Linux for Windows Addicts: A Twelve Step Program for Habitual Windows Users. [Paperback]

Michael Joseph Miller (Author)

Book Description

Series: Application Development | Publication Date: December 4, 2000

Many Systems Administrators and "Power Users" remain wedded to various flavors of Windows because mission critical applications running on Windows, as well as fears of potential downtime, discourage use of the more robust Linux operating system. This book enables that audience to mingle the two, and move in comfortable baby steps to Linux. The freely available Linux operating system runs on multiple hardware platforms, and supports a vast array of Internet and IT infrastructure functions and standards, which the intended audience would like to use. With its accessible and engaging style, this book eases the reader from the world of Windows graphical interfaces to the command-line underpinnings of Linux. The book contains two parts: the first is a set of three essays comparing and contrasting Linux to Windows; the second part contains 12 chapters describing a 12-step program for mingling with, and for overcoming dependence on, Microsoft products. Written for Windows network administrators and power users seeking to overcome the Microsoft habit, this is a small, practical guide to understanding and running Linux. It includes practical direction and advice on: installation and configuration; networking; Internetworking with Windows and NetWare; printing; and advanced topics, including email, user management, and file sharing.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Break Free!

Linux for Windows Addicts offers a step-by-step approach to breaking the habit of Windows dependence. Awaken your computing potential. Rediscover programming power and administrative freedom with the independent operating system that is easy to learn and free to own and use. Experience the healing power of Linux to create and manage your own stable, safe, scalable computing system. Reclaim your robustness and recognize the errors of your Windows ways. Begin your recovery today!

• Learn and leverage the advantages of open source software
• You decide: Re-platform completely to Linux OS or introduce and run Linux concurrently with Windows
• From e-mail to administration to web serving, master the computer system many predict will replace Windows
• Fine-tune the operating system developed collaboratively by programmers, administrators, and users
• Compile and install your own system using kernels, shells, and modules
• Network with standard devices, plus integrate with other operating systems

About the Author

Michael Joseph Miller (San Jose, CA) has managed NetWare, NT, and Linux networks. Born, grown, educated, and employed in Silicon Valley, he managers and uses Linux, Solaris, and Windows systems at PROLIFIC Inc. He has written Migrating from NetWare to NT and Managing an Inherited NetWare Network for Sybex.

Product Details

• Paperback: 414 pages
• Publisher: Osborne/McGraw-Hill; 1st edition (December 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072130814
• ISBN-13: 978-0072130812
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,839,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 12 good steps, in the wrong order, January 30, 2001

By 

A. Sircom (London UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Linux for Windows Addicts: A Twelve Step Program for Habitual Windows Users. (Paperback)

This is a useful and up-to-date book on Linux, but I am not convinced that it will wean many Windows users off Microsoft's products. With such a title, this book should start as a simple guide to what's out there in the Open Source world and show just how easy Linux is to use. Only then should it delve further into detail about installation and the joys of the command line.

Miller's first three chapters do give an informed, entertaining and (reasonably) unbiased view of Microsoft and the Open Source movement. However, from here it jumps right into Linux file commands. This does nothing to engender Linux to those who consider defragmenting a hard drive to be a dark art that only a Windows black belt can perform safely.

The problems stem from the title, not the content. It suggests the book is one step up from the easy to follow (but often too basic) 'Visually' guides. The book is about two or three jumps up from that basic level, but the title suggests otherwise. 'Linux for Windows Adminstrators (who want to kick the habit)' is probably a more accurate title as the book stands, but that wouldn't look as good on the shelves. In fact, most of the basic information a Linux newcomer would need is in the book, but hidden away in the appendices and the closing chapters. This is a great shame, because by then a good many potential Linux converts will never get that far. A careful reshuffle and a few more illustrations (omitting pictures of the GNOME and KDE desktops when first describing them; the book shows pictures of the control centre panels but not a typical desktop) could turn this into the sort of book that really does start to show Linux in a truly Microsoft-challenging light.

Regardless of the lack of illustrations and the chapter order, I still feel it warrants four stars, simply because it is replete with information put across in an understandable manner. This is something all too rare, especially in the Linux world.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for Newbies!!!, February 25, 2002

By 

Jeff Guth (seattle, wa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux for Windows Addicts: A Twelve Step Program for Habitual Windows Users. (Paperback)

I have been trying to learn linux for over a year, without any success. Mostly it was due to bad hardware support. [....]P>This book is informative, step-by-step, easily read, and most important of all, funny! Not only have I passed into a larger world, I can now read most linux/unix books and magazines out their and understand what they are talking about. After 2 days of reading and working along with the book, I was able to set up a proxy on one computer, and browse the web off my Red Hat 7.2 computer... using Links!

Those of you who know MS windows and are newbies of the Linux world, this book is for you.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (titles are so stupid for these things), April 15, 2002

By 

"ruffryderhockey" (mi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Linux for Windows Addicts: A Twelve Step Program for Habitual Windows Users. (Paperback)

ok, this guy hates microsoft. and instead of telling you about linux, hes telling you how great it is and how bad microsoft is, instead of explaining how to go about things. but this is still a great book, and makes linux alot easier than every windows user makes it sound. but i still like windows, and i still run xp, and i like microsoft a lot. but i also run linux on the same machine, which you should too.