LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition (Book Only) [Paperback]

Paul Sheer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130333514 | ISBN-13: 978-0130333513 | Publication Date: October 12, 2001

LINUX: Rute Users Tutorial and Exposition is the only Linux sysadmin's guide proven by 50,000+ Web users. It presents in-depth coverage of all aspects of system administration: user management, security, networking, Internet services, packages, config files, shell scripting, and more. It also contains detailed cross-references to LPI and RHCE certification topics, making it invaluable for exam preparation.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The key difference between Microsoft Windows and UNIX is that Windows is meant to be easy to learn, while UNIX is meant to compensate for a steep learning curve by providing extraordinary flexibility to knowledgeable users. Linux: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition is the best book on the market in terms of flattening that learning curve. The author, Paul Sheer, uses this book as the text for a class he teaches, and its instructional value is unquestionable. Rather than attempt to make analogies for the way things are done in Windows or in Mac OS, or try to satisfy readers' requirements with mere recipes, Sheer tries to inculcate his readers into the Linux way of thinking. The idea is that work gets done differently in Linux, and you have to get a few concepts clear in order to work effectively in the environment.

Take, for example, Sheer's discussion of the /etc/passwd file, which is at the core of user authentication. He provides a listing of a typical /etc/passwd file, then explains what each element on each line is for. This leads smoothly into a discussion of /etc/shadow, the shadow password file, and its capacity for hiding passwords behind a one-way hash algorithm. Sheer's prose is unfailingly clear and detailed, which is good because he's chosen to omit graphics altogether (which means, incidentally, that this book focuses on the command shell--bash, to be precise--and even the chapter on X Windows lacks screen shots). Aside from a few weird typographical choices (a tiny picture of a penguin invariably follows the word "Linux" in body text, for example), this is a faultless book.--David Wall

Topics covered: How to be a competent Linux user, familiar with the command line, key utilities like "sed," and important related skills like C programming, shell scripting, and regular expression creation. There's coverage of server software--notably HTTPd, Sendmail, and Exim--and coverage of the PostgreSQL server.

From the Back Cover

The only Linux sysadmin guide that's been tested and proven by 50,000+ Web users!

• The proven Linux sysadmin's guide—read by 50,000+ Web users worldwide!
• The only comprehensive system administration reference that's portable across all Linux distributions
• Networking, security, shell scripting, kernel, TCP/IP, DNS, Web, mail, Samba, and much more
• CD-ROM includes a complete HTML version of the book—the perfect portable reference!

Ready to truly master Linux system administration? Rely on the book that's been tested and proven by more than 50,000 Web users and Linux trainers worldwide: Paul Sheer's LINUX: Rute Users Tutorial and Exposition.

Sheer presents in-depth, real-world coverage of every key aspect of system administration: user management, security, networking, Internet services, package management, C programming, kernel compilation, hardware configuration, and much more. Unlike many competitive guides, it also contains extensive coverage of shell scripting and UNIX access controls. Real-life examples give working sysadmins a powerful resource for streamlining their work. It even contains detailed cross-references to LPI and RHCE certification topics, making it an exceptionally useful resource for exam preparation.

• Linux configuration files-in extraordinary detail
• Comprehensive networking coverage: TCP/IP, routing, Apache, Exim, Sendmail, Samba, name server configuration, and more
• Linux commands, regular expressions, processes, and environment variables
• Key Linux environments: from vi to X to postgreSQL
• Linux filesystem permission model and organization
• Linux device configuration: audio, Ethernet, PCI, SCSI, serial devices, CD-RW, and more

No matter what kind of Linux systems you're managing, no matter which distributions you use, LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition presents the techniques you need to succeed.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 672 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall (October 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130333514
• ISBN-13: 978-0130333513
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,071 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, this is excellent, April 24, 2003

By 

No Web Presence "user of books and such" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition (Book Only) (Paperback)

I've read (not just scanned) about 15 Linux reference books of varying depth and direction. Rute is the best. If you can have only one or simply can't live knowing you don't have the definitive guide then you must grab a copy of RUTE. Check out the TOC and Preface for an idea of why I'm so enthused. Briefly, let me just say that topics covered (many and well) are each treated with respect (at least a paragraph of text, not just usage summaries that parrot the man pages) and obviously were learned in the field, not from other books. There are other reasons, but I leave them for you to discover. ENJOY.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Be careful -- some of this info is outdated, October 27, 2003

By 

"thatbookguy2" (Wichita, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition (Book Only) (Paperback)

The only reason I gave this book three stars is that most of this info regards GNU/Linux systems that are running a 2.2 kernel. The book points out in its text that the 2.4 kernel is upcoming. As I write this, the 2.4 kernel has been around for years now, and the 2.6 kernel (non-testing) is on its way. Likewise, some non-kernel material is also *completely outdated* (sound card configuration and NFS spring to mind). This book doesn't even mention kudzu, which is the bread & butter of RedHat, Knoppix, Mandrake, etc. Another way to put this: if kudzu can't autoconfigure your ISA hardware, this book may help.

However, the material in this book which is still relevent is worthwhile. If the author releases an updated edition, I'd be very tempted to buy it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well written but eclectic coverage, January 15, 2003

By 

G. A. Findlay "Gordon" (Christchurch New Zealand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: LINUX: Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition (Book Only) (Paperback)

This is a wonderfully written book, as many reviewers have said. The author has a gift for clear explanation and writes in a lucid style which is far too rare in IT books.

But beware! The coverage of topics is quite uneven: be sure that it covers the material that you need.

For example, the coverage of mail is a little on how SMTP, POP and IMAP work, and 17 pages covering configuration of exim and a little on sendmail, and combatting spam, It doesn't give enough detail to begin to set up or maintain a mail server. Contrast this with 40 pages on the Linux File System standard.