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The Joy of Linux (Miscellaneous)
 
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The Joy of Linux (Miscellaneous) (Hardcover)
by Michael Hall (Author), Brian Proffitt (Author)
  4.0 out of 5 stars 7 customer reviews (7 customer reviews)  
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Book Info
An alternative to a manual on Linux operating systems, offering a conversational and celebratory look at the history and evolution of Linux, as well as its current cultures, communities, and controversies. Also offers secret facts and tips for Linux enthusiasts.
Product Details
  • Hardcover: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Muska & Lipman Publishing; 1st edition (March 15, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0761531513
  • ISBN-13: 978-0761531517
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars 7 customer reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #342,961 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
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Customer Reviews
7 Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to open source and the Linux community, September 3, 2001
By Donald Matteson (Kenmore, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
As a newbie to the Linux world (and a sociologist by training), I'm interested in getting my hands on pretty much anything having to do with (a) how/where to use Linux and (b) the Linux community/culture. This book offers a little of both in a very easy-to-read package.

Maybe it's because I've been reading too many of the dry technical manuals that another reviewer alluded to, but I was initially a bit put off by the writing style (what is this business about Spanish Anarcho-Syndicalist collectives?). I got through the introduction and put the book down for a day. Finally, curiosity got the better of me, I got used to the writing style, and I read the rest of it over the weekend -- I'm glad I did!

Mostly, Hall and Proffitt talk about the open source movement, where Linux is being used (and where it's headed), and provide a light-hearted guide to the politics and economics of Linux. For a couple of chapters in the middle they try to explain Windows-users' discomfort with the transition to Linux (what do you mean we have to mount a disk? recompile a kernel?). Parts of these chapters devolve into a slightly washed-out how-to, which I found mildly distracting. They did, however, illustrate the fears that Windows-users face when trying to migrate to Linux and how they're largely unjustified.

The list of resources for further reading is excellent for Linux newbies (like me!) who want to find out more about this fascinating operating system and its culture. Overall, The Joy of Linux provides a good introduction to open source, where Linux has been, where Linux might be headed, and what the Linux community is like. Highly recommended for newbies, not so much for Linux veterans.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The culture, nothing but the culture?, April 21, 2001
By Gordon Findlay (Christchurch New Zealand) - See all my reviews
This is a bit different from most books about Linux, and other books about the open source movement. You won't learn much about using or administering Linux, but will get a feel for (parts of) the culture of Linux and get introduced to some of the communities in the open source movement.

It's fun to read, although the extended metaphor (think other book named "The Joy of ... A Gourmet Guide to ....") gets a bit tired after a couple of hundred pages.

It's not a balanced book: it concentrates on the common characture "Linux guru" and there are other types of people using Linux now, but does suceed in capturing the fun, excitment and "cool" of Linux.