Linux and the Unix Philosophy [Paperback]

Mike Gancarz (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1555582737 | ISBN-13: 978-1555582739 | Publication Date: August 5, 2003 | Edition: 2nd

Unlike so many books that focus on how to use Linux, Linux and the Unix Philosophy explores the "way of thinking that is Linux" and why Linux is a superior implementation of this highly capable operating system.

This book is a revision and expansion of a computer science classic. Every chapter has been thoroughly updated with Linux coverage.

Linux and the Unix Philosophy falls squarely between the "softer" texts on iterative software design and project management and the "how-to" technical texts. Thus far, no one has come out with a book that addresses this topic, either in the Unix space or the Linux space. Linux and the Unix Philosophy covers the same ground as the first edition, while it also presents bold new ideas about Linux and Open Source.

· Concise list of philosophy tenets makes it a handy quick reference
· Anecdotal examples personalize the book for the reader
· Conversational style makes it easy and joyful to read

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The concept of Linux and the GNU project, while appearing to be the 'next step' of the Unix Philosophy, is only the return from a wayward path. Everything stated in the Unix Philosophy's first edition is just as true today, perhaps even more so. The addition of source code availability allows you to see exactly how these masters of code created their systems, and challenges you to create even faster code with greater capabilities." -Jon "maddog" Hall, Executive Director, Linux International

"By effectively linking the principles used in Unix with those used by the Linux development community, Gancarz sheds new light on the Open Source philosophy." -Henry L. Hall, CEO, Wild Open Source

Book Description

New edition of a bestseller

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Digital Press; 2nd edition (August 5, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555582737
• ISBN-13: 978-1555582739
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #515,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gancarz is a philosopher, August 31, 2003

By 

E. Karagianni (Greece) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Linux and the Unix Philosophy (Paperback)

* * * * *

Five stars for "Linux and the Unix Philosophy" because foremost it is an excellent discussion of the importance of the Open Source revolution.

Also, what this text does is not to repeat the basic Unix design's principles e.g. 'everything in Unix is a file' e.t.c., but instead it focuses in some inspiring and innovative approaches to software engineering, mostly applied in the GNU/Linux world.

It finaly proves in many ways the superiority of GNU/Linux - and Unix in general - in contrast to the other "desktop" systems.

One thing I enjoyed the most is the parallelism between some Unix tenets and corresponding real life examples. Having read a lot of texts about Unix and Open Source Software I deeply recommend this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learning Linux is an incredible intelligent investment, January 9, 2008

By 

James J. Bell (Chamblee, GA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Linux and the Unix Philosophy (Paperback)

If you're considering purchasing this book - let me make this easy. At sixteen years old (1986) I was using DOS with my younger brother on an IBM PC. All I got were beeps and control characters. I had no mentors that understood DOS better than me. Unix had been cooking for 16 years! Why couldn't Unix have been ported to the PC? Fast forward ten years and I had a Bachelor's in Computer Information Systems and I earned a living using MVS/JCL/COBOL II/DB2/CICS/ROSCOE/FILEAID. It took me days to slice and dice text files with JCL/FILEAID - it was like using a screw driver to remove nails. I still remember these JCL and Fileaid syntax. Unix would have made these tasks child's play. Today, my JCL and Fileaid syntax knowledge is worthless. If I'd learned grep awk instead - my skillset would be highly prized for the foreseeable future! In short, learning Unix/Linux syntax is an awesome investment. Why? In case you didn't know Unix/Linux will be going strong when your children's children are dead! This book actually made me sad. Sad that I was 37 years old before I encountered a Mike Gancarz's book that tells the Unix/Linux narrative. If only I'd gotten the message sooner when my mind was a sponge - I'd be so much farther along today! So here goes. If you're an old fart - maybe you should forget Linux - keep paying Microsoft a small fortune to re-badge their OS every 5-7 years. This book will make you see things from a brotherhood perspective. Your brothers want you to use their OS free. Yeah I want more Linux games too. Give them time. But in the mean time invest some time in learning the command line. I swear to you that Linux is logical, and even approachable, regardless how cryptic the command-line flags look at first. Every minute you invest in learning Linux can be passed-on to your kids, grandkids, & so on. Linux is eternal. This book tells you nothing of the syntax but you'll learn the Unix/Linux mindset. I skimmed at parts, but this is a necessary first step. This is where you should start your journey to learn Linux. I share your pain. Chin up - we're in this together.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Read, August 28, 2003

By 

Prometheas (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux and the Unix Philosophy (Paperback)

Few books can really do a proper job of talking about philosophy vis-a-vis software development. Mike Gancarz finally delivers--and wonderfully--on such an attempt. It can not only broaden your mind, but also improve the quality of the software you develop (if you're a programmer).

You needn't necessarily be a programmer to appreciate this book, there is no code or assumption that you have any development skills whatsoever. You should at least really appreciate software systems as works of architecture. I'll leave it at that.

My *only* criticism is that at times I wasn't quite in tune with the author's sense of humor, but that's my only criticism.

I highly recommend this book.