Linux Unleashed [Paperback]

Tim Parker (Author)

Book Description

Series: Unleashed | Publication Date: August 1998

Linux Unleashed, Third Edition, is for the user who has some experience when it comes to operating systems. It focuses on the needs of administrators, power users and programmers covering everything from managing users and groups to using the programming tools that come with Linux. Although the book isn't focused on any one distribution of Linux, where necessary it will use Red Hat Linux as a basis for it's examples.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Linux is a free version of UNIX created for DOS compatible personal computers and designed collaboratively by computer programmers worldwide. With Linux on your computer, you can have a fully functional multitasking computer and Internet site at very little cost.

The book includes a CD-ROM containing the complete Linux OS, X-Windows for Linux (so you don't need Windows or Win95), a complete suite of Internet applications, programming languages (Perl, C, C++, Tcl and Smalltalk), TCP/IP networking support, games (including DOOM), and the GNU archives. Some UNIX experience is useful -- but not entirely necessary -- to make best use of this book. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Tim Parker is a consultant and technical writer based in Ottawa, Canada. He is Technical Editor for SCO World Magazine, and Contributing Editor for UNIX Review, Advanced Systems Magazine, and Canadian Computer Reseller. He has written more than 800 feature articles and two dozen books including Linux Unleashed, Second Edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1114 pages
• Publisher: Sams Publishing; 3rd edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0672313723
• ISBN-13: 978-0672313721
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,081,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This is good book for a very general introduction to Linux, June 28, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux Unleashed (Paperback)

If you want to learn very little about many topic in Linux, then this is a good book. But if you want to learn about specific topics, don't even bother buying this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is an Excellent Linux Reference, December 4, 1999

By 

"bdunn" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux Unleashed (Paperback)

If you are somewhat lost with Linux, I highly recommend this book to you. While there is no book that can spell out every minute detail and every point of Linux, this book does a far better job than most.

I'd give it 5 stars, but the included software is not that great. I doubt anyone would actually use the CDROM anymore, but then, that's not really the value behind the book at all. Linux and almost all applications are free on the Internet anyway.

If you plan to run Linux, and you are having a tough time finding what you need to know at the Linux Documentation Project (LDP = NOT a well organized place), this book will certainly lead you in the proper directions. Once you have general knowledge of a given subject matter, then you can much more easily find additional information online. But remember, unless you can ask the right question, you'll never get the right answer.

If you are new to Linux, you will not regret buying this book. Download RedHat 6.1 from the Internet to have the latest release and forget the CDROM. However, don't feel that this book is in any way outdated. Most of the code of the programs you'll use on a day to day basis in Linux is already years old, and that's often based on software that is sometimes decades old. Sure, the code is updated, but the commands and command structure rarely change.

An excellent reference. CDROM should be updated, so think of this one as a shiny coaster. This is still a good purchase. Only the Linux pros should skip it... they already know their way around the confusing LDP. They already KNOW the RIGHT QUESTIONS.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a good book at all., December 6, 1999

By 

Christer Lindqvist (Stockholm) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux Unleashed (Paperback)

I don't suppose you really need another review telling you that this is NOT a good book. It tries to cover everything, and ends up covering nothing. Please do not repeat my mistake! Buy something else (I wish I knew what though...)