A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux (3rd Edition) and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more



or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $10.75 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Start reading A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux (3rd Edition) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Mark G. Sobell
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

Buy New
$28.21 & FREE Shipping. Details
Rent
$25.70 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
Only 17 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
In Stock.
Rented by RentU and Fulfilled by Amazon.
Want it Wednesday, May 29? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Free Two-Day Shipping for College Students with Amazon Student

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition $18.00  
Paperback $28.21  
Sell Back Your Copy for $10.75
No matter where you bought them, get up to 70% back when you sell your books at Amazon.com.
Used Price$20.76
Trade-in Price$10.75
Price after
Trade-in
$10.01

Book Description

August 22, 2010 013254248X 978-0132542487 3

The Most Complete, Easy-to-Follow Guide to Ubuntu Linux 

  • The #1 Ubuntu server resource, fully updated for Ubuntu 10.4 (Lucid Lynx)–the Long Term Support (LTS) release many companies will rely on for years!
  • Updated JumpStarts help you set up Samba, Apache, Mail, FTP, NIS, OpenSSH, DNS, and other complex servers in minutes
  • Hundreds of up-to-date examples, plus comprehensive indexes that deliver instant access to answers you can trust 

Mark Sobell’s A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux®, Third Edition, is the most thorough and up-to-date reference to installing, configuring, and working with Ubuntu, and also offers comprehensive coverage of servers—critical for anybody interested in unleashing the full power of Ubuntu.

 

This edition has been fully updated for Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx), a milestone Long Term Support (LTS) release, which Canonical will support on desktops until 2013 and on servers until 2015.

 

Sobell walks you through every essential feature and technique, from installing Ubuntu to working with GNOME, Samba, exim4, Apache, DNS, NIS, LDAP, g ufw, firestarter, iptables, even Perl scripting. His exceptionally clear explanations demystify everything from networking to security.

 

You’ll find full chapters on running Ubuntu from the command line and desktop (GUI), administrating systems, setting up networks and Internet servers, and much more. Fully updated JumpStart sections help you get complex servers running—often in as little as five minutes.

 

Sobell draws on his immense Linux knowledge to explain both the “hows” and the “whys” of Ubuntu. He’s taught hundreds of thousands of readers and never forgets what it’s like to be new to Linux. Whether you’re a user, administrator, or programmer, you’ll find everything you need here—now, and for many years to come.

 

The world’s most practical Ubuntu Linux book is now even more useful!

 

This book delivers

  • Hundreds of easy-to-use Ubuntu examples
  • Important networking coverage, including DNS, NFS, and Cacti
  • Coverage of crucial Ubuntu topics such as sudo and the Upstart init daemon
  • More detailed, usable coverage of Internet server configuration, including Apache (Web) and exim4 (email) servers
  • State-of-the-art security techniques, including up-to-date firewall setup techniques using gufw and iptables, and a full chapter on OpenSSH
  • A complete introduction to Perl scripting for automated administration
  • Deeper coverage of essential admin tasks–from managing users to CUPS printing, configuring LANs to building a kernel
  • Complete instructions on keeping Ubuntu systems up-to-date using aptitude, Synaptic, and the Software Sources window
  • And much more...including a 500+ term glossary

Includes DVD!  Get the full version of Lucid Lynx, the latest Ubuntu LTS release!


Frequently Bought Together

A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux (3rd Edition) + Ubuntu Linux Toolbox: 1000+ Commands for Ubuntu and Debian Power Users + Ubuntu Unleashed 2012 Edition: Covering 11.10 and 12.04 (7th Edition) (7th Edition)
Price for all three: $75.33

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Previous Editions of A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux®  

 

“I am so impressed by how Mark Sobell can approach a complex topic in such an understandable manner. His command examples are especially useful in providing a novice (or even an advanced) administrator with a cookbook on how to accomplish real-world tasks on Linux. He is truly an inspired technical writer!”

–George Vish II, Senior Education Consultant, Hewlett-Packard Company

 

“Overall, I think it’s a great, comprehensive Ubuntu book that’ll be a valuable resource for people of all technical levels.”

–John Dong, Ubuntu Forum Council Member, Backports Team Leader

 

“The JumpStart sections really offer a quick way to get things up and running, allowing you to dig into the details of the book later.”

–Scott Mann, Aztek Networks

 

“This entire book is a real boon to any neophyte who does not have a solid handle on getting their own answers. That group is the one that I think will benefit the most from A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux®. Random access is easy, but reading cover to cover would also give one a nice foundational understanding of getting the most out of their machine and even enough guidance to get their feet wet in the sysadmin world. Anyone thrown into owning an Ubuntu server may find this to be a handy lifeline.”

–JR Peck, Editor, GeekBook.org

 

“Very well thought out and simplified. [I] would buy another book from this author (Mark Sobell).”

–Greg Dye, Electronic Tech

 

“Ubuntu is gaining popularity at the rate alcohol did during Prohibition, and it’s great to see a well-known author write a book on the latest and greatest version. Not only does it contain Ubuntu-specific information, but it also touches on general computer-related topics, which will help the average computer user to better understand what’s going on in the background. Great work, Mark!”

–Daniel R. Arfsten, Pro/ENGINEER Drafter/Designer

 

“I would so love to be able to use this book to teach a class about not just Ubuntu or Linux but about computers in general. It is thorough and well written with good illustrations that explain important concepts for computer usage.”

–Nathan Eckenrode, New York Local Community Team

 

“I read a lot of Linux technical information every day, but I’m rarely impressed by tech books. I usually prefer online information sources instead. Mark Sobell’s books are a notable exception. They’re clearly written, technically accurate, comprehensive, and actually enjoyable to read.”

–Matthew Miller, Senior Systems Analyst/Administrator, BU Linux Project, Boston University Office of Information Technology

 

“Overall, A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux® by Mark G. Sobell provides all of the information a beginner to intermediate user of Linux would need to be productive. The inclusion of the Live DVD of the Gutsy Gibbon release of Ubuntu makes it easy for the user to test-drive Linux without affecting his installed OS. I have no doubts that you will consider this book money well spent.”

–Ray Lodato, Slashdot contributor, www.slashdot.org

 

“This is well-written, clear, comprehensive information for the Linux user of any type, whether trying Ubuntu on for the first time and wanting to know a little about it, or using the book as a very good reference when doing something more complicated like setting up a server. This book’s value goes well beyond its purchase price and it’ll make a great addition to the Linux section of your bookshelf.”

–Linc Fessenden, Host of The LinuxLink TechShow, tllts.org

 

“The author has done a very good job at clarifying such a detail-oriented operating system. I have extensive UNIX and Windows experience and this text does an excellent job at bridging the gaps between Linux, Windows, and UNIX. I highly recommend this book to both ‘newbs’ and experienced users. Great job!”

–Mark Polczynski, Information Technology Consultant

 

“When I first started working with Linux just a short 10 years or so ago, it was a little more difficult than now to get going. . . . Now, someone new to the community has a vast array of resources available on the web, or if they are inclined to begin with Ubuntu, they can literally find almost every single thing they will need in the single volume of Mark Sobell’s A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux®.

 

“I’m sure this sounds a bit like hyperbole. Everything a person would need to know? Obviously not everything, but this book, weighing in at just under 1200 pages, covers so much so thoroughly that there won’t be much left out. From install to admin, networking, security, shell scripting, package management, and a host of other topics, it is all there. GUI and command line tools are covered. There is not really any wasted space or fluff, just a huge amount of information. There are screen shots when appropriate but they do not take up an inordinate amount of space. This book is information-dense.”

–JR Peck, Editor, GeekBook.org

 

“Mark G. Sobell’s freshly revised reference work on Ubuntu Linux may be the most impressive computer book I’ve seen in the last 10 years. If you are currently stranded with a pile of abandoned computers on a desert isle, I’m telling you, this is the book.”

–From a review at DesktopLinux.com, http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS8801274918.html

 

Praise for Other Books by Mark G. Sobell

 

“I currently own one of your books, A Practical Guide to Linux®. I believe this book is one of the most comprehensive and, as the title says, practical guides to Linux I have ever read. I consider myself a novice and I come back to this book over and over again.”

–Albert J. Nguyen

 

“Thank you for writing a book to help me get away from Windows XP and to never touch Windows Vista. The book is great; I am learning a lot of new concepts and commands. Linux is definitely getting easier to use.”

–James Moritz

 

“I have been wanting to make the jump to Linux but did not have the guts to do so–until I saw your familiarly titled A Practical Guide to Red Hat® Linux® at the bookstore. I picked up a copy and am eagerly looking forward to regaining my freedom.”

–Carmine Stoffo, Machine and Process Designer to pharmaceutical industry

 

“I am currently reading A Practical Guide to Red Hat® Linux® and am finally understanding the true power of the command line. I am new to Linux and your book is a treasure.”

–Juan Gonzalez

About the Author

Mark G. Sobell is President of Sobell Associates Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in UNIX/Linux training, support, and custom software development. He has more than twenty-five years of experience working with UNIX and Linux systems and is author of many best-selling books, including A Practical Guide to Red Hat® Linux®, Fifth Edition; A Practical Guide to Linux® Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming, Second Edition; and A Practical Guide to Linux® for Mac OS® X Users (with Peter Seebach), all from Prentice Hall; and A Practical Guide to the UNIX System from Addison-Wesley.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 1320 pages
  • Publisher: Prentice Hall; 3 edition (August 22, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 013254248X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0132542487
  • Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.7 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,650 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Good index of topic details and very adequate description of advanced features. BRUCE DEBONA  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
This book met my needs. Bob Collins  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars comprehensive June 27, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
First, I'm glad there are people who take the time to write such a comprehensive book as this. It suited me & helped me understand a lot about using the command line & a lot of the nuisances & idiosyncrasies of Linux & various utilities. By taking the time to patiently read careful & understand each topic I've gained a lot of confidence to use Linux. Although there are a few chapters I haven;t finished, I can now use the book as a good reference when needed. Yes there were some parts that seemed a bit tedious to read, but overall I it's one off those books for me will be paying me back for some time the knowledge I've obtained. IMHO, for more experienced users who might just want to know Ubuntu, I think a command reference or summarized type of book would be better & for the complete new user probably just the Ubuntu Guides are a better place to start. Again thanks to the Author.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Ubuntu by Sobell September 6, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an excellent text and I am using as of this term as the textbook for the class in Linux that I am teaching at the local Community College. The frst book on UNIX that I used twenty-five years ago was written by Sobell. He hasn't lost his touch.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Linux Reference February 17, 2011
Format:Paperback
While this book provides a great overview of Linux and Unbuntu in particular, its greatest value is as a technical reference for setting up and maintaining a Linux workstation or server. It is not, however, an entry-level book for someone new to computers or completely new to Unix or Linux.

My first experience with Linux was back in the early-mid nineties and I have been in an out of the Linux world several times since. I currently have an application where I need to set up both a workstation and server and felt that I needed an up-to-date reference on the current state of Linux was needed. This book met my needs. Recommended!
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful practical guide
Actually, I love this book. Even though Ubuntu has changed a lot during the last updates, but the book can be still used as a refernce book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kornél Nagy
5.0 out of 5 stars Rich in Detail - a Great Resource
Excellent, detailed treatment of Ubuntu. Easy for all but a complete novice with Linux OS to follow and implement. Read more
Published 3 months ago by BRUCE DEBONA
5.0 out of 5 stars Most complete of all Ubuntu books experienced.
A book that covers topics that assists the newby in establishing himself as new user of the Ubuntu computer language.
Published 5 months ago by Kermit D. Reno, Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely wonderful book for an IT person
I really couldn't have made it through the 90's without Unix System V, A Practical Guide, by Mark Sobell. What a life-saver! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Wade
1.0 out of 5 stars Bad for learning
I had to get this book for a class. The subjects bounce around from chapter to chapter with a very poor flow. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Matt
5.0 out of 5 stars Not bad for a text book
Got this for a college class. It does an excellent job of bringing the Windows user (kicking and screaming, I must say) into the Linux world. Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Riggs
4.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad book, but..
This book has a LOT of information, but I was looking for more of a guide that would help me transition from a different distro (CentOS) to Ubuntu, not a book that teaches me what... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Zipp
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect book for information on this system.
I purchased this book for my Husband who is a Computer Specialist. He has read and studied this book along with other books written by the Author. Read more
Published 17 months ago by linda5160
2.0 out of 5 stars Not a good book for a Linux user just starting out
I've used the 2nd edition and 3rd editions of A Practical Guide to Ubuntu Linux for the linux courses I had to take in college. Read more
Published on May 19, 2011 by Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars new to Ubuntu
I needed this book for one of my computer classes to learn more about Ubuntu. It's a great reference to have in your library.
Published on March 12, 2011 by Nikki
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews


Forums

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions

Topic From this Discussion
DVD included with Kindle edition? Be the first to reply
Does CD also contain copy of XUBUNTU 8.10? Be the first to reply
Does it come with CD?
The book includes an 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) DVD. --MGS
Mar 3, 2009 by Mark G. Sobell |  See all 2 posts
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 




So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category