Linux Books

For years, any system administrator running Linux who was worth his paycheck knew that Qmail was the defacto standard for running a mail server (heck, even Yahoo uses it!). Sendmail has always been ripe with security holes and headaches -- something Qmail has went to great lengths to correct. However, the problem has always been there was no easy reference guide to Qmail. You had to be either a Linux-geek, or know someone who was, to get it installed and working correctly!

Now, thanks to O'Reilly, even us non-geeks can get our Qmail systems up and running in no time. This book covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format. From installation, to making the switch from sendmail, even how to tune and setup third-party components with Qmail to help control spam, scan for viruses and run your own mailing list server.

One of the great things about this book is it, for the most part, is not dependent on any particular flavor of Linux. The author does a good job of making it generic enough that you can follow along no matter what distribution you use.

Granted, you will need to know a bit about Linux to use read and fully understand this book. It is geared towards system admistrators and not the end-user of a Qmail system. However, you don't need to be a Linux Guru to understand it -- it has just enough detail to satisfy without overwhelming.

Overall, this is the handbook for Qmail that has been long overdue -- a one-stop technical manual that puts the final touch on Qmail.

Although sendmail is installed in more Internet mail servers than any other Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) it has come under scrutiny for being a large awkward program by today's standards. More and more new MTA servers are moving to a modular program like qmail that has a multitude of smaller programs for each function instead of one huge program that does everything. This allows for greater speed and flexibility. John R. Levine's new book "qmail: Managing Unix-Based Mail Systems" examines the qmail program in depth from installation to configuration to troubleshooting. While qmail is fairly straightforward and you can achieve great results on both small and very large systems, it is a very different way of thinking if you are moving from sendmail and are already familiar with it. The author recognizes this difficulty of changing the way you think and spends a good portion of the beginning of the book detailing qmail and how it works so you understand the "qmail frame of mind". I've never setup a sendmail server and so I did not have the obstacle to overcome but I have setup and configured the postfix MTA which is also a modular type program. With that background the book was a breeze to follow along and I was even able to download a copy and configure it correctly for my system. The coverage was excellent and the installation and configuration information provided all the information I needed to get it up and running. If you are thinking of building a qmail MTA you will find "qmail: Managing Unix-Based Mail Systems" absolutely indispensable and the only reference you need to get it done right the first time.

The short of it is -- if you're the type of person who can install MS Windows on a machine, then there's no reason you can't install Linux on a machine. And I think this book is probably the fastest way you can get started.

While the typical computer geek can wade through the websites and find documentation and get help from newsgroups, I think this book is the best way for "regular folks" to go about it.

Confession: I'm a computer programmer who got into the habit of buying "For Dummies" books during college when I wanted to learn the basics really, really fast without having to think too much.

My goal was NOT to be able to program in Linux. I just wanted to see how close Linux has gotten to be a viable alternative to MS Windows. I wanted to install it on my laptop, but didn't want to spend more than a weekend on the endeavor.

I started out by downloading Mandrake Linux and installing it. All went really well. It was sort of anti-climactic. But then I wanted to go into it a little deeper. For example, adding users, reading files off my windows machine (I have a home network), downloading and installing programs that didn't come with the distribution.... But I just didn't have the patience to wade through the documentation. I just wanted the steps for doing the basic stuff right in front of me. Okay, I'll be honest -- I didn't want to think, I just wanted to do it.

Red Hat Fedora....For Dummies was the answer. After installing the Fedora distribution (the book explains "distributions"), I was customizing the desktop, reading files off my windows machine, browsing the web, printing from the printer connected to my windows machine, etc., in no time -- I'm talking the first day. It was so easy, I wanted to delve further. So I followed the directions in the book and was compiling programs and upgrading the Kernal.

If computers are sort of a hobby for you, meaning you like to dink around on them, can set up a network, can install MS Windows and stuff like this, you HAVE to try installing Linux on a machine. Try and find a used P3 or better machine with more than 128 MB RAM. (The book goes through how to install it on the same machine as your windows system, but I wouldn't do it.) Use this book and go for it. You will be AMAZED. If you mostly use your machine for e-mail, word processing, MP3's and photo/video manipulation, you may find that you can say goodbye to Windows and "HELLO!" to affordable (often free) software of equal, if not better quality than what you find on MS Windows.

Good Luck!

Although this titles clearly says that it's For Dummies, you'd best not be too terribly stupid to expect to tie into an 850 page book on Linux and come out knowing everything there is to know about Linux.

Having said that, this is still a For Dummies book. It starts off making the assumption that you at least know how to turn the computer on. One thing I particularly liked was the idea of you can put this on your main PC, but you might do better (that means less chance of screwing it up) if you put it on an old retired PC. I happened to find a PC at a local thrift store for $75 that I could dedicate to the Linux OS so the family doesn't get upset when I leave the thing in a mess. The software included with the book comes on a DVD. Or if you want you can order this software from the publisher on 9 CD-ROMs for a nominal fee.

The book is advertised as being 9 books in one. And I agree. The section on open office is clearly enough to get you started on using the integrated office package that comes with the software. And the section on programming is as good as any that I've seen. It's not enough to make you a professional programmer, but it will get you through the installation, setup and first programs. All in all, quite a book.

After reading through this book I found that I liked it not only for an exam guide but also as a source of quick answers to miscellaneous small questions. For example, I had a minor problem where I knew what the problem was and what had to be done, but could not remember the specific utility or specific steps needed. A quick turn to the appropriate section of the book and I had my answer. This is not a book that you would use to try to learn Linux and it does not profess to be such a book. On the other hand if you have a familiarity with Red Hat Linux and want a refresher, or a short summary of the most common administrative tasks this is an excellent book. If I were to take a good Linux book and write an outline so that I could just jump to the answers when I had questions this is the kind of book that I would end up with. "Red Hat Certified Engineer Exam Notes" is a highly recommended read for anyone wanting a summary of Red Hat Linux in a well-organized format.

A great cram book. Short and to the point. Highly recommend reading it just before going to course to get an overview.

If you dont plan on going to course, read it BEFORE starting your
studies from the bigger Study Guide for a good overview. (I recommend "RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer Linux Study Guide, Third Edition" by Michael Jang) Published by McGraw-Hill.

Happy Studying!

Good luck with your exam.

This book and the accompanying CD's were a fantastic way to get started with Linux. I recently started using Linux 3-4 months ago. I tried to install Mandrake 9.1 initially, but had problems with the KDE desktop. I then installed RH on my Dell Inspiron 2600 laptop, and everythign installed the first time. I have to admit that I did not opt for the M$/Linux dual-boot option, but the book does explain what you need to do to make it happen. After installation the book offers chapters to first get you used to using Linux in console mode, and then chapters that teach you how to use the desktop to do the same types of things. Overall, I thought the book provided a decent start to how to perform basic functions (via console/desktop) needed to make Linux work smoothly. If you want something more comprehensive try "Red Hat Linux 9.0 Bible", or "Red Hat Linux 9.0 Unleashed".

I wrote this book to help real people learn to use Red Hat's Linux products in real situations; I have tried to write with current Windows or Mac OS users in mind. There's minimum of fluff or unnecessary technical jargon; instead, I try to give clear, concise instructions in step-by-step format for performing common tasks in Linux:

- Installing Linux (while preserving Windows)
- Internet, email and Web browsing
- Desktop publishing, word processing and spreadsheets
- Managing files, folders and your desktop
- Wallpaper, screen savers, colors and other preferences
- How to use the command line without being intimidated by it

For advanced users, there are also step-by-step sections on:

- Sharing Linux files with Windows computers over the network
- Using your computer as an Internet Web server
- Basic security and computers with more than one user
- Basic scripting in Linux
- Thin-client (network) computing

Finally, there's also a chapter on backing up your data and recovering from disasters.

Whenever possible, I try to give the exact steps needed for you to perform a specific task -- the exact words that you need to type, the exact icon that you need to click, the exact menu item that you need to choose, and so on -- in order to make Linux as painless as possible for users who are more familiar with Windows or Mac OS. I've also included as many illustrations as Sams would let me include -- in some chapters, nearly two a page, clearly labeled -- so that you can compare the steps that you need to perform to what you see on your own screen.

My intent was to write a book that family and friends could use to learn Linux -- both the basics and a few of the more powerful tools as well. I hope you enjoy it!

As another reviewer has mentioned, the book is very practical. It treats almost all the topics you will sometime encounter in your scientific/research career, if you work on Unix systems. I could have saved a lot of time looking for freeware had I first looked in this book. The book covers the use of gnuplot, the free plotting program, and also mentions many very useful utilities. Personally, I downloaded xmgrace, a superb graphing free software. Customizing xterm windows and the motif window manager are some of the other things I found interesting. Now, my workstation menu features everything I will use in the course of the day. (Much like windows 95, only more powerful). It took me two years to learn through trial what is here!

It's a wonderful book for both beginner and advanced users of UNIX system. Its comprehensive contents help me learn every aspects of UNIX needed in scientific field. I learned many new things by reading this book. I am very exciting.

This book is not simply a rehashing of the WordPerfect User's Guide. It is well-organized and clearly written. Many authors are content to simply explain the features of a program. In this book, Rod Smith shifts the focus to one of using WordPerfect for Linux to get things done.

Mr. Smith also provides clues and work-arounds for dealing with many of the quirks (bugs?) that are present in WordPerfect for Linux. I purchased the book because I was having trouble getting a document to print properly. Thanks to Appendix B (and a couple of clarifying emails from the author), my problem is now solved.

You won't regret buying this book!

Rod,

Just wanted to drop you a note re: your book. I received my copy from Amazon.com a couple of days ago and I am quite impressed. I figured it would be another useful, but dull reference book that I'd refer to in a jam and leave on the shelf otherwise.

Boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I am actually reading it! Your writing style is informative and "entertaining" and actually makes for good reading. I've already picked up quite a few tips that it would have taken me forever to find in the manual, if I could find them at all. I especially like the fact that it really is tailored for Linux - not a rehash of WP8 for Windows in Linux clothing. Your seamless incorporation of the vagaries and nuances of Linux in the text is perfect, and for a Linux newbie, I'm sure invaluable. (Like you, I've been using Linux for about 2 years, so I definitely don't consider myself a newbie).

i borrowed this book from my university library initially,but i found i can't live without it,so i bought it. it provides a clear,thoroughful introduction to samba,and smb. then give u a detail intruction to administer samba. the most convenient part is the trouble-shooting samba,which contains a lot of cases that u will face when integrating samba, so buy one yourself

If you ever wanted to know about SAMBA, what it is, what it does and how to use it, this is the book...the ultimate book...

Not only covers it all features found in SAMBA, it also covers most intergration with other systems, containing many helpful hints for servermanagers.

The book also manages to both look back over the past of SAMBA, but also look ahead into the future use of the product.

Awesome book, you can't go wrong with this buy.

As my title suggests, need i say more? Thanks to the authors for this great piece of work

This book is well structured, written in an excellent style, with illustrative and relevant examples and figures. It treats in a systematic way all things a programmer should be aware of when designing and optimizing high performance applications. Beyond a reference for Sun's development environment, it is compulsory reading for a novice or intermediately experienced in this field, conveying a lot of information about compilers and hardware alongside. Again, I want to have this book in my bookshelf since it is a gem in the category of software books. Its graceful style complements the density of information. It is not a quick read, if you want to digest everything.

It is nice to be able to look up the problems you come up against in a new OS. This book is well done and has been very useful for my conversion to Linux. It even came with a Hardy CD.

I have toyed occasionally with both Red Hat and Ubuntu over the years, but I definitely meet the definition of "non-geek." Installing these operating systems before always required some degree of struggle, and not uncommonly (especially with some earlier distros) I would simply fail. But that has changed. The current 8.04 version of Ubuntu partnered with this book is frankly outstanding.
First, a word about the operating system: this Ubuntu distro, code-named Hardy Heron, may well be the one that has finally made Linux as easy as Windows. I had always previously laughed at such claims from Linux enthusiasts, but this distro impresses me. It is the one that may at last enable me to defenestrate completely. And this guidebook is the perfect match, using normal language. One thing that it does very well is explaining what the few text commands that it uses actually do, instead of just instructing the reader to type it into the command line and leaving you wondering what exactly those "magic words" meant. There is a single short chapter about using the command line, but 99% of what the guidebook leads you through uses the GUI, so if the command line intimidates you never fear.
I installed Ubuntu 8.04 dual-boot with Windows XP on my laptop effortlessly. Not a single thing went awry. The new partitioning tool that is used during the installation is a great improvement over those in any of the (few) other Linux distros I've seen. The book follows step by step. My laptop is about 4 years old, so I am sure that a newer laptop may have hardware that is not as well supported and effortless. But on mine everything just worked, including my wireless internet.
Though they are enthusiastic, sometimes getting an understandable answer from the Linux community can be challenging. I had always struggled through installing Linux software before, especially if I needed to compile it myself. In fact, I can count my successful compilations on one hand. I never knew that GUI-based tools like Synaptic Package Manager or GNOME App Install were available to make it all so easy (assuming that a deb package is available, as there usually is) and again the book walks you through flawless examples. One example used for software installation is a program to automatically detect and load a driver for any ATI or NVIDIA graphics card- something which has historically been very difficult on Linux systems
My biggest criticism- and it wasn't enough to cost half a star or anything like that- is that the CD included with the book only has the i386 version of Ubuntu. If you want the 64-bit version you have to download it and burn the ISO to disc. (In fairness, the i386 version will load and run on a 64-bit machine, but only in 32-bit mode.) One of the reasons I bought this book was that I can't seem to pass the checksum when I downloaded the ISO, so now I am waiting for my disc from Canonical so that I can install Ubuntu on my desktop.
So, if you describe yourself as a "computer user" rather than a "computer geek," this is an outstanding book. If you know enough to know that Ubuntu exists then you almost certainly possess the minimal computer savvy required to use this book. I know that this review sort of morphed into a review of Ubuntu in addition to the book, but it is difficult to separate them. Suffice to say, the book walks you step-by-step through multiple examples of everything that you have to do. It also explains such details as what the differences are between the various file formats in which Open Office Word Processor can save documents. Almost all of such important minutiae are covered.

One of the few books on Vi that actually has good, simple, usable examples. It covers many of the lesser-known features, as well as the more popular and necessary commands. The book takes you quickly through the steps necessary to achieve the results you want. Definitely a must-have book for anyone, whether you are a beginner, or seasoned, experienced vi user.

This is the best Vi editor book. Having said that, I can no longer remcommend using vi, instead if you can switch to vim. Vim is the next generation of vi...There are loads of plugins etc. There is a Vim text, (not as good as this one but it has to cover more stuff) But if you can't get vim, and dread learning emacs. This is the vi book for you. It covers regular expressions as understood by vi, it has all the basic set commands, the buffer control etc. It was originally written for internal classes at HP, but since there wasn't any other good vi books they have allowed general publication. Thanks HP!