Red Hat Linux Bible: Fedora and Enterprise Edition (Paperback)

~ Christopher Negus (Author) "Linux was a phenomenon waiting to happen..." (more)
Key Phrases: Red Hat Linux, Fedora Core, Apache Web (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

* The latest edition of the top-selling guide to Red Hat Linux
* Provides all the information needed to master the latest version of Red Hat Linux, covering desktop and server basics for Linux newbies as well as advanced techniques and all the latest bells and whistles for Red Hat veterans
* Includes step-by-step instructions that make installation simple and painless
* Explains how to take advantage of the new desktop interface; use the Linux shell, file system, and text editor; automate system tasks; and back-up and restore files
* Features new to this edition include expanded coverage of using Red Hat Linux with Mac OS X, managing and manipulating file systems and disk tuning, system rescue advice, and details on using VmWare and VNC (virtual network computing)
* This is the only book on the market that contains Red Hat's three CD-ROM distribution

From the Back Cover

If Red Hat Linux can do it, you can do it too...

With Red Hat Linux separating into the open source community Fedora Project and the commercial Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, new opportunities arise for Red Hat Linux users. Red Hat Linux Bible leads you through the possibilities and choices between Fedora and enterprise installations. Covering everything from detailed instructions to running desktop applications and setting up more than a dozen server types, this book also features new sections on shell scripting, encryption techniques, setting up RAID disks, using yum, and much more.

Inside, you’ll find complete coverage of Red Hat Linux

• Install, tune, and configure Fedora and Red Hat Linux Enterprise 3
• Navigate GNOME™ and KDE™ desktops to run the latest applications
• Learn to use the Linux shell, file system, and text editors
• Try out the latest security techniques for detecting and dealing with attacks and setting up encryption keys
• Discover how to install extra software packages to play games, enhance security, and administer Linux
• Install Linux on a laptop and manage power events with acpid
• Use the newest Linux multimedia tools for audio, video, and CD burning
• Configure Samba file/printer sharing, iptables firewalls, CUPS printers, and other features using Red Hat GUI tools
• Use Red Hat Linux as an AppleTalk® or NFS server for Mac OS® 9 or OS X computers
• Manipulate file systems, tune disks, and support multiple users

Complete 3 CD-ROM version of Red Hat Linux software from Red Hat’s Fedora Project

The Fedora Core includes: Linux kernel, GNU C compiler, GNOME desktop, Apache Web server, Samba Windows file/print sharing, CUPS print service, Sendmail mail server, and BIND DNS server. Additional packages include: KDE desktop, cdrecord, gimp, vsftpd, spamassassin, xmms, yum, and approximately 1,400 additional packages.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1104 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; Bk&CD-Rom edition (December 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764543334
• ISBN-13: 978-0764543333
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #851,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fedora = Red Hat Linux 10, January 29, 2004

By	Chris Negus (United States) - See all my reviews

Sometimes an author is at the mercy of those controlling the content he writes about.

Red Hat Inc. developed a great Red Hat Linux 10 operating system, then at the last minute changed its name to Fedora Core 1. If you liked Red Hat Linux 9, you will like the full Fedora Core 1 that comes on 3 CDs in the "Red Hat Linux Bible: Fedora and Enterprise Edition" even better. It is richer in features and even more solid than RHL 9.

While I think Red Hat Inc. did a great job building Fedora Core 1, so far they have done a mediocre job, at best, of marketing it. They even left the word "Linux" out of its name. For those reasons, inside this book, I sort through:

* How Fedora Core came about
* The differences between Fedora Core 1 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3
* When you would choose Fedora Core or RHEL

Otherwise, this book is just an improved edition of my Red Hat Linux Bible (that comes after RHL 9 Bible). It still steps you through how to install, use, administer, and build servers in most any Red Hat Linux distribution you choose.

I pulled in two friends to update the sections on security and shell scripting. I added sections on RAID and yum. (Check out some yum respositories to find free, high-quality add-on software.) All the projects we built for our "Linux Toys" book for RHL9 run on Fedora Core 1 without modification.

The foundation for this book is the Red Hat Linux 8 Bible (just voted the "Best Linux Book" by readers of LinuxWorld Magazine) and computer best-selling Red Hat Linux 9 Bible. While I usually leave marketing to marketing people, I just felt that these words just weren't getting out: Fedora Core is the best free Linux available today and this book is a great way to get it and learn it (in my humble opinion).

-- Chris Negus
Author of Red Hat Linux Bible (all editions) & Linux Toys

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fedora? This is the one book you should get!, February 15, 2004

By	Robert B. LIVINGSTON (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Are you interested in Linux and don't know where to start?

This book has everything you need to get started.

The book has 3 CDs with the Fedora Core 1 OS. It has over 1000 pages of information describing every aspect of installing and using the Operating System.

And it is readable.

The author seems to understand that not everyone is a "techie", so he has obviously gone to great pains to make his instruction understandable. At the same time, he hasn't simplified it to the point of leaving critical exceptions to procedures out (a failure of most books about Linux).

All applications are listed and described, including many esoteric applications that may be vital to only a few users.

Although enthusiastic about Linux, the author is pretty realistic about its comparison to other operating systems, such as Microsoft's Windows. If you want to get from point A to point B, and you don't care about the price of the ticket, Linux may not be for you. But if you care about "travelling in style" this book is the ultimate guide.

Consider that for the price of this book you can obtain:

OpenOffice, Koffice (2 office productivity suites!)
OpenOffice Writer, Abiword, Kword (3 word processors!)
OpenOffice Calc, Gnumeric (2 spreadsheet applications!)
OpenOffice Impress, Kpresenter (2 presentation programs!)
Mozilla, Epiphany, Konqueror (3 internet browsers!)
Evolution, Kmail, Mozilla Mail (3 e-mail readers!)
Gnu Image Manipulation Program (an image editor for artists)
Gnucash (a financial application)

...And literally hundreds of other special applications including games, and educational programs for children and adults.

With the Fedora Operating System and this book, you can tweak your Computer to look like, and to do anything you dream of doing-- wasn't that why people became interested in computers in the first place?

How much would you have to spend for Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Internet Explorer, Outlook, Adobe Photoshop, Quicken or Microsoft Money? Add it up!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Red Hat book...!, August 6, 2004

By	PixelGeek (Seattle WA) - See all my reviews

The last Red Hat Linux Bible I bought was about three editions ago (Red Hat 7.3). I also recently bought the authors (Chris Negus) other book - Linux Toys - so I picked up this edition, which covers Fedora Core 2.

There was so much new stuff in it! I got a mailing list running from instructions on mailman in the book in about an hour.

Coverage of ALSA was weak and it took me a while to get my sound card going. But yum totally rocks and I was able to download and install the mplayer video player with just one command. All in all, I liked the book a lot!