Running Linux [Paperback]

Matthias Kalle Dalheimer (Author), Lar Kaufman (Author), Matt Welsh (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 156592469X | ISBN-13: 978-1565924697 | Publication Date: August 8, 1999 | Edition: Third Edition

Once a little-known productivity boost for personal computers, Linux is now becoming a central part of computing environments everywhere. This operating system now serves as corporate hubs, Web servers, academic research platforms, and program development systems. All along it's also managed to keep its original role as an enjoyable environment for personal computing, learning system administration and programming skills, and all-around hacking.

This book, now in its third edition, has been widely recognized for years in the Linux community as the getting-started book people need. It goes into depth about configuration issues that often trip up users but are glossed over by other books.

A complete, UNIX-compatible operating system developed by volunteers on the Internet, Linux is distributed freely in electronic form and at a low cost from many vendors. Developed first on the PC, it has been ported to many other architectures and can now support such heavy-duty features as multiprocessing, RAID, and clustering.

Software packages on Linux include the Samba file server and Apache Web server; the X Window System (X11R6); TCP/IP networking (including PPP, SSH, and NFS support); popular software tools such as Emacs and TeX; a complete software development environment including C, C++, Java, Perl, Tcl/Tk, and Python; libraries, debuggers, multimedia support, scientific and database applications, and much more. Commercial applications that run on Linux range from end-user tools like word processors and spreadsheets to mission-critical software like the Oracle, Sybase, Informix, and IBM DB/2 database management systems.

Running Linux has all the information you need to understand, install, and start using the Linux operating system. This includes a comprehensive installation tutorial, complete information on system maintenance, tools for document development and programming, and guidelines for network, file, printer, and Web site administration.

New topics in the third edition include:

• KDE, a desktop that brings the friendliness and ease-of-use of Windows or the Macintosh to Linux
• Samba, which turns Linux into an office hub that serves files and printers to Microsoft systems
• PPP, the most popular software for logging into remote systems over phone lines
• Revised instructions for installation and configuration, particularly covering the Red Hat, SuSE and Debian distributions

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Earlier editions of O'Reilly's Running Linux served as central guides on installing, configuring, and using the OS. The third edition of this guide covers the kernel through version 2.2.1 and will prove especially useful to those with high technical aptitudes and a well-tested willingness to experiment with their computing environments.

The explanation of how to rebuild the kernel--a particularly daunting task for many--deserves special praise, as do the sections on configuring network links and servers. Users will find that the informative, prose-heavy style packs maximum information into this book's pages. For example, the purpose of a Linux element is described and then the reader is shown various ways of using it, complete with explicit statements of what you type and what you get in response. Back this book up with a good command reference (Linux in a Nutshell is solid), and you'll be well on your way to Linux mastery. --David Wall

Topics covered: KDE and Gnome windowing systems; Samba, file, and system management; shells; windowing systems and networking; installation on Alpha, PowerPC, Motorola 680x0, and Sparc boxes.

Review

Read the full review for this book.

Switching to Linux is like moving to a new city -- you don't know where things are, what they are called, or how to get there. In short, you don't know enough to ask the right questions, and probably have a job or some work you want to get done. Running Linux, by Matt Welsh and Lar Kaufman, is a gentle welcome to Linux that shows you around, points out some places where you may want to spend some time, and tells you where to find good detailed guides. I read the first six chapters, and every article in print or on the Web I could get my hands on, before installing Linux on its own partition. (I had started with Dragon Linux's IronWing, an eight-floppy distribution that uses the MS-DOS file system. It is a low impact way to try out Linux.) --Jeff Taylor, Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books -- Dr. Dobb's Electronic Review of Computer Books --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 760 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; Third Edition edition (August 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156592469X
• ISBN-13: 978-1565924697
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,839,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Linux users, July 27, 2000

By 

"mcopple" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Running Linux (Paperback)

I was very impressed by Running Linux. Like many other computer professionals, I have always been a fan of O'Reilly Publishing.

"Running Linux" claims on its cover to be "One-Stop Shopping Guide to Linux." They aren't far off. With information ranging from installation to programming tips to TCP/IP, it packs a lot of information into a rather compact binding.

I have only one complaint about "Running Linux." Unfortunately, the book really glosses over some basic Unix system administration and commands that are absolutely necessary for the beginner to be able to be productive with the book and the operating system. If this is your first book on Linux, I strongly recommend getting a companion volume such as a command reference or novice Unix System Administration tutorial. Use "Running Linux" to get concepts, then consult the companion volume when you sit down at the computer to make things work. You will have a lot more fun and a lot less frustration in the long term.

Overall, I have nothing but good things to say about the book. I found it extremely helpful. The text is very readable and well organized. I highly recommend it for all Linux users!

136 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars dissappointed: much dated material and not enough depth, February 25, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Running Linux (Paperback)

After reading all the glorious reviews I could only believe this was the book I needed, being a relative newbie. Although I have found much usefullness in the book, I am disappointed nevertheless and will be looking for another.

My main complaints with this book are:

1) The back cover states that, "_Running Linux_ explains everything you need to understand, install, and start using the Linux operating system." Then the author states several times in the book that if you are new to unix/linux you may want to buy a book on the subject!

2) This Third Edition, published in 1999, reads like an older edition at times. For example, I doubt that Chapters 2 and 3 regarding installation are useful to anyone installing a modern ditro, except maybe Debian. In fact these chapters would probably only be confusing - with their descriptions of installing from floppy, etc.

3) The book also goes to great length to point out Linux's superiority over all things Microsoft, and it's not always accurate in this dubious endeavour. Sometimes it seems hardly a page goes by without one of those petty, unprofessional jabs at MS that are unfortunately so common in Linux writing. If I thought Microsoft were god, I wouldn't be Running Linux.

As an example of 2) and 3) consider paes 49-50. The author describes that in a dual boot situation with W95 it's better to install W95 first because W95 has a nasty habit of overwriting the MBR. He then goes on to say, "We don't know whether Windows 98 will demonstrate the same cavalier behavior as as Windows 95." This book was published in 1999 so why doesn't he know? He then conveniently fails to mention that many Linux distros will not only overwrite the MBR, they will also erase the entire hard drive including other OS's partitions. (dated material and misleading evangelism).

4) As other reviewers have pointed out, the book is simply not detailed enough for admins or power users. Considering it's not all that great for newbies either, then what is it good for?

I could go on, but I think you get the point. My feeling is that in 1995 this was _the_ Linux book to have, and it's reputation has earned it a lot of sales, but it's just not the right book for today, not for newbies and not for experienced users.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beginners Guide to Workstations, February 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Running Linux (Paperback)

First, if you're setting up a Linux Server then this book is not your best choice. If you're completely new to Linux and want to learn as much as possible about all of it's functionality in general then this book is for you. This guide takes you through the paces and shows you all the bells and whistles that come with Linux but really only touches on network administration tasks. Great book for workstation users (i.e. if your NOT the sysadmin!) but if you're looking for more specific networking information then I suggest other books such as DNS and BIND, Linux Network Toolkit, TCP/IP Administration and others specific to sendmail and apache and linux networking!