Customer Reviews

Advanced Linux Programming

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

See this link where you can download the whole book and decide for yourself!:

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

This is undoubtedly an ambitious book, covering some of the most complicated (and neglected) topics in the world of Linux programming. Unfortunately, it suffers from some critical defects.

The first two chapters are the obligatory redundant recycling of Linux fundamentals that are the hallmark of lazy authors. Face it: if you don't know what emacs or a shell is, you shouldn't be reading this book; if this is the best opening you can come up with, you shouldn't be writing it.

The authors fail to cover their subjects in sufficient depth. Sockets receive a scant five pages and the examples only treat UNIX domain sockets. Who the hell cares about UNIX domain sockets? Why are there no examples of multi-threaded Internet domain socket servers?

To be fair, the coverage of the linux-specific material is decent, but doesn't justify the price tag. Bottom line: this is a good introduction to the subject of threads and Linux technicals, but will leave you needing more. Go to your favorite bookstore, get a cup of coffee and spend half of an afternoon reading the book in the store and saving yourself ...

I bought this book because I thought It would bring my Linux programming skill to another level but I was wrong(I m an SW eng doing C/C++/MFC programming and want to learn new stuffs). I would recommend the Beginning Linux Programming by (Richard Stones, Neil Matthew, Alan Cox). BLProgramming covered all the topics (except for ASM) and explained clearly with good examples than the ALProgramming. I didn't see any advanced topics or new technics or in depth coverages. Whatever this book says, the Beginning Linux Programming say better and in depth.
Go to the book store and review yourself.
I usually buy books recommended by the users so i want to return something with this review. Thanks.

I'm working on my BS in Computer Science, and have spent years hunting over the web and bookstores for information on programming in the Linux enviroment.
-This book is the BIBLE!
I open each chapter and section as if I'm opening a treasure... and that is what this book is: a treasure trove of information, from thread management, interprocess communication, shared memory, devices, to even implementing inline assembly code!
This book is well written as an introduction without overloading the reader with tangential information: it introduces each topic, shows hows it works and how to implement it (including simple illustrative sample code examples you can on your own machine), and where to get info on more in depth coverage.
This book is a MUST for anyone who wants to understand the Linux enviroment! -Heck: it makes a good read just as an introduction to advanced tools in general! -I wish I had it years ago, and recommend it for ANYONE interested in programming in Linux, or just interested in developing their programming tools beyond "Hello World" !
Heck: any CS teachers out ther should consider creating a programming course based on this book as an intro to advanced progamming topics in general: the authors have already done most of the work introducing not only how to use the tools, but how the tools work and how the system implements them!

I bought the "beginning linux programming" by Richard Stone and Neil Matthew( i listed the authors because there is anohter book same title) and I bought this one because of the hi mark and hope it would help my linux programming skill but I was so disappointed. Nothing in this book is not covered by the BLP which even explaines better and more examples. I thought advanced programming book should give in depth coverage of topics or techniques or common mistakes from beginner but this book doesn't not. I usually buy book based on the rating if i can't check out at bookstore so I want people to know. The decision is yours but check the book first.

This book was a pleasant surprise. Not 700-1000 pages, but just above 300 pages and packed with information and small workable c-examples. I was walked through creating basic applications, shared & static libraries, sockets, pipes and security, forks/threads and detailed expamples on synchronization mechanisms. The book also guides you through creation of a relatively simple web server with plugin-modules. Quite fun !

So in addition to discover how typical intermediate/advanced programming tasks were handled in Linux I also learned a lot more on how the system works.

No shell programming here - only C. Keep your Linux box close by when reading!

This is undoubtedly an ambitious book, covering some of the most complicated (and neglected) topics in the world of Linux programming. Unfortunately, it suffers from some critical defects.

The first two chapters are the obligatory redundant recycling of UNIX fundamentals that is the hallmark of lazy authors. Face it: if you don't know what emacs or a shell is, you shouldn't be reading this book; if this is the best opening you can come up with, you shouldn't be writing it either.

While the range of subjects is broad, the authors fail to cover them in sufficient depth. For example, sockets receive a scant five pages and the examples only treat UNIX domain sockets. Who cares about UNIX domain sockets? Why are there no examples of multi-threaded Internet domain socket servers?

To be fair, the coverage of the Linux-specific material is decent, but doesn't justify the price tag. Bottom line: this is a good introduction to the subject of threads and Linux technicals, but will leave you needing more. ..

This book details literally hundreds of bits of information that you'll otherwise spend hours searching for during your involvement with Linux programming. Like, how to create a shared library, using fork, synchronization objects, and more and more and more in an exceptionally well considered, well laid-out format that dispenses with the fluff and provides just superb organization of content. Note that in this "deep-bowing" praise, that much of the information in this book is available (buried) in man pages and elsewhere and that these topics covered are certainly not new, they are simply concisely presented here with direct relation to your use of them for your Linux-based programming needs. The book *far* exceeded my expectations and I'd happily recommend it to all of the Linux programming/development mailing list readers in the world...if for no other reason than to save countless hours explaining what is covered in this book. Very C-oriented, naturally; doesn't really get into higher-level application development or design issues, stays right at the sweet-spot of Advanced, Linux and Programming from the *operating system* perspective where it is clear from the code examples, which nicely fit within just a few lines, that these authors *meant* to write a book about what they know and do and love. Tap into their brains, buy the book, read it then read it again. If Linux *system-level* programming is on your agenda, you need this book and I promise that you won't be disappointed. If higher level application programming is your bag, you probably still need this book however, you may not be as concerned with the system details to make my above promise come true...buy something on Qt or Gnome instead :)

Note that you won't get a lot of operating system fundamentals, theory of operation or other academic texts on that broad topic, rather, just useful "stuff" to write programs for Linux-based systems.

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.

Working on this book was a privilege and a joy. As opposed to the money-minded "doorstop"/quantity-over-quality format that most computer/programming books fall into, this text is relatively lean and mean. The examples are beautiful in many ways: as pure code, as examples of how to comment code clearly and completely, and as examples of how to teach concepts. In each and every case the authors provided one of the better clarifications of a programming concept I have ever encountered. If you have tinkered with programming in a GNU/Linux environment, are reasonably comfortable with C code ("reasonably" is relative since this code is so well-commented) and are looking to take your knowledge to the next level, I cannot recommend this book too highly. I believe it is destined to become a classic!