Customer Reviews

The Linux Web Server CD Bookshelf Version 2.0

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just as the Web Programmers CD bookshelf that I had the opportunity to read, the searching abilities of the cd bookshelves are excellent. Being able to search a certain topic across 6 books at once makes searching for quick answers easily accomplished. Being able to buy 6 books on a single cd also helps to save money while at the same time helps to build your own library of in depth books. The combination of books included in the Linux web server cd bookshelf has enough detailed information to help teach you the ins and outs of running an Apache web server on a Linux platform. Also the Programming PHP and the Managing & Using MySQL books should help you make full use of your Linux web server and understand the flexibility of what can be done.

The bonus paperback version of Linux in a Nutshell, 4th Edition, was a nice addition to the 6 book cd bookshelf. I found it useful for when I wasn't around a computer and felt like reading. The Linux in a Nutshell book gives a good summarized rundown of the entire Linux operating system. Included in the summary is about 464 pages of Linux commands which are great for quickly checking a description or options of a certain command. Also, a basic rundown on system administration, boot methods, package managers, shells with a nice section on bash, editors, cvs, and more. At the end of the book is where xwindows and desktop environments such as Gnome, KDE, and fvwm2 are covered. The Linux in a Nutshell book basically is exactly what it says, the Linux operating system summarized and crunched into about 930 pages.

Throughout all of the books I did however notice that the references are made mainly on the 2.4.x kernel along with mentions of 2.2.x and 2.0.x kernels and the 2.5.45 development kernel. Now that the 2.6.x kernel is out, I would love to see how much O'Reilly goes into discussion about it, possibly in the next editions of these books.

I'm not sure If these books would be great for learning from the very beginning on, but they do give plenty of information about the different parts that make up a Linux web server. The books are great sources of info to help you get a Linux based web server up and active, but could be better in the teaching area.

The Linux Web Server CD Bookshelf is an excellent valued reference tool for programmers wanting to develop software in an open source web environment. Not only does it contain the full text for six of O'Reilly's best sellers on open source web development, a search engine for each book, and a master index, but also it has a number of relevant articles that have posted to the O'Reilly Network. It has a easy to read web-browser interface.
The coverage of the topics in this CD library is simple enough to get a newcomer's feet wet in open-source development and keep him up and running, as well as in depth enough to be an asset to the experienced developer who need a easy reference tool.

The Nutshell book is 4th edition. "Running Linux" is 4th edition. "Managing and Using MySQL" is 2nd edition. "Apache: The Definitive Guide" is 3rd edition. This should give you a feel for how outdated the material is by the time you are reading this review (compare vs O'Reilly site print versions for current editions).

That notwithstanding, the O'Reilly CD Bookshelf idea represents hands-down the best value for money in O'Reilly products, though the series can be a bit uneven in choice of contents (check out the Oracle one which is packed with digital Pocket Guides). Why they stopped making them is a matter for conjecture, but probably boils down to "not popular enough".

Being able to search the material for quick access to that particular snippet you need NOW is the real heart of the usefulness of a CD Bookshelf. The search engine (java-based) can't deal with special characters, so searching for the usual suspects in Perl materials can be a source of frustration.

I bought this book in anticipation of having to run a Linux web server, an eventuality that in the end did not come about so I can't speak to how spiffy the editorial policies in the books themselves are. Check out the print versions on Amazon for more on that.

Given the age of the material I'd think some of the books were of marginal use these days. MySQL must have developed into a better product by now for Crom's sake. I've used the Apache volume and can absolutely recommend it.

This quote from the "Running Linux" volume may also be of help in deciding how relevant the content is: As of the time of this writing in November 2002, the latest stable kernel is 2.4.19

Four stars for the idea and for the choice of books in this collection. Oh for an updated version.