Product Description
Prepares users for the Red Hat Certified Technician (RHCT) Certification, Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Certification, and SAIR/GNU Linux Certified Administrator (LCA) Certification. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

THE book
Awesome book to learn linux. Didn't really use the fedora, but the same applies to ubuntu or any other. This book is big and has a little of everything about linux. Has step-by-step exercises and is rich in information. Learned a lot from it. Definitely recommend it.

Excellent seller
Extremely quick shipping, inside of a week and in new condition!
Will purchase from this seller again and again!

Good Prep for the Linux+ 2009
I really enjoyed the examples at the end of each chapter. The hands on approach is the best for mastering any subject, highly recommend!

Great book but...
Great book, terrible software!In an online class I use this book for, I have been unable to get the version of Fedora (core 2) that comes with the book to install correctly.Several other students with the same book have the same issues. Perhaps ship this book with a newer version.

Very good book
I am finishing my Masters degree and using this book together with Advanced Guide to Linux Networking and Security by Ed Sawicki and Nicholas Wells. Both books are very good. The Complete Guide to Linux System Administration is very informative and suitable for the audience new to Linux. Some topics overlap but I found it to be a good thing. This is the book I am going to keep after I finish my studies. ... Read more

Product Description

• Starts with the basics of Red Hat, the leading Linux distribution in the U.S., such as network planning and Red Hat installation and configuration
• Offers a close look at the new Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and Fedora Core 4 releases
• New chapters cover configuring a database server, creating a VNC server, monitoring performance, providing Web services, exploring SELinux security basics, and exploring desktops
• Demonstrates how to maximize the use of Red Hat Network, upgrade and customize the kernel, install and upgrade software packages, and back up and restore the file system
• The four CDs contain the full Fedora Core 4 distribution

Customer Reviews (22)

very good ref material
this book is a very good reference material for all linux sysadmins.
the explanations are very concise/straight-to-the-point that we keep this book within arm's reach especially during troubleshooting.It is better than googling for answers.

More of an Intro to Red Hat...
While this rather large book does cover many Red Hat topics, it does so with little depth. You'll be much better informed by actually installing and configuring Red Hat/CentOS and reading the man pages. Caveat Emptor.

Not a great guide, not really great.
If I could I would give this book two and a half stars, but 2 will do.I am a complete noob when it comes to Linux and got this book for class.The book is getting really outdated.I had several different problems installing fedora and it was no hope.Not a great guide for a true beginner but makes a decent reference.I like a lot of examples when starting something new and the examples in this book are lacking.For being 1,000 pages its surprising what is left out.

No experience necessary
I have been working in a Windows IT environment for over 7 years, but had no Linux experience except for installing it on a test machine (but then again, even a 5 year-old could install it since it's so easy).But I never had to work with it in an enterprise level until now.Without any solid experience with Linux and armed only with this book (and 7 years of "figuring it out" IT skills), I managed to get Redhat ES v3 running on an old server class machine with an older RAID controller.I even got it to talk to Windows clients AND the old HP-UX servers (I didn't have Unix experience either!).The boss was impressed!This is an excellent book that doesn't get annoying (like those Dummies books) or pretends to be a "Linux Admin book for Beginners" like that other book that's out there.I started with an older version of this book from the library, and this new version is even better.This book is a great investment and I'm glad I bought it.

Right at my level
Now in its third edition along with a DVD that includes Full Fedora Core 4, the latest (as of 10/18/05). People have complained that this book (in its earlier editions) are too simplified and beginnerish. I guess then that I'm not enough of a guru to go to something more advanced.

I find the background that this book gives is exactly at the level I need. Some books that simply say 'type this in.' Other books take a few hundred pages to explain what's happening at a level where I've forgotten the question by the time I get to the end of the description. This book is positioned at a nice level inbetween. I know what to type in and I have some understanding of why.

I further like the writing style and the way they use bold face, 'Notes' and 'Tips' to emphasize things. These features enable me to find out what I need more quickly. Finally, there are additions from the earlier editions which explain things that caused questions or were left out.

I'd rank this as an intermediate level book. It's not a here's how to start with Linux book. Nor is it an in great depth geek level book. I guess I like it so well, because it's at about the level I need. ... Read more

Product Description

This is Linux for those of us who don’t mind typing. All Linux users and administrators tend to like the flexibility and speed of Linux administration from the command line in byte–sized chunks, instead of fairly standard GUIs. Beginning the Linux Command Line follows a task–oriented approach and is distribution agnostic.

• Work with files and directories.
• Administer users and security.
• Understand how Linux is organized.

Customer Reviews (3)

An Excellent Multi-Distribution View of The Real Linux User & Administrator
In the days that I and others were first exposed to the canonical Unix Operating System (in my case DIGITAL's Ultrix) users needed to learn the Bourne Command Shell and the Variety of Text and File Manipulation tools as well as at least a basic grasp of the C-Programming language.Today, Graphical Tools available in all Linux Distributions make many of the User and Systems Administration tasks that must be accomplished by the home and business user a simple matter of pull-down menu's and graphical selections.This book, in a simple and logical manner, delivered by Sander van Vugt a Linux Expert and excellent technical writer, gives the underlying command line tools and systems understanding that would enable a new (or experienced user) to handle all important phases of file and process administration as well command-line scripting, basic systems administration, and networking.Importantly, by using command-line tools and simple shell scripts the user not only understands what s/he is doing in using and manipulating the Linux System, but they can immediately function in a differing Linux distribution or graphical environment.

I highly recommend this compact, yet comprehensive introduction to Linux from the Command Line (or Bash Shell Scripts) that will enable the user or small system administrator to understand what they are doing and function in a variety of Linux distributions and window-based environments.

--Ira Laefsky
MSE/MBA IT Consultant and HCI Researcher
formerly on the Senior Consulting Staff of Arthur D. Little, Inc. and DIGITAL Equipment Corporation

Outstanding
I enjoyed reading every line of it. I read many technical books and this is one of those books that really makes me feel I am getting smarter as I am reading it.

I am learning so many tips from this book. I am now a much more efficient Linux system admin than I have ever been.

I would like to thank the author and please keep writing about Linux and other open source projects.

I love your writing style

Close to outstanding, but omissions hurt
Some day learning Linux will be painless. Truly painless dentistry is like to arrive first.

Linux is an extravagantly rich environment. The more I penetrate its mysteries, the more I comprehend why Linux fanatics are fanatics: Linux is beautiful, Linux is stable, Linux is overflowing with useful features and tools, Linux is stable, Linux is free.

But for the newcomer, Linux is overwhelming, especially at the command line. "Linux In A Nutshell", the bible of all Linux commands, runs to hundreds of pages, each filled with arcane language.

Many authors have attempted to make Linux more readily accessible for the beginner. Often such books are merely lists of the commands needed to get started, accompanied by brief explanations. Some, on the other hand, attempt to be encyclopedias of Linux. Others, like "Beginning the Linux Command Line"try to convey what the beginner most needs - just enough information to make them comfortable in a Linux environment, just enough commands to get them started on various tasks and just enough explanation so the reader understands what they are doing and, more importantly, why.

"Beginning the Linux Command Line" is one of the more successful entries in this genre. It begins with a concise, but substantial history of the development of Linux, what he command line environment is and why it is often better, what the shell is, how commands entered at the command line are executed, what MAN pages are and how to use them. That last point about MAN pages becomes the Achilles heel of the book, but more on that later.

Par for the course, "Beginning the Linux Command Line" presumes that the user will be administering a system, which I guess is true even for a desktop environment. The progression of topics is logical, though some might disagree with the precise order. Performing essential command-line tasks; administering the Linux File System; working with text files, managing partitions and logical volumes; managing users and groups; managing permissions; managing software; process and system management; sysem logging; configuring the network; configuring a file server; working with the kernel (which is an excellent chapter) and an introduction to Bash Shell scripting. This is a lot more information than the very new, very basic user needs at the outset and can be intimidating just by a perusal of the table of the contents. I would suggest that the authors would have been better served by breaking the book into sections, i.e. "for the beginner", "intermediate users" and so on.

The writing is excellent. Technical issues are dissembled in clear English with few diversions or distractions. Straight-forward examples are abundant. The author has a touch and seems aware of when less will do and where more is needed. Sander van Vught is an outstanding technical writer.

However, the book has a failing, a significant one in my eyes, but definitely not a showstopper. The author sometimes omits information that I feel should be in the book. For example, in an otherwise highly detailed explanation of the MOUNT command, the author inexplicably decided to omit discussion of the -o options which, in my opinion, are extremely important and easily misunderstood by the beginner. Instead the reader is referred to the MAN pages. MAN pages are often incomprehensible to the newcomer.

Choices like that keep "Beginning the Linux Command Line" from being a standout in my opinion. Even so, the book is an excellent introduction to using the Linux command line.

Jerry
... Read more

Product Description
James Turnbull is an IT&T Security Consultant at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He is an experienced infrastructure architect with a background in Linux/Unix, AS/400, Windows, and Storage systems. He has been involved in security consulting, infrastructure security design, SLA & support services design, and business application support. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great topics
After reading this book, I think it is going to be the mandatory companion I hand out to new Linux administrators, along with Essential System Administration. The first 6 chapters are exceptional.I can't say enough good things about them.The coverage of PAM is better than anything I have seen.The coverage of authentication, groups, users and best practices surrounding them was very good as well.The logging chapter alone is probably worth the purchase of the book.

After the first section, the book covers more specific topics that are of less interest to me.I realize that a lot of people use email, of all kinds.Chapter 7, 8 and 9 cover email, and I just wasn't that excited about it.

Chapter 10 covered securing FTP, which is nice, and 11 covers Bind.I guess I wonder why some of the topics were chosen.There are whole books on email and bind, available, but there isn't always good material for some other services, like CUPS, maybe some web-based administration tools, or SELinux.The coverage of topics that made the table of contents are very good.

I would say if you are new to Linux Security, or a seasoned player looking for just another reference, this book is great.

Excellent. Couldn't ask for more.
I haven't run a Linux box since 2002. Some time ago, realizing that I'd soon have a chance to migrate to using Linux for everyday work, I decided I should start refreshing my *NIX commands and shell scripting. Then, I saw "Hardening Linux". Rather spontaneously, I decided to start with this security-focused title instead of the perhaps more intuitive path of installing the latest distro, setting up a bunch of daemons, installing databases, etc. That proved to be an excellent decision. "Hardening Linux" is not a small book. Yet, I read the 500 pages more or less cover to cover. Even though we're talking about a book of which purpose is to help you to secure your Linux server, I felt like I learned more about Linux reading this book than I've learned during the last year at work.

Turnbull kick starts the book by explaining user and group management, basics of the Linux file system security, how to verify downloaded packages, which tools and packages you probably should remove from a production server. By page 50, he had also shown how to compile your kernel with security flags and the Openwall project.

After the rather intense first chapter, the rest of the book's chapters each focus on a certain aspect of a system or a specific product, showing how to secure your system from that particular perspective. Most of these chapters are really top-notch compared to most of the online material I've resorted to in the past. For example, Turnbull presents the most intuitive tutorial on configuring the iptables firewall I've seen so far.

Another excellent description is the chapter on file system security. In my experience, the majority of developers dealing with Linux -- myself included -- don't really know much about Linux file system security beyond the basic file permission attributes. Thanks to chapter 4, I know twice as much about what's possible and what to look out for with regards to file permissions and ownership, and all those mysterious "special" characters that don't have to do with the basic read-write-execute stuff.

The author also covers the topics of syslog (and syslog-ng), secure remote connections (including SSL/TLS and SSH among other things), and gives a broad overview of common security analysis tools such as NMAP, Nessus, Ethereal, and tcpdump. Beyond those I already mentioned, Turnbull has written excellent chapters explaining how to secure your email servers (both sendmail and postfix), putting your FTP server into a chroot jail, and how to set up your DNS server and protect yourself from common attacks such as cache poisoning.

All in all, an excellent book on not just Linux security but also on Linux fundamentals. Highly recommended reading if you're running a Linux box you wouldn't want getting "0wn3d."

In-depth explanations with step-by-step techniques for securing Linux and common applications.
Hardening Linux by James Turnbull, stands out in my mind as a vitally important text that clearly lays out how to make your Linux boxes as secure as possible. Mr. Turnbull has done a remarkable job in delineating the potential vulnerabilities, and how to mitigate them. Each chapter covers a particular focus area in depth, with carefully worded and easy-to-follow examples. In the cases where you need to install some other piece of software to provide the extra security, he gives you the step-by-step details, leaving nothing for misinterpretation. This is one of those books that, as you finish each chapter, you'll want to apply your new-found knowledge to the machines at your disposal.

As each subsequent chapter unfolds, James explains very carefully how to tighten remote administration, files and file systems, mail, ftp, and DNS/BIND. Additional information is given on how to log important information securely, and efficiently monitor the data collected. In addition, tools for testing the security of your hosts is described very clearly, from the inside-out and the outside-in, along with explanations of how to detect penetrations and recover from them.

Writing about securing a computer system can be written on a few different levels, from the general suggestions which apply to just about any program, to the specific which apply to just one. Mr. Turnbull has chosen to pick commonly used programs and provide step-by-step procedures for locking them down. For example, if you are hardening a mail server, you will find descriptions of Sendmail and Postfix, but not of Qmail or Courier. While this might limit the appeal of the book to just those using the more common programs, it allows a depth that would be otherwise unavailable.

The only quibble I have is that his book does not go far enough. While the chosen types of applications are covered in great depth, some applications are missing. There is no coverage for a web server, such as Apache, or a database server, such as MySQL. I can only hope that a future edition of the book includes chapters on these and other categories of programs.

I definitely recommend Hardening Linux by James Turnbull to anyone who installs and maintains Linux servers. The information packed in this book is easy to follow, and will help you configure your systems very securely. The additional insights into why the configurations are important is extremely valuable in its own right. This book belongs on any Linux sysadmin's bookshelf.

Needed, practical advice
I strongly recommend this book for systems administrators and those running personal Linux systems. This book covers all of the basics of locking down a Linux system, and presents it in a way that is easy to understand and follow.In particular I was pleased with the sections on securing connections to the machine and the file system.

The basics that Linux users must understand
The book starts with the basics of hardening a Linux system to prevent purposeful attack as well as the inadvertently harm some users may cause.This basic section includes booting securely, securing virtual consoles, passwords, groups, users, authentication modules, package management, hardening your kernel, and removing development tools that are not needed.

Of course no book on hardening a system would be complete without discussing how to build an effective firewall.The section on firewalling is excellent and strikes a solid balance between a technical presentation and a user level presentation.

Other important areas include securing connections, secure remote administration, public-key encryption, securing files and file systems, mounting drives securely, securing removable drives, encrypting the file system, and file integrity using tripwire.

Of course setting all of that security up helps a lot but you still need to test the system to see that it works the way you want it to.The author examines several security testing tools to scan your system for root kits and weak passwords as well as using packet sniffers, the Snort intrusion detection system, and other tools.

The book assumes some very basic familiarity with Linux including a file editor, the grep utility, file permissions and ownership, user administration, package management, the purpose and layout of init and init scripts, the basics of networking (TCP/IP, subnetting, etc.), and mounting and unmounting a partition.Hardening Linux is a highly recommended book and provides a better overall view of Linux security than most similar choices. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Linux Networking Cookbook
Being a novice to Linux.This book was excellent on breaking down all the networking functions when using Linux.It has really enhanced my knowledge on how to use Linux from a networking standpoint. I recommend this book to a novice or a senior Linux administrator, because it covers just about every networking topic and you will be able to learn something new or use as a reference.

Great book, same with the title for cooking Linux
as preview at TOC, this is great book for modification singleboard computer for special tasking, we can cook linux as we need completed with sample command.

Too Tool Specific
I expected a book on setting up and administration of networks in a Linux environment.This book does provide it BUT it explains each aspect in the context of using a specific piece of software.This is ONLY a setup/administration guide for those who need a what to install nice tools to administer their systems.
Not a manual instruction book.

Excellent guide to networking for Linux sysadmins
This is a practical guide for Linux system administrators who need to get networks of machines to talk to each other securely and reliably. There is an introductory, lay-of-the-land chapter on Linux networking, followed by chapters on topics you'd expect like gateways, routers, firewalls, wireless, SSH, and Samba. There are also chapters on old-school topics like dial-up networking (remember Kermit?) and controlling your servers through a serial console, and some bleeding-edge stuff like IPv6 and building a VoIP server with Asterisk.

This is not a book about networking theory (for that, see Andrew S. Tanenbaum's Computer Networks (4th Edition)). Rather, as the word "Cookbook" suggests, this book offers step-by-step instructions ("recipes") for installing, configuring, and starting up the relevant software packages, and then testing and debugging to make sure everything is running correctly. Where appropriate, Schroder offers separate recipes for deb- and rpm-based Linux distributions.

To me, the most valuable aspect of this book is not the solutions (recipes) themselves, but the context around each recipe; that is, Schroder's diagnosis and description of the problem to be solved. Reading this book is spending a day with an experienced (and good-humored) sysadmin and having her walk you through all the networking stuff she does, clearly explaining her reasoning behind every little decision, like which headset mic to buy for VoIP and why she always tests basic connectivity with ping before firing up the packet sniffer.

A good task oriented book for people wanting to do Linux networking
The Linux networking cookbook is very specifically orientated to Linux networking tasks. While this book would give useful ideas for other *NIX operating systems the real value is for Linux users.

The book is orientated for Fedora and Debian (Ubuntu) users as these are the basis of a number of the Linux distributions available. The book also shows how to compile required software from source.

The book is task orientated and each chapter relates to a specific task such as setting up a VPN. The range of tasks is very extensive and include Firewalling, wireless networking, VPN, VoIP servers, routing, SSH etc.

The required software is defined along with how to install it. The chapter then goes on to describe configuration and set up for the required purpose. The book is straightforward and describes the process in a simple way without requiring vast amounts of Linux interior expertise. This is not a novice book and it does require some knowledge of Linux however it is very good at describing how to perform most networking tasks for people who are not expert in networking.

I have been using Linux as my desktop for around 2-3 years and I found this book very useful. I recommend it for people who want to do something with networking in Linux and don't want to spend forever looking up howto's on the Internet. ... Read more

Product Description

The Best Fully Integrated Study System Available

With hundreds of practice questions and hands-on exercises, RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux Study Guide, Fifth Edition covers what you need to know--and shows you how to prepare--for this challenging exam.

• 100% complete coverage of all objectives for exam RH302
• Exam Readiness Checklist at the front of the book--you're ready for the exam when all objectives on the list are checked off
• Inside the Exam sections in every chapter highlight key exam topics covered
• Real-world exercises modeled after hands-on exam scenarios
• Two complete lab-based exams simulate the format, tone, topics, and difficulty of the real exam
• Bonus content (available for download) includes installation screen review, basic instructions for using VMware and Xen as testbeds, and paper and pencil versions of the lab exams

Covers all RH302 exam topics, including:

• Hardware installation and configuration
• The boot process
• Linux filesystem administration
• Package management and Kickstart
• User and group administration
• System administration tools
• Kernel services and configuration
• Apache and Squid
• Network file sharing services (NFS, FTP, and Samba)
• Domain Name System (DNS)
• E-mail (servers and clients)
• Extended Internet Services Daemon (xinetd), the Secure package, and DHCP
• The X Window System
• Firewalls, SELinux, and troubleshooting

Customer Reviews (52)

RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux Study Guide (Exam RH302) (Certification Press)
Overall good information. But the author makes too many assumptions and provides little details for complex topics, such as LVM and physical device configuration. However, in fairness to the author, this is NOT a book to learn LINUX. The book prepares you for the RHCE test. That's why the author assumes that you know LINUX already.

Great book but outadated
Great book for somebody whom wants to learn Linux but this book is outdated and is nothing like the test. Don't waste your money if you think this book will help you pass the test.

Not a good source for prep
It is like reading a table of contents...does not really read like a text book.
Red Hat has a very difficult test, and this book will not prepare you for the exam.

Big book, but don't expect just reading it will get you through the test...
But if you are studying for the RHCE you already knew that.... I am working my way through this book, and the Red Hat official class guide to prep for the exam, not to mention working on the systems on a daily basis. The challenge is working through the aspects of the system that are not related to your day to day job. You really need a small network, or just a virtual network of boxes at home to test and practice on.

What I would LOVE to see in one of these test prep books / software packages is the sorts of labs, practices and simulations similar to the actual Red Hat material.

Helped my pass my RHCT
Highly recommend as a study aid.I have always worked with Linux distros at home, but my job recently required more from me in the area of Red Hat Enterprise Linux support.I attended the RH 133 week long class.While attending the class I was also reading this book.It gave me a different angle to the material that the instructor covered and really think that it helped give me the extra push to get my RHCT.I would not say that this book alone would have caused me to pass the exam, but it really helped augment the instructor based class.It is also been a great reference guide in going forward in my new duties with managing RHEL systems around the office. ... Read more

Product Description
How Linux Works describes the inside of the Linux system for systems administrators, whether you maintain an extensive network in the office or one Linux box at home.Some books try to give you copy-and-paste instructions for how to deal with every single system issue that may arise, but How Linux Works actually shows you how the Linux system functions so that you can come up with your own solutions. After a guided tour of filesystems, the boot sequence, system management basics, and networking, author Brian Ward delves into open-ended topics such as development tools, custom kernels, and buying hardware, all from an administrator's point of view. With a mixture of background theory and real-world examples, this book shows both "how" to administer Linux, and"why" each particular technique works, so that you will know how to make Linux work for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

A but dated at this point
You should probably look for something more current unless you are doing research.Most of this stuff is valid, but its lacking a lot of the more current features, software and hardware.

I have other books that have all of this and more. Look elsewhere at this point.

Missing important topics
The book is worth having. Its first couple of chapters are very well written. However I do feel that some important topics should have been included such as RAID configuration, LVM, snapshots, clustering and high availability, /etc/sysconfig configuration, X server configuration. I still recommend this book to all techies involved with Linux.

The best introduction to Linux I've seen
In my work, I need to use Linux once in a while. For quite some time, I've searched for an introduction to Linux that would give me a solid overview of the system without bogging me down in detail. Of all the books that I've looked at or read, this is the best, if now somewhat dated, introduction to Linux I've found.

Blair Ward takes you straight into the mechanics of how Linux works. Note that this is a different approach than the books that promise to teach you how to learn to use Linux by showing you how to play music and movies. "How Linux Works" moves you into the essential commands of Linux, explains what they do and, where appropriate, some of the options available to you. Not the "some" in the last sentence. A small failing on Ward/s part is his not explaining all the options available for a command. His logic is readily apparent: he didn't want to bog the reader down with stuff they might never use in a lifetime. On the other hand, I am interested specifically in a handful of commands and not all the options are listed and explained for some of these, which is a disappointment. I guess that is what my well thumbed copy of "Linux In A Nutshell" is for - and which I constantly complain about having too much detail. Sometimes, you just can't win.

The real coolness about "How Linux Works" is that Ward provides enough detail to familiarize the novice user with how to get around in Linux, how to use the important tools without overloading anyone. In a matter of minutes with this book, much of my ignorance and confusion and Linux was dispelled. It was a great feeling.

The book, published in 2004, is becoming a bit dated. For the most part, the newer things that aren't covered are no loss for me and are covered in other publications - and the essentials of Linux are unchanged. A lot of material, as I mentioned, is simply not here. For example, there is no mention of working with the NTFS file system which was well-established in 2004, though not on Linux per se.

Overall, this book is great and fills my need for an intro that gives me the basics of about how Linux live and breathes while it is doing its thing. Nice piece of work.

Jerry

Great book to get started with Linux
I have used Windows for many years and I know computers good enought to make money repairing them. I also do programming. But I have never worked in Linux. This book got me started very well. It contains the information you need to get started with Linux, and it tries to teach you how stuff works, not just what to click / what keys to press. And you can learn Linux from the terminal (command line) with this book, which is great. My first Linux is Ubuntu (the book does not focus on a specific distro), and I only work from the terminal, not with the gui.

Wrong Title
I was misled by the many glowing reviews into buying this book. This book is n't really about how linux works. Its more like a reference or manual - withvery barebones descriptions followed by instruction. It doesn't go into depth at all about the 'how' or the 'why' as the title claims. In fact its just a regurgitation of the standard linux docs and HOWTOs (some of which were written by this author), the only advantage being that here you have them collected here between a spine. But their are websites that do this for you and do it for free to boot. The intermediate and advanced lessons at Linux.org/lessons cover everything in this book and much more in a better organized fashion. I would go there instead of buying this book. ... Read more

Product Description

We can all be Linux experts, provided we invest the time in learning the craft of Linux administration. Pro Linux System Administration makes it easy for small to medium–sized businesses to enter the world of zero–cost software running on Linux and covers all the distros you might want to use, including Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS. Authors, and systems infrastructure experts James Turnbull, Peter Lieverdink, and Dennis Matotek take a layered, component–based approach to open source business systems, while training system administrators as the builders of business infrastructure.

If you want to implement a SOHO or SMB Linux infrastructure, Pro Linux System Administration clearly demonstrates everything you need. You’ll find this book also provides a solid framework to move forward and expand your business and associated IT capabilities, and you’ll benefit from the expertise and experienced guidance of the authors. Pro Linux System Administration covers

• An introduction to using Linux and free and open source software to cheaply and efficiently manage your business
• A layered model that allows your infrastructure to grow with your business
• Easy and simple–to–understand instructions including configurations, examples, and extensive real–world hints and tips

Customer Reviews (6)

Great Current Treatment
Computer books on important topics have been rather slow
in appearing lately.This is an excellent update for
Linux system administrators, needed because Linux is
constantly evolving.Highly recommended.

Good for average User
The book assumes some basic knowledge in the command line and requires a heavy backround in configuration of either windows or linux. Would have been better written to have each chapter independant of each other instead of referencing work you should have done five chapters prior.

great book
love the book, it's been a big help, easy and enjoyable to read.not dry, but to the point. Now I'm running a nice system running centOS with just over 20 work stations, and two servers.

I agree with my fellow reviewers, but I does deserve 4 stars
Turnbull, Lieverdink & Matotek should do a public service to PRO Linux Administrators and possibly drop the Pro from their Pro Linux System Administration book. For once I totally agree with all the other reviewers (never mind there are only two) of this book in the fact that this is NOT an advanced server title. That is about the only serious complaint I have since accidentally enough since I am not anywhere close to being a seasonal Linux user, much less a PRO.
Now lets suppose I managed to liquid-paper those three words from the cover: I have got the BEST RH/Ubuntu_LTS beginners administration and setup book available; do mind that before purchasing this title. By the way, those are the only two flavors of Linux Server covered in the book which is very fine to me: One paid one free.
In my case I did my homework while looking to replace my previous Linux books: Red Hat Bible and Amazon's bestselling Linux Server book (titles and authors intentionally incomplete.) I have read both of them AND 80% of this one so far.
What I am surprised about is the fact that I did not know there was a student course in Linux book writing, complete with a very strict TOC and Topic coverage. I have come to believe that ALL THE authors of Linux books, at least those available at my local book store, did attend. If you read most Linux Server books or at least browse through their TOC-even regular Linux flavor titles-they cover THE SAME TOPICS: Firewalls, DHCP/DNS/Apache, Networks, SSH, OpenLDAP, etc. I spent a couple of afternoons flipping through pages of these titles and I was very surprised that the topics were not really similiar; THEY WERE THE SAME. My question at that point was: Is there any difference in the book you buy besides the amount of coverage to each topic?
Then I found this book which is not at first sight much more different than the rest. But what sets this title apart is the fact that apparently Mr. Turnbull & company did go to my imaginary Linux Book Writting 101 crash course, but decided to attend some advance courses as well. I found that, at least in the relevant chapters, this book goes the extra mile and provides some fairly interesting material related to it. Chapters like MySql/Ldap/Apache/Mail servers, among others provide interesting examples and sometimes complete follow through of real life applications you can use. The book finally hits a nail in this 'plus' thing with a complete chapter on a collaborative Open Source suite (Zimbra) which was the main reason I was setting up Linux in the first place. After a quick look up, there are no other books that cover this and in my limited knowledge open source groupware is very limited.
I ended up with a server that provides local secure IMAP/Groupware/Time Server services all using this book with minimal references to other books or the internet. For a beginner Linux user setting up and even connecting to the box remotely that IS a big deal.
The errors on the book are very scarce (at least in the relevant chapters I used) but by no means is the book perfect. The utility that is supposed to update the free Antivirus engine still has not updated anything (no coverage on how to check this either), the ClamAV file checker for some reason started to work after a couple of days (it was written by Mr. Turnbull himself??), and for God's sake; WHAT IS IT with these Linux authors that cannot EXPLAIN IN SIMPLE WORDS how to setup remote GUI access? Please! Enough with SSH, half the setups in Linux CAN be done via GNOME or other! Me to ALL Linux Authors: INCLUDE A CHAPTER ON VNC SERVER, NOMACHINE, OR ANYTHING that begins with an X and comes free; PLEASE.
I guess references on the internet were more common that I care to recall.
Anyhow very good book, I'll try and revise this review when done with the book, and thanks for reading this review. If you want to set up a box for home/small or even medium size server load, for nothing more than the cost of the box AND this book, this will get you a pat in the back from your users.

Contains Linux system administration advice and recipes.
I have found this book useful, being a Windows admin who doesn't drop into a Linux terminal session very often. The book contains the usual man pages, "history of Linux", etc. The real reason to purchase it is the included advice and recipes. Every chapter that I have read has a real "I've done this many times" feeling to it. I have yet to find a technical mistake in the information that I have gotten from this book (I can't say that about most websites).

This book is not a complete reference to the most popular utilities or the newest distributions. It falls short of a complete Linux reference due to the fact that the authors seem to only discuss tools that they have personal experience with. This book also won't teach you how to become a top-notch Linux System Administrator. What it will do, is quickly point a non-Linux system administrator in a possible direction when they need to make configuration changes. I have also found that this no-batteries-or-Internet-required reference comes in handy when working on Linux machines in remote locations.

A Windows or Mac system admin may find this book a welcome addition to their technical library. A Linux system admin may want to look elsewhere.
... Read more

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

Customer Reviews (16)

the Official Damn Small Linux Book
Well written and instructive.Worth reading if your going to start using the Linux Operating System on your computer.

disappointing book and software product
The book was not much more than a regurgitation of web documentation
for DSL.I had expected more in-depth information from what was otherwise
available.It was not at all clear what was the differences among the various
installations available.Perhaps my problem was from the background I was
coming from--I have dealt with Unix/Linux since 1980, and maybe I was looking
at the book from a different view from what the authors intended.But,
I was unable to successfully install DSL to my satisfaction.Yes, it did
work, but I was left with many questions that the book did not answer.For
example, how could I update Open Office to the current 3.xx version, given
an assortment of several methods of DSL installation?And, I never did fully
comprehend the assorted DSL installations.But, then, perhaps that is my
problem, or maybe it is a problem with the DSL software itself and not a
problem with the book.

If readers can handle a full-blown Linux installation, I would recommend
they go that route rather than the DSL approach.

Excellent all around reference on Damn Small Linux and using Linux in general


I am a newcomer to Linux. In particular I needed to create a Linux distribution for a specialized purpose. I first found Christopher Negus's excellent "Live Linux CDs". Negus referenced Damn Small Linux and this book and I thought I'd give it a shot. Good move.

Christopher Negus takes third billing on "The Official Damn Small Linux" book in deference to its two primary developers (Robert Shingledecker and John Andrews), but it is clear that Negus is the guiding hand. The writing throughout reflect Negus's crisp, clear writing style.

The book is really well planned. The beginning chapters provide an overview of Damn Small Linux and its development, how to boot DSL (which is very interesting and showcases the versatility of DSL and using DSL applications, which are substantially different than those found in other distributions. Everything about DSL is oriented toward compactness.

Following chapters include using MyDSL to extend your DSL install with other functions and apps, using DSL apps, configuring and saving DSL settings,

There are four chapters just on alternative ways to install DSL. These are, in my opinion, among the most fascinating in the book because they show you how to install on flash drives, hard drives, running DSL embedded in Windows (virtualization).Next are two chapters on adding applications to your DSL install and how to remaster DSL.

The last third or so of the book is a series of projects, which I didn't find to be of more than passing interest, although the chapter on running DSL On mini-ITX and other alternative hardware is quite interesting.

Overall, this is an excellent book for learning about a specific distribution and Linux in general.

Jerry

A life saver
This little book - and the accompanying CD kept me online after both of my computers' operating systems crashed.With absolutely no experience with LINUX, I was able to go online and check my email and bank account, plus surf to my hearts' content, using the knowledge and information from this little book, or should I say, "This Damn Little Book?"

Damn Small Linux review
Interesting and informative. A good entry for a newbee to get his/her feet wet with Linux.Live CD helpful and convenient. ... Read more

Product Description
Advanced Linux Programming is divided into two parts. The first covers generic UNIX system services, but with a particular eye towards Linux specific information. This portion of the book will be of use even to advanced programmers who have worked with other Linux systems since it will cover Linux specific details and differences. For programmers without UNIX experience, it will be even more valuable.The second section covers material that is entirely Linux specific. These are truly advanced topics, and are the techniques that the gurus use to build great applications.While this book will focus mostly on the Application Programming Interface (API) provided by the Linux kernel and the C library, a preliminary introduction to the development tools available will allow all who purchase the book to make immediate use of Linux. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Forget the title, this is a wonderful book
Don't judge this book by its title. If you know how to program, but are a servant of the Microsoft Lord (we don't speak his name), this book is the pathway to learn Linux programming. It is very well written. If one has the discipline to work through the numerous examples, they will become proficient at Linux programming, e.g., fork new processes, implement pthreads, understand common system calls, and perhaps best of all benefit from the experience of the these Linux programmers. It is a fine book at the intermediate level.

Try it out. This book is available free of charge at http://www.advancedlinuxprogramming.com. Having an electronic copy is useful for searching, and it can be printed. A thank you is in order for a quality book made available to the public, free of charge. Thank you authors! I look forward to other books these fellows write. Don't be surprised if you find yourself valuing the book enough to purchase a copy from Amazon, but that is a personal decision.

As a critical SOB (so says my wife), I do have some negative comments. The book has some errata, so be sure to download corrections from the web site. Also, the book is five years old, and a second edition would be wonderful. All considered, this book must be rated 5 stars, period.

This book is available FREE online!!!!!
See this link where you can download the whole book and decide for yourself!:

http://www.advancedlinuxprogramming.com/alp-folder

I recommend it to everyone !
This is very very usefull book for those, who have some knowledge in basic Linux or Win32 programming. It is very clear style of explanation, very usefull examples and detail review on key concepts. The authors try to learn us to write good, professional code and do not make some dummy faults.
If you want to be profi - this stuff is for you.

Vadim Kataev

Not good for beginning but it's not an advanced book
I don't think this is considered as an advanced linux since it doesn't cover anything new, in depth, new techniques or tricks . I bought the beginning linux programming and it's much better in covering many topics with excellent examples. Check out yourself.
T.T

the title is misleading.
this book is not doing its job for the beginners nor serving for the advanced programmers ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

It provides an unique voyage within the Kernel's networkinkg code.
As far as I know, there is not another book like this. It complements very well the Kernel book written by Bovet & Cesati, and goes beyond giving to the reader a complete scenario about the Linux Network Internals. Extremely rich in technical details, this book certainly will provide you an unique overview about the subject.

Outstanding coverage of the core networking code
An unbelievable job covering the core networking code. If the author of this book had a follow-on volume including things left out due to space constraints, I would buy it in a heart-beat. This things easily saves months of time reading code (though face it, that's necessary too).

Excellent Book For Those Who want to know How Linux Network Stack Works
If you already have knowledge about how computer networks work in general & want to know how those networking concepts are actually designed & implemented in an operating system, this book is a must. This Book is a smooth read & goes step by step.

First it tells you how a NIC registers itself with the kernel. Then it describes an high-level introduction of how device drivers drive the device. Then it describes the interface between the kernel and the device drivers. It also discusses bridging & routing concepts.

If you want to delve into the linux networking code of the kernel or if you are actually looking to modify a part of the networking code, this book is a must read.

This book doesn't cover the transport layer though.! You have to refer to other sources to knit all the pieces of the puzzle together.!

Very nice and cheap item
the item is just as the description of the seller, and it's a good transaction

Excellent, in depth review of Linux Networking
The book was exactly what I was looking for - a practical, in-depth explanation and review of the various software components that make up the Linux kernel's network stack. ... Read more

Product Description
Getting Started with Linux: Novell's Guide to CompTIA's Linux+ (Course 3060) introduces students to the knowledge and skills needed to manage all Linux distributions.Specifically, this course covers the objectives outlined by CompTIA for its Linux+ exam and certification, an international industry credentials that offers proof of knowledge.Not only does this course prepare students for the ComTIA Linux+ exam; it offers an excellent way to begin preparing for the Novell Certification Linux Professional (Novell CLP) practicum exam.In fact, after completing this course, students will have acquired one-third the knowledge needed to become a full Novell CLP, the ideal certification for people interested in becoming Linux administrators. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

just what i asked for
i got the book that i needed for school. great condition. even had the extra cd unused in the back like it said it did. thanks.

Amazon is the way to go for all your school books!
I love ordering from amazon. The books come fast and when expected. I perfer to order from amazon versus private sellers because amazon stands behind all your purchases. When you have a problem you never have to wait. Amazon handels all issues promptly. The only problem is that sometimes the books I order are come damaged due to the packaging. The books need to be shrink wrapped and packed with more padding. I did have to return this book for damage. But Amazon took care of the issue right away.

TOO EXPENSIVE for a so called Linux book
I bought this book because my class Linux Essentials IST190 at Trident Technical College requires it. First of all, the book is very expensive, you can get the entire PDF file on Novell's website ( [...])for free instead of paying the overpriced tag of $[...] for it. The only difference between the book and the PDF file is that the PDF file does not have the chapter review questions and key terms. Moreover, this book covers only one flavor of Linux which is the SUSE 9.0, therefore, not enough information covered for the CompTIA's Linux+ exam. Nevertheless, the book is good for those who don't know anything about Linux and want to get the basics of the operating system. However, I wouldn't recommend this book for an intermediate or advance Linux user to use it as a source for the Linux+ exam or any other Linux certification.It has many TYPOS, it does not cover in depth how to use the command line interface, and after chapter 3, the author expects for you to be a Linux intermediate user by explaining the barely basics of the OS. So, if you need this book for your Linux class, then you have no choice but to get it. I recommend you to buy a used book instead, not worth spending $[...] for this CRAP. But if you want to learn linux on your own, I recommend Linux Bible, Linux Pocket guide or get the free PDF file on Novell's website.
I hope this was helpful

Linux Text
So far i find this book helpful but a little tricky in part to understand. I would prefer they get the concept down in the first example for a command then add flags, etc. Overall, it has been a solid text to learn from, but if you haven't use Linux like me before, its a little challenging to follow in certain sections.

Book Review
Excellent value on this book purchased. It came in as advertised for a book in "Very Good" condition. The DVD's had not been opened and the book has no marks in it at all and only 1 noticable crease on the front cover. Well worth the money! ... Read more

Product Description
System administrators need to stay ahead of new security vulnerabilities that leave their networks exposed every day. A firewall and an intrusion detection systems (IDS) are two important weapons in that fight, enabling you to proactively deny access and monitor network traffic for signs of an attack.Linux Firewalls discusses the technical details of the iptables firewall and the Netfilter framework that are built into the Linux kernel, and it explains how they provide strong filtering, Network Address Translation (NAT), state tracking, and application layer inspection capabilities that rival many commercial tools. You'll learn how to deploy iptables as an IDS with psad and fwsnort and how to build a strong, passive authentication layer around iptables with fwknop.Concrete examples illustrate concepts such as firewall log analysis and policies, passive network authentication and authorization, exploit packet traces, Snort ruleset emulation, and more with coverage of these topics:Passive network authentication and OS fingerprintingiptables log analysis and policiesApplication layer attack detection with the iptables string match extensionBuilding an iptables ruleset that emulates a Snort rulesetPort knocking vs. Single Packet Authorization (SPA)Tools for visualizing iptables logsPerl and C code snippets offer practical examples that will help you to maximize your deployment of Linux firewalls. If you're responsible for keeping a network secure, you'll find Linux Firewalls invaluable in your attempt to understand attacks and use iptables-along with psad and fwsnort-to detect and even prevent compromises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

great!
This was a great book! Helped me understand networking, linux, and iptables better. Michael Rash has written some great software, and this is also a definitive guide on it.

EXCELLENT on what it's on, but it may not be on what you think.
Make no mistake, this book is on what it says it's about "Attack Detection and Response with iptables, psad, and fwsnort" it contains very little information about setting up iptables to block unwanted external traffic.

HOWEVER setting up iptables (in the basic sense) doesn't require an entire book. Sure there are whole books on that topic but there is no need for a 300 page book on it, that just seems to be the size computer books have to be in order to get published. Which means other books on iptables are probably going to about 250 pages of fluff.

Incidentally this book actually only spends about the first 35 pages describing that, the remainder is fantastic, useful, well written information about doing the things that make iptables truly useful. "detection and response" ACTIVELY securing your system.

In addition to being comprehensive and useful this book happens to be well written, far better than most technical books.

If you're thinking about buying a book on Linux firewalls, make it this one, but if you're not already familiar with iptables expect to read the first 35 pages, then a couple online tutorials and then come back to this book.

The result is a fine pick for any programmer's library.
Libraries catering to system administrators will find LINUX FIREWALLS an essential acquisition, discussing the technical aspects of the iptables firewall and Netfilter built into the Linux application. Examples of firewall log analysis, policies, network authorization processes and more compliment chapters that include Perl and C code pieces to help keep a network secure. The result is a fine pick for any programmer's library.

One of the best technical books published in 2007
Disclaimer: I wrote the foreword for this book, so obviously I am biased.However, I am not financially compensated for this book's success.

In the foreword I note that Linux Firewalls is a "great book."As a FreeBSD user, Linux Firewalls is good enough to make me consider using Linux in certain circumstances!Mike's book is exceptionally clear, organized, concise, and actionable.You should be able to read it and implement everything you find by following his examples.You will not only learn tools and techniques, but you will be able to appreciate Mike's keen defensive insights.

The majority of the world's digital security professionals focus on defense, because offense is left to the bad guys, police, and military.I welcome books like Linux Firewalls that bring real defensive tools and techniques to the masses in a form that can be digested and deployed for minimum cost and effort.

One of the main reasons Linux Firewalls is a great book is that Mike Rash is an excellent writer.I've read (or tried to read) plenty of books that seemed to offer helpful content, but the author had no clue how to deliver that content in a readable manner.Linux Firewalls makes learning network security an enjoyable experience.Mike is exceptionally detail-oriented (see the RST vs RST ACK issue on p 63 and elsewhere) and he often cites sources and additional references.Linux Firewalls very nicely integrates sample network traffic to make numerous points; Ch 11 has several great examples.The sections on Fwsnort even improved my understanding of Snort itself.

The bottom line is that if you are a user of non-Microsoft operating systems (Linux, BSD, etc.) and you want to know how Linux can help defend your network, you will enjoy reading Linux Firewalls.

Nice, accurate and interesting. Not like other books about firewalls.
When I bought "Linux Firewalls" I was expecting a good book because I already knew that the work of Michael Rash is excellent. However, I expected the traditional Iptables handbook that looks more like a "man page". Surprisingly I found that the book was much better than that. Instead of detailing every single feature of the Iptables infrastructure, Michael Rash explains how Iptables can be used as a powerful (and free) Intrusion Detection/Prevention System. To achieve that, Rash presents three open source tools developed by himself: psad, an iptables-based port scan detector, fwsnort, a tool that translates snort rules into iptables sentences, and fwknop, a Port Knocking and SPA authentication system.

The book is very practical. It's amazing how everything is presented so clearly and with such useful examples. The author first introduces the potential threats that are associated with the Network Layer, Transport Layer and Application Layer (I loved those chapters). Then he starts discussing the detection of malicious attackers that try to break into the system. Finally he presents active response mechanisms against attackers and ways to secure the whole system with additional layers of security.

The book is great if what you want is to secure your Linux system using IPtables and the open source tools developed by Rash. Rash is an expert on firewalls and intrusion detection systems. If you follow his suggestions you'll build a very secure system. Firewall enthusiasts and TCP/IP fans will also enjoy reading the book because its written by a geek and its written for geeks. However, if you are looking for an Iptables handbook, you are looking for a theoretical book about Firewalls or you want to use other tools than the ones presented in the book, then "Linux Firewalls" may not be the best option for you. ... Read more

Product Description

Linux users can now control their homes remotely! Are you a Linux user who has ever wanted to turn on the lights in your house, or open and close the curtains, while away on holiday? Want to be able to play the same music in every room, controlled from your laptop or mobile phone? Do you want to do these things without an expensive off-the-shelf kit?

Customer Reviews (5)

The fine links between computer and home systems make for a real winner, here!
Smart Home Automation with Linux: Learn How to Connect Your Home from Your PC is written for Linux professionals who would automate a home using Linux. Automatic includes reading TV schedules digitally and using them to program a video remotely through email or the Web, and streaming music between different machines. The fine links between computer and home systems make for a real winner, here!

Great Book
Smart Home Automation with Linux by Steven Goodwin had exactly what I hoped for when I ordered it.This book takes you through the basic process of automating various aspects of your home from scratch.They focus primarily on the X10 protocol for device control while giving a bit of attention to some other alternatives like C-bus.The author then goes on to cover a wide range of topics such as specific devices to buy for an X10 setup, how to architect your installation, appliance hacking, focusing on the software that glues the system together, and systems such as Minerva which can be used to manage a lot of the aspects of home automation.

I found this book to be a great read for filling in my knowledge of what is available and what sort of expertise will be needed for making a good home automation system and I feel like I will get even more out of it when I have the opportunity (and money) to begin automating my home.

Great writer who serious knows the subject.
I have been using linux for years now and always wanted to do some "smart home" type of projects over the years.
Having done all kinds of work over the years and being the proverbial "jack of all trades" type I have to say this book has blown me away. You can tell right off the bat that Steven really knows this subject. So much so that after reading the first chapter I had to go back and re-read his bio again just to understand where he is coming from and what he has done to know so much. He makes it all so easy and completely answers all the questions you might have before you have even realized you might have one.

This is incredibly well written and totally accessible to even those without the tech background one might assume would be required for a subject of this nature. I have to say he made it fun to read even before you realized you were learning new things. You can see his humor when he thanks his parents for his first automated home, the one that always cleaned itself and cooked his meals. I can easily recommend this to anyone wanting to find out about this subject matter, you cant go wrong and would be hard pressed to find someone more knowledgeable on the subject matter.

I can already tell I will be referring back to this book again and again over the next few years as I attempt to automate every last darn thing I can afford to. Lord knows this book alone has probably already saved me a few hundred bucks and helped me figure out whats the best way to get started on this path as cheaply as possible.

If your interested in Automating or building your own smart home and not scared to learn a bit along the way, this is your bible. If your seeking to learn and really want to get as much knowledge on the subject as possible and looking to do it with linux everywhere possible. This is the ultimate book on the subject I would even go so far as to say you only need this book in your library to be able to do truly amazing things.

An Excellent Open Source Toolbox for Home Automation
Home Automation also known as "Domotics" is one of the great unifying themes, and one of the most useful applications of Information Technology and Smart Electronics in the early 21st Century.Combining elements of Embedded Computing, Control Systems, Digital Electronics, Ubiquitous/Pervasive Computing & Entertainment/Communications Technology there is much to be learned and applied in all of these fields through consulting this handbook.While one can, at tremendous expense purchase a ready-made answer to Automating their Home Communications, Security, Entertainment, Lighting and HVAC consulting this
"Toolkit" will enable the Do-It-Yourself or Computing Enthusiast to design the custom solution directed at their needs at reasonable cost and while learning a great deal of engaging technology.The approach of the author, an expert in Linux-based home automation and principal author of the Open-Source Home Automation Scripting Environment "Minerva" gives you the tools to customize whichever parts of your Lighting, HVAC, Communications or Security Environment you wish to place under Automated Control.In doing so he provides the tools to understand many pieces of leading edge Information Technology; in particular the "User" employing this handbook will gain an in-depth knowledge of Embedded Computing Solutions, Linux and Arduino-based control systems; they will also learn the combination of Intelligent Controllers, Sensors and Actuators that will create tomorrow's Smart Buildings and Ubiquitous Computing Environment.The Scripting Languages, Shell-based Commands, and Web Scraping Software Technologies that are described and exemplified in this book are accessible, can be easily customized to individual needs and widely useful in a number of computing applications.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to automate particular aspects of their "Home and Castle".It also will serve as an education in Home Automation and many practical applications of Information Technology beyond the Home or Office Desktop.

--Ira Laefsky MSE/MBA
IT & HCI Consutant/Researcher and Former Senior Staff of Arthur D. Little, Inc. and Digital Equipment Corporation

Benefit from the Author's Home Automation Experience
You can easily invest a lot of time and money into Home Automation (HA) projects only to find they don't work as anticipated.This book records the extensive experience of the author in HA and a hence could be a good investment to help you avoid or at least reduce frustration and improve your chances of successfully and enjoyably harnessing hardware and software to improve your quality of life.To gain the maximum benefit from this book, you need to be competent at installing hardware and wiring it up as well as doing web page development and scripting.Linux/Open Source Software is the main HA vehicle covered for a number of reasons- the inheritance from Unix of applications doing one thing and doing it well, the ability to use scripts to integrate key applications, and finally the ability to customise applications to your needs due to the ready availablity of source code.While there are plenty of illustrative snippets of code throughout the book, there are no complete examples provided, nor are copies of the source code provided from the publisher's site.You may find this acceptable given everyone's home automation solutions are unique, but I'm sure many would appreciate seeing how a HA solution is integrated. Then again, perhaps the author was concerned about the security risk to his HA implementation! To the author's credit, security concerns are regularly addressed throughout the book.Comprising just 7 chapters, with no appendices and an adequate index, this book still does a commendable job of covering the many aspects anyone planning HA needs to consider before investing in any hardware.

The first chapter jumps straight into how to use X10 hardware to control electrical appliances and lighting with plenty of practical information for those interested in setting up their home using this protocol.Other competing or complementary techniques, i.e. C-Bus, Ethernet and InfraRed are also briefly covered.

Chapter 2 looks at how to hack appliances such as game consoles, Linux powered WiFi Routers and NAS devices (with particular attention given to the Slug aka NSLU2, laptops, Arduino, Lego Mindstorms) and includes links to relevant hacking sites.

Media has chapter 3 dedicated to it; how to source your media, extract, store, distribute and control it.

Considerations on the best way to wire your home and locate servers and access points are covered in chapter 4, based on the more difficult two storey dwelling scenario.Irrespective of your dwelling construction, there are plenty of points raised in this chapter for consideration to help you implement a reliable, non-intrusive and reasonably secure HA solution.

Chapter 5 covers the various communications technologies that can be used to good effect for your HA implementation, with IP Telephony (Skype and Asterisk), email, voice, web access, and SMS all included.Techiques on how to process email, web and SMS based communications are covered, including suggestions on how to reduce the risk of security breaches.

I found chapter 6 on Data Sources particularly interesting, with the author covering ownership and the associated legal issues with personal use and how these become even more restrictive with family use and wider distribution. The chapter then goes on to look at how you can collect useful public data to assist your daily life, such as access to public transport time tables, traffic, weather, TV and Radio content and how you can use these with private data from calendars, webmail, Twitter and Facebook for personal automation.

Of particular interest for those skilled in coding, the final chapter covers how to integrate HA technologies with Minerva, showing in detail how to configure Minerva and its components to provide a secure HA solution that requires minimal maintenance by using device and application abstractions.

While there are no appendices, the book has an adequate index, but the real gems can best be found by reading through the book.Thanks to a reference in chapter 6, I finally found some Linux logging software for my weather station! ... Read more

Product Description

Whether you need a network of ten Linux PCs and a server or a datacenter with a few thousand Unix nodes, you need to know how to automate much of the installation, configuration, and standard system administration.

Build your network once using cfengine, and the network build will work, without user intervention, on any hardware you prefer. Automating Linux and Unix System Administration, Second Edition is unique in its focus on how to make the system administrator’s job easier and more efficient: instead of just managing the system administrator’s time, the book explains the technology to automate repetitive tasks and the methodology to automate successfully.

• Both new and seasoned professionals will profit from industry–leading insights into the automation process.
• System administrators will attain a thorough grasp of cfengine, kickstart, and shell scripting for automation.
• After reading all chapters and following all exercises in this book, the reader will be able to set up anything from a Linux datacenter to a small office network.

Customer Reviews (6)

Awesome
Having the authors guide you through the process of configuring automated installations and configuration of servers is priceless.

This book is a must for any linux/unix sysadmin out there. I hope there is a 3rd edition with the new Cfengine 3 soon!

This book is not for the beginning linux/unix admin, though. You should have a thorough knowledge of the systems already. Once you have that, using the methods in this book will save you and your bosses countless hours of managing your servers.

I would like to thank the authors for a brilliant piece of work.

Cfengine missing manual
As a CFengine evangelist I find this book very useful to brush up my automation skills, Cfengine peculiarities and even such obscure features as modules and methods in Cfengine. THe only drawback of this book that it needs better visualization - a Cfengine and automation is a complex concept, so few more diagrams would be very helpful.The Cfengine portal([...])already has thisbook present!

Just the reference you were looking for.
If you are the kind of person that doesn't have time to reinvent the wheel and you like solutions that Just Work but are also well though out, then this book is just the thing for you. Linux admins that have to handle a large number of machines in an Enterprise environment where downtime is just not an option will love that this book gives you in depth explanations supported by rock solution solutions to let you manage the configurations of a massive number of machines with a moderate investment of time and almost zero ongoing effort. The authors do an exception job of delving down into the details when necessary and painting a robust "big picture" that an experienced admin will certain appreciate. I predict this book will become a must-have for your administrative reference shelf.

Excellent Content and Coverage
The book fulfills the promise of showing how to setup and manage a properly automated fleet of Debian, RedHat Linux, and Solaris systems. It touches on all the essential points of doing so, from bootstrapping the initial install systems to configuring essential services such as NTP and Nagios. I believe the text is stronger for not considering (the many!) alternative configuration management and monitoring tools available, and not going into detail on LDAP and Kerberos, as these topics are covered elsewhere, and would make this book loose focus.

Inexperienced systems administrators will benefit from the coverage of need-to-know utilities, such as sudo and SSH, along with the appendix of useful Unix tools, as well as learning how to properly setup a site from scratch. As an experienced sysadmin, I enjoyed the book, picking up a variety of good shell tips, and an excellent way of organizing cfengine configuration files.

Great book with a lot of CFEngine
Repetitive tasks not only waste time, but each repitition is prone to error. Automation is the solution to repetition and any serious System Administrator will tell you that automation is a cornerstone of the profession. Automating Linux and UNIX System Administration is a great guide to building this cornerstone.

This book covers a wide variety of topics including: simple shell scripting, remote management with SSH, automated installations, monitoring, and configuration management. The majority of the items are explained with using CFEngine in mind -- so much so that I feel this book should probably advertise its heavy use of CFEngine somewhere in the title or at least on the cover. If you don't use CFEngine and have no plans to do so, a lot of this book becomes irrelevant. However, CFEngine is a popular, robust management system and is worth getting to know.

If you're still managing servers by hand, it's probably time to start thinking about automation. Automating Linux and UNIX System Administration is a solid book that will set you on the right track. ... Read more

Product Description
"The definitive work on Red Hat Linux. Chain it to your desk. You'll browse others, but you'll wear this one out."
-Nicholas Petreley, Founding Editor of LinuxWorld
If Red Hat Linux 9 can do it, you can do it too...
Activate the power of Red Hat Linux 9, the most popular distribution of this practical, economical operating system, with the in-depth information in this comprehensive reference manual. If you're exploring Linux for the first time, the hands-on instructions for installing, configuring, and customizing the system will get you going with confidence. If you're a Red Hat veteran, Linux expert Christopher Negus gives you everything you need to administer the latest desktop, server, and networking enhancements, plus much more.
Inside, you'll find complete coverage of Red Hat Linux 9
* Explore GNOME and KDE desktop menus, panels, file managers, workspaces, and themes
* Configure a firewall to share your Internet connection and protect your LAN
* Run applications for Internet browsing, publishing, music, video, and gaming
* Construct your own public Internet server, complete with mail, DNS, FTP, and Web services
* Administer users, manage backups, and automate system tasks
* Create dial-up connections, wireless LANs, and virtual private networks (CIPE)
* Set up Windows (Samba), Mac (netatalk), or NetWare (mars-nwe) file and print sharing from Linux
* Use the Red Hat Network up2date facility to easily get software updates
Special 3 CD-ROM version of Red Hat Linux 9, with 260 additional packages not included in the standard 2 CD Publisher's Edition
Red Hat Linux 9 core includes: Linux kernel, GNU C compiler, GNOME desktop, Apache Web server, Samba Windows file/print sharing, CUPS print service, Sendmail mail server, and BIND DNS server
Additional packages include:
* KDE desktop
* samba-swat
* vsftpd
* spamassassin
* sendmail-cf
* Legacy UNIX network services
* Tripwire
* sndconfig ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Not workable produce
I ordered this item for my husband and while the book is fine, one of the CDs is unplayable.He repeatedly tried to contact the company and could not get any personal response and could not get his CD replaced.He is very dissatisfied with the package, as it is unable to be played as desired.

Red Hat is the best Documented version of Linux
This book is about Red Hat 9, with the Red Hat 9 CDs included. Red Hat 9 is no longer supported by Red Hat. They have moved on to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise. But Red Hat 9 is still supported by 3rd parties, and is probably the best of the Linux versions for older computers.

I have a 1998 Gateway Solo laptop. Red Hat 9 is the only version of Linux which allows everything on it to work. The sound system on this laptop does not work with Fedora or any other version of Linux. But it is completely compatable with Red Hat 9.

If you are looking at 3rd party software, normally you will find they support Red Hat 7 thru 9, Fedora, and Debian.

If you install a fedora system, much of the book can be used as a reference.

If you get this book/Cd set, I would also suggest getting "Running Linux" 4th edition by Welsh, Dalheimer, Dawson, and Kaufman. Published by O'Reilly. This book covers all versions of Linux and will compliment the Red Hat Bible.

Linux Newbies, This Is For You!
If you are new to the Linux scene and want to dive into the last Red Hat release before Fedora and Enterprise, this book is for you. From step by step configurations to advanced user administration this book has it all! It won't take long to finish all 900+ pages and you will be up and running with a properly configured Linux system in no time. If you are looking for a reference book, this will also add to your shelf set. I sometimes find myself going to it for a quick reference here and there. Even though it is not a Fedora or Enterprise book, it will still help you in learning about how Red Hat develops its operation systems. This knowledge can be ported to other Linux distributions. I started with Red Hat 7.2 and have evolved into a homegrown LFS (Linux from scratch) box because of help from books like these. A must have for all!

Excellent for Windows Powerusers Transitioning to Linux
I'm a computer engineering student and network administrator with a fairly heavy background in MS operating systems and programming.When I decided to move on to the *nix world, the Red Hat Linux 9 Bible came highly recommended from my other friends (also powerusers).While this book is not a complete reference for everything that can be done with Linux (ie. PHP), it's an excellent introduction and reference, and provides a thorough walkthrough for starting a variety of services that are packaged with the RH9 distribution, including the Apache HTTPd, vsFTPd, sendmail, MySQL, BIND DNS, DHCP, and Samba servers.

Might want to buy a supplementary reference for shell commands, but this is an excellent overview and walkthrough.

Great Initiation into Linux --for a Newbie
I am a Newbie to Linux.I've used MS products throughout the years, and finally decided to try Linux. From all of the reviews I had read, I chose the "Red Hat Linux 9 Bible," by Christopher Negus to begin my journey.

Luckily, I read-through about one-third of the book before trying the installation.I successfully installed Linux on a Compaq Presario, although the BIOS always over-rides any O.S. disk, other than the restoration disk (98) that came with the system.I compared the Linux Bible information to my MCSE 2000 kit and decided to set-up two FAT 16 partitions, two FAT 32 partitions, and leave the rest of the disk unpartitioned.Note: my first experiment, with only one FAT 16 partition was unsuccessful, and the Boot record was toast. Two FAT 16 partitions allowed me to retain the boot record and dual-boot, properly.The Linux Bible informed me about leaving the rest of the hard drive unpartitioned, in preparation for the Linux installation.

Even on the Compaq Presario--with the BIOS over-ride issue--I was able to dual-boot with MS Windows and Linux (although I am a newbie to Linux, and this was my first insatllation of Linux), thanks to The Linux Bible.Now, despite the fact that the BIOS only wants Windows 98, I can successfully boot Linux, 98 & 2000 on the same machine.Most people probably would-have just flashed the Motherboard BIOS, but this was my Mom's PC, at the time I was experimenting.98 keeps the BIOS happy, and I need the FAT 16 partitions for Linux, so this set-up works well--without flashing the BIOS (and risking damage to the Motherboard).
Important note:the Linux Bible taught me to install the Windows Operating systems first, to preserve the Master Boot record--which I did.However, if I made Windows the primary O.S., it dusted Linux.So, I made Linux the Primary boot O.S., and DOS secondary.Now, when I boot, I can choose Linux (or let it automatically load), or choose DOS, then choose between 98 or 2000.
Without The Linux Bible I would not have had a clue how to trick the BIOS and install Linux on the Compaq Presario.
Also, I found The Linux Bible to be extremely helpful, once the O.S. was installed and I could tear myself away from the Astroids game--which is rather addictive.
I strongly suggest The Linux Bible to other Newbies. You can find all of the informmation you need--including the Shell commands.This book seems to be the perfect introduction /Initiation into Linux.I also purchased "Linux in a Nutshell" (O'Reilly), but it seems to be written for people who already know what they are doing and already know how to install Linux. ... Read more

Product Description
GNU/Linux is the Swiss army knife of operating systems. You?ll find it in the smallest devices (such as an Apple iPod) to the largest most powerful supercomputers (like IBM?s Blue Gene). You?ll also find GNU/Linux running on the most diverse architectures, from the older x86 processors to the latest cell processor that powers the PlayStation 3 console.GNU/Linux Application Programming, Second Edition gets you up and running developing applications on the GNU/Linux operating system, whether you?re interested in creating applications for an iPod or a Blue Gene. This completely updated edition covers all the necessary tools and techniques with many examples illustrating the use of GNU/Linux APIs. Split into fi ve distinct parts, the book covers GNU tools, topics in application development, shells and scripting, debugging and hardening, and introductory topics, including the fundamentals of virtualization. See why thousands of programmers have chosen GNU/Linux Application Programming to teach them how to develop applications on the GNU/Linux operating system! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Wonderful book
This book is perfect for anyone who needs to write application software for GNU/Linux.It describes all those miscellaneous features for programming that are above the kernel but below the level of integrated development environments.It describes makefiles, gcc, debugging, object file analysis, sockets, pthreads, performance analysis and much more.The latest edition also has an excellent overview of virtualization.

The author doesn't go into detail on any one subject, and that is what makes the book so good.I can find details in various online sources.This book is perfect for someone who had normal training in C/C++ and now needs to understand how to develop on a GNU/Linux system.

Lazy authoring and dodgy code
Bought this book as it had so many good reviews on Amazon.com. I really should have paid more attention to the one review that said "Disappointing" (Paul Floyd of Grenoble, France).

I haven't yet read the bits about history, tools or shell scripting. What I have read is the section covering application development. This skims through areas such as sockets, threading, semaphores, mutexes, message queues, memory-mapped files etc. All useful areas, but this book does little more than tell you what the man pages tell you. That's where the first bit of lazy authoring comes in. The second bit of lazy authoring is the complete absence of an explanation of how to use these areas together, or an example of using them together. Given the list of topics, an example would have been useful that starts a worker thread to handle a TCP connection, that thread waiting on file descriptors and a timeout using select or poll, using mutexes to protect data, a message queue to communicate between the main thread and the worker thread, and possibly a memory-mapped file to create a circular log of the last N actions performed. Unfortunately the author didn't attempt that. But we should possibly consider ourselves lucky that he didn't, as the example code he does provide contains some major failings, most notably putting code inside assertions that is required even in optimised release builds. When this code gets compiled out in an optimised release build the examples fail. Obvious to anyone that knows about assertions, but not necessarily to everyone reading the book.

Disappointing code examples
Looks like I'm going to break the mould of giving five star reviews to this book.

Part I is a brief overview of the history and motivation behind Linux. No bones there.

Part II covers compiler and related tools. I learnt a few things from these chapters (I wasn't familiar with either autotools or gcov).

Part III covers application development. The emphasis is mainly on IPC. There are some grim errors in the code. In particular, I winced when I saw the use of asserts that contained statements performing actions with (necessary!) side-effects. Compiled in optimized mode in most environments, this code will crash. For this section, Stevens/Rago APUE or Rochkind AUP serve much better.

Part IV, shell scripts and tools is OK, as is part V, debug/test.

I'm not sure why there's a CD included. It contains the source code (of little value, easily downloaded) and all of the diagrams used in the book. I can't imagine that they will ever come in handy.

Great reference if you program for the Linux platform
This book covers a wide breadth of what you need to get started with Linux programming. The writing is very good and readable.

The examples though simple, are very clear and concise, and makes you understand at a fundamental level what elements of Linux you need to know.
The ones I liked in particular were:
- IPC (interprocess communication)
- Linux process model, and pThreads
- shell scripting, awk, sed
- bison, flex
- tools like GDB (debugger), gprof (performance), gcov (code coverage)
- sockets programming

Note that this book does not go very deep into these topics, but if you need a refresher on the basics, or you don't know a particular area of linux, this book is highly recommended.

Most of the examples are in C, as expected, (being Linux) except for a very short example in Ruby with Sockets programing.

great book to get you going
I've been programming for a good while but I am relatively new to Linux. Sure I've flirted with it a little in the past but I've mostly been down in the worlds of Nulceus, vxworks, and threadx.

I found myself needing to come up to speed fast on a lot of little things - multi threading, communications, piping and build processes. This book covers it all in good enough detail to get you on your feet fast. The sections on signals was especially helpful as was the nice overview of gdb which while not the debugger type I'm used to - really proved to me how useful that old program still is (and since I'm stuck with the command line version of it - how to really make that version sing).

As a quick reference/introduction this book can't be beat. Highly recommended ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (43)

Great book
This book is great for both beginners and professionals as stated.It starts from installation and is easily read.You can skip chapters if needed without getting confused.Great information on getting started in the BASH shell.

Ubuntu Guide
A really good guide for new users to Ubuntu.Even includes a CD to get you going.Would have rated 5 stars, if book had covered latest edition; excellent never the less!

Talk to your IT
I am an absolute beginner using linux and found it very frustrating that time and time again I was told to "Talk to your IT or network administatrator to get the Network address".This was for configuring the Network printer, connecting to wireless router...you get the idea.If you are an absolute beginner and have a wireless setup in your house this book will not help you get the info you need.You need to talk to an IT to get everything wireless setup.I was really hoping this book would give me everything I need to get started sadly it didn't.

An Excellent How-To and Reference for Ubuntu Linux
Beginning Ubuntu Linux was a Godsend for me when I installed Ubuntu, as I had no "live" expert at hand to answer my questions. For someone with no prior knowledge of Linux, the book's step-by-step guidance makes it easy to install the software and get it up and running. It does a nice job of anticipating any problems the user may encounter and provides solutions for them. Once the system is installed, it provides complete coverage of configuring it for the individual user, and actually putting it to work, in chapters on using the Open Office suite, the Totem movie viewer, the GIMP photo program, e-mail programs and other features. For those inclined to dig deeper the book has in-depth coverage of file structure and manipulation, the BASH shell, and practically every topic to increase one's expertise with Linux. I find the book to be an excellent reference whenever a question arises when I'm using Ubuntu, and learn something new each time I open it. I highly recommend this book and wouldn't be without it.

Excellent for linux beginners
This is an excellent book for beginners of Linux/Ubuntu.Has detailed instructions on installation and usage and system maintainence. I wish the DVD were a little more up to date though. However, that is no big deal as almost all things Linux can be downloaded from the internet. ... Read more

Product Description
Previous editions of Linux For Dummies have garnered rave reviews. However, there’s one scary term applied to them—outdated! The 6^th Edition remedies that with easy-to-understand information on the latest version of the most popular Linux distributions, including Fedora Core, SuSE, Mandrake, Xandros, Linspire, and Knoppix. This guide walks you though installing, configuring, tuning, and using each version of Linux, the low-cost, secure alternative to expensive operating systems. You’ll discover how to:

• Prep your computer for Linux
• Boot and stop Linux
• Connect to the Internet, e-mail, surf the Web, and access and use cool Internet tools
• Manage files and directories
• Do word processing and more with Open Office.org
• Updated material includes:
• Info on the wireless Internet connection
• Coverage of the new SELinux infrastructure, an important new security feature
• Updated GNOME and KDE coverage

Written by Dee-Ann LeBlanc, award-winning author of numerous books and articles and author or coauthor of the popular previous editions of Linux For Dummies, this edition not only guides you step by step, it also includes an appendix of common Linux commands and a comprehensive index so you can find what you need to know without taking extra steps.

The bonus DVD includes:

• The full, installable version of Fedora Core 3 and Knoppix
• ISO images (that will save hours of downloading time) for SUSE live, Mandrake full version, Xandros Open Circulation version, and Linspire full version

If you want to explore the different distributions of Linux, this is the guide for you! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Lunix for Dummies
The book is in excellent shape. Book description was excellent I am totally satisfied with all aspects of the transaction. Linux For Dummies, 6th Edition

In need of an update.
Rambles a bit and the material is dated as well.Also it covers five or six different Linux floavors but none in depth.Would have been better if it had been more narrow with better depth.

Linux for dummies
Like all the other Dummies series, the Linux for dummies is another great way to learn Linux. With this book you don't need to have a geek live with you to use and understand the powerful and useful computer enviroment. I have used Linux for several years and the book taught me a few things I didn't know about Linux.

The Best Linux Jump Start
If you are new to Linux like me and would like to learn Linux in a week then this book is a must have along with "Linux Pocket Guide".

LeBlanc made learning Linux easy. The intructions and tips in this book are clear, concise, and very easy to learn. I actually have fun reading it too! After a week of getting my hands dirty with a Linux (Red Hat Fedora) box, I am starting to appreciate Linux more and more.

Outdated Distros
I'll be frank.I was really looking forward to using this book. Making ISO copies of Linux distros can be a tedious and lengthy process.It's nice to know you can get the distros on one CD and check things out.

Here's a gentle reminder: If you are installing Linux on an older system WITHOUT a DVD-ROM, you cannot use the disk that came with the book. DUHH!!

The publisher will sell you all the CDs. The problem is, the distros that came with the book have been updated.For example, Mandrake is now Mondriva and Red Hat FC3 has moved on to FC5. Who wants to install older distros?

I simply did not find this book useful.The author mentions GRUB and LILO boot loaders but really provides no help or insights if you encounter boot loader difficulties during installation.

After successfully loading FC4 on my computer, I still have not found this book useful.I attempted to update my software and the instructs in this book didn't apply to the newer distro.For example, this book makes very little mention of the Red Hat FC4s *yum*.Many of the Linux commands reviewed in this book may be found over the Internet for free, as in free beer.

The author likened the ease of becoming a Linux user to boiling water (see the Introduction).This is not an accurate depiction.

I realize the author took on a great challenge in the writing of this book and I salute her for her efforts; however, this should not be the first book you pick up to teach yourself Linux. ... Read more

Product Description
In this handy, compact guide, you’ll explore a ton of powerful Fedora Linux commands while you learn to use Fedora Linux as the experts do: from the command line. Try out more than 1,000 commands to find and get software, monitor system health and security, and access network resources. Then, apply the skills you learn from this book to use and administer desktops and servers running Fedora, CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or any other Linux distribution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great Guide
I just got this book and I started using its advices in Linux. I recently had contact with centOS servers and Fedora and this book has guided me through the way of correct administration via command line.

DO NOT BUY the KINDLE version of this book
This could probably be an excellent Kindle book if the many tables were displayed like the rest of the book, in a font that is large enough to read and searchable. Unfortunately, the critical tables are in a form that is too small to read, even with perfect eyesight. Additionally, any text within those tables is not found by the Kindle search engine. The tables are probably graphics, not text.

Until this book is properly rendered for the Kindle, it should be removed from Kindle availability. Amazon customer service told me to contact Wiley. I contacted Wiley (the publisher), technical support, to bring the unreadability issue to their attention. The rep told me that he believes Wiley books are rendered by Amazon for the Kindle. He agreed that if all the content cannot be read, and if all the content cannot be searched, any book of this type should not be issued for the Kindle.

I'm now waiting for my hard copy to be delivered. Amazon, please act to re-render the book for the Kindle so all of it is readable and searchable. I will buy that version.

A detailed desk resource
Although the copyright inside my cover reads 2008, the examples inside are about two years old from Fedora 6 and 7. For example, much of chapter 2 is outdated. However, that doesn't detract from the rest of the info inside, which is a goldmine. Get this book!

Very helpful so far
i am somewhat new to linux and i am finding this book useful.It is well organized and has most of the commands I am looking for in RHEL 5.Any other books for starters folks would recommend?

Refreshing and Updated for Power Users
This book is practically "perfect" (sorry if sounds exaggerated) for the following reasons:

1 In less than 260 pages (340 considering appendixes) quickly covers a wide and useful selection of topics
2 The text is updated to the latest improvements in EVERY subject
3 Very easy to read and follow with or without a computer at hand
4 Command line oriented

Let me explain:

1 From the Table of Contents you may see the book covers practically everything most users will need when using a Linux as Server or Desktop; that selection of subjects was really well calculated and provides with a mix that is rarelly found. Also, the "depth" for the provided information was carefully calibrated in order to show the most useful situations (by the way avoiding being boring with nerdy configurations)

The authors provide with a minimal and informal introducion to every subject, and next use a good selection of samples for illustration.

2 Surprisingly, all chapters were written taking into account a lot of "modern" improvements in distro/commands/kernel. Every old-Linux user may appreciate here the giant advances made by Linux to the point that practically every subject is now simple to manage (or at least not esoteric.)

3 As I have several years using Linux, most of the material presented was familiar (with a lot of "modern" surprises), but the organization and style did let me follow all the text without needing to test the examples or configurations in order to understand anything. At least for me, it is a big bonus.

4 99% of the recipes and examples apply to the command line (with some mentions to the graphical front-ends). This may be sad for new users, but very important for administrators or users that look for "maximum flexibility", or "task automation" or work in "server environments" where the GUI is not allowed or discouraged.
... Read more