding, which is quite stiff, and therefore does not easily lend itself to setting next to the keyboard, or project workspace. I took my working copy (I have three) to an office supply store and had it coil bound for ~ $6.00. Problem solved.

Good job guys...

Damn Small Linux Book.....review
I have been a fan of the DSL distribution for several years, and was pleased hear of the book's release.While there is an abundance of online information for DSL (as well as other Linux distributions), having a "hard copy" reference available is handy.The book is well written, and documents the features of this extremely full-featured minimalist Linux.While the book comes with a CD inside the back cover, I would download the distribution directly and use the very active user forum for the latest information.

A top pick for any comprehensive computer library
Damn Small Linux or DSL is a platform which can be used even by those new to Linux: it puts together everything needed to put DSL to work quickly, comes with a live CD-ROM, and packs in customization and application tips. The CD-ROM includes several versions of DSL to allow it to run either from the cd or a Windows desktop or even a pen drive, and offers all the tools perfect for juxtaposing with the book. This excellent package is a top pick for any comprehensive computer library where Linux or DSL is a feature.

Damn Small Concept is the Greatest Idea!!!
I should say I started my journey in the Linux world with DamnSmallLinux. This Damn Small concept drew my attention and pulled me in to this efficient computing world. I love the concept about utilizing technology and would like to learn more. Although the website and forum do give me a lot of help and guidance, it is always good to have a handy bible around. If you are interested in how Linux works, this is a must have book. ... Read more

Book Description
* Great Content from a Bestselling Author: The Linux Bible 2008 Edition is the best first Linux book for new or migrating users. By focusing on the building-block nature of Linux, and offering true up-to-date descriptions of Linux technology, the Bible helps the reader learn how to jump headlong into Linux, regardless of the Linux distribution they choose. Descriptions of different Linux distributions helps users choose the Linux distribution that's right for them. Detailed installation instructions, step-by-step descriptions of key desktop and server components, and the actual distributions on CD and DVD, let readers get started using Linux immediately. The Bible will serve a broad range of readers, from those starting with Linux to anyone looking to evaluate different Linux distributions. It also covers broad usage including Linux desktops, servers, and firewall/routers.

* New features: Instead of just telling you about how the technology works, new "Bringing Linux In" sections describe how people have implemented Linux in the real world. New sections describe real-life examples, such as how:

* A Small office created an inexpensive Web, print, and file server

* A do-it-yourselfer combined Linux audio and video features to create a home multimedia center

* A school build a computer lab with free educational software

* A large corporation deployed thousands of Linux systems

* Unique CD and DVD: No other book on the market includes so many Linux distributions on CD and DVD. Our DVD and CD will include the latest versions of at least the following Linux distributions: Fedora, Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE, KNOPPIX, Gentoo, Slackware, Mandriva, Damn Small Linux, SLAX, BackTrack, GeeXbox, and others.Download Description
* Detailed installation instructions and step-by-step descriptions of key desktop and server components help new users get up and running immediately
* Descriptions of the various distributions from people in the Linux community help users zero in on the best Linux for their needs
* The perfect migration guide for Windows and Macintosh desktop users who want to switch to Linux, as well as for systems administrators who want to set up secure, fully functioning server systems
* Covers Linux embedded systems, firewalls, and routers plus desktops and servers
* Includes Fedora Core 3, Debian Linux, SUSE Linux, Knoppix, Gentoo Linux, Slackware Linux, Mandrake Linux, Damn Small Linux, and a Linux firewall and router on DVD ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

good for beginners to intermediate
This review originally appeared in the AZTCS journal.

There are things I don't like about this book.

In Chapter 3, I'm disappointed there isn't more detail about alternate window managers.I think too many people feel KDE and GNOME are the only choices available ... or the desktop is Linux ... or don't know they can start with a blank xwindow and make their own desktop and menus.

The book should include more about shell scripting, not so much to teach it as to give an idea of the power available.I feel slighted he didn't mention Emacs in the text editor section; honestly I think this is a tremendous oversight on his part as Emacs is a popular and powerful text editor.

Another thing I didn't like was with the CD/DVD set.A lot of older computers don't have DVD readers making installation of the distros on DVD more difficult.

There are several things I like about the book.I think it gives an objective view of Linux.The author introduces and quickly acquaints the reader with the command-line.Many authors seem to feel the command line should be avoided, but Negus plunges in and makes the use of the command-line, if not easy, at least not scary.The command-line is a part of Linux.He is not afraid to expose his readers to the terminal and to its use.

The CD/DVD collection contains an excellent range of distros ... from a distro that will run from a floppy (I recently used a floppy distro to fix a forgotten password in XP) to some desktops that are a little cramped on a PIII with 512 MB memory.Negus shows, although there are some specialized distributions, most have the tools and versitiliy to handle any task.If you want to surf the web and check your email and chat on-line, build a full webhost, add a firewall to your home network, recover files from a crashed Windows system or are looking for something VERY interesting to do with your computer, Linux probably has something for you.

His instructions are generally clear and concise.Where necessary, Negus gives step-by-step examples.He explains but, to me, manages to balance between overinforming to the point of boredom and talking down to the audience.I read 2 or 3 of his other books and his style generally is informative and as technical as necessary but not overly so.

Of the several beginning to intermediate Linix books I read in the last few years, this book is the best.

SWEET!
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!People just don't know how much this can help your IT department and or e-business.-William, Texas.

Outstanding material
This is a great reference to give you the basics of Linux and then more specific instructions and copies of the software to work with.
It is written in language the beginner can even follow.I highly recommend it!

Eh, OK Book I suppose
Just gives you the basics about all the different Linux operating systems.

Great book, good companion to UNIX DVD!
This book makes a great companion for "UNIX Essentials and UNIX Core" DVD course! It is nicely written, pleasure to read and easy to follow. It is one of these books that were carefully edited and the examples work correctly. As I mentioned I have coupled it with the DVD and these two make very efficient couple!
I also appreciate the style of the writing, open not mentoring, very nice. ... Read more

Book Description
Master the Linux Tools That Will Make You a More Productive, Effective Programmer

The Linux Programmer's Toolbox helpsyou tap into the vast collection of open source tools available forGNU/Linux. Author John Fusco systematically describes the most usefultools available on most GNU/Linux distributions using concise examplesthat you can easily modify to meet your needs.

You'llstart by learning the basics of downloading, building, and installingopen source projects. You'll then learn how open source tools aredistributed, and what to look for to avoid wasting time on projectsthat aren't ready for you. Next, you'll learn the ins and outs ofbuilding your own projects. Fusco also demonstrates what to look for ina text editor, and may even show you a few new tricks in your favoritetext editor.

You'll enhance your knowledgeof the Linux kernel by learning how it interacts with your software.Fusco walks you through the fundamentals of the Linux kernel withsimple, thought-provoking examples that illustrate the principlesbehind the operating system. Then he shows you how to put thisknowledge to use with more advanced tools. He focuses on how tointerpret output from tools like sar, vmstat, valgrind, strace, andapply it to your application; how to take advantage of variousprogramming APIs to develop your own tools; and how to write code thatmonitors itself.

Next, Fusco covers toolsthat help you enhance the performance of your software. He explains theprinciples behind today's multicore CPUs and demonstrates how tosqueeze the most performance from these systems. Finally, you'll learntools and techniques to debug your code under any circumstances.

Coverage includes

• Maximizing productivity with editors, revision control tools, source code browsers, and "beautifiers"

• Interpreting the kernel: what your tools are telling you

• Understanding processes–and the tools available for managing them

• Tracing and resolving application bottlenecks with gprof and valgrind

• Streamlining and automating the documentation process

• Rapidly finding help, solutions, and workarounds when you need them

Customer Reviews (5)

A pick for any serious programmer's collection
The Linux Programmer's Toolbox discusses open source tools available for GNU/Linux, describing the most useful tools available and using plenty of examples on how to modify them for Linux needs. From learning how Linux interacts with software and understanding the basics of the Linux kernel to interpreting tools and applying it to applications, THE LINUX PROGRAMMER'S TOOLBOX comes packed with tips on how to streamline and customize processes, making it a pick for any serious programmer's collection and any library strong on Linux applications.

How to learn Linux
This book is aimed at the person who has learned his way around Linux at the user level and now wants to look under the covers.It's extremely comprehensive - from how to add a Linux application that wasn't in your your initial distribution - whether you can use the binary or need to rebuild it from source - through basic facts on the kernel, devices and their drivers, processes and debugging tools.There has been a need for a book that addresses readers who do know something about computers, but not much Linux.This book fills that need extremely well.

Great Book
Overall this is a great book.It collects a lot of information in one place and gives a lot of insights and tips on programming in Linux.The only down sides I see are that it is somewhat VI heavy (and emacs light) and the dumb light saber on the cover.I am sure that the author is a vi user, so that can be excused I guess and he probably didn't get to pick the cover.I know Prentice Hall wanted to have a theme for the "Open Source Software Development Series", but all Linux programmers are not supernerds that go crazy over anything Star Wars related.Anyway, I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to take their Linux use to the next level.

all the linux
Fusco gathers into one easy to read book the many open source tools available under linux. Cumulatively written by hundreds (if not thousands) of contributors. You might pause a moment when reading the text, to reflect on the amazing amount of code that is freely available under linux.

The tools are meant for two types of readers. The system administrator. The programmer. For the sysadmin, there are tools for install packages. Very practical, since updated packages often have bug fixes or new functionalities. This includes rpm, which is used by Red Hat, Suse and other linux distributions. But dpkg is also explained. This is used by Debian and Ubuntu. For the programmer, tools include ways to share memory between processes, as well as communicating between them via semaphores or message queues.

The book reflects a general approach taken by Fusco. Tools are described across the popular linux distributions. The book can be used by you, regardless of which distribution you favour.

There is a stylistic difference between the material in the book and a corresponding text on Microsoft's offerings. The latter often has a rich graphical framework, like Visual Studio. In contrast, significant portions of this book refer to tools used at the command line. Reflecting linux's heritage in unix. Which means that portions of the text might be initially more complex to master.

I'm awestruck
No, really.The first thing that impressed me is how much information the author packed into 600 odd pages.It takes skill to do that well and still be readable and interesting.

A programmer moving from anything to Linux would find this a simply wonderful roadmap and introduction, but I was surprised to notice that this would also be very good for non-programmers: sys admin or high level support types will like this book also.

There's good stuff here: the subsection of Chapter Two that deals with things that can go wrong during compiles is the best treatment of that I've ever read.Chapter 5 is titled "What every developer should know about the kernel", but most of it is things every admin/support person should know too.Of course there's much more: this is very thorough and complete.

Definitely recommended.

... Read more