The authors of Linux Unleashed, Fourth Edition, know that their operating system is best at lurking in the background, reliably plugging away as a server platform. They cover a few graphical user interfaces (GUIs) just for the sake of comprehensiveness, but this book focuses on the Linux 2.2.5 kernel and the most popular server software you can run on it. For the most part, this book treats Linux generically, though the hand-holding installation section uses Red Hat Linux 6 as its primary example. (Less explicit sections cover installation of Caldera OpenLinux and Debian GNU/Linux.) The authors have also done great work in highlighting differences among the distributions as they crop up during the tutorials. For example, they're careful to explain the (significant) differences among the three distributions' implementations of DNS service. Attention to variations among them is one way this book distinguishes itself from its (many) competitors. Prose sometimes is accidentally poetic--"Samba won't work without a working network"--and generally clear, accurate, and easy to follow.
Like all books in the Unleashed series, this one includes some programming coverage. While it adequately introduces the reader to the Linux development environments for several languages and will probably make some readers aware of languages they might not have known before coming to Linux (like gawk and Motif), the programming material doesn't get into any real problem solving. The authors just show how each language works, detailing loops, arrays, and basic syntax--it's introductory or refresher material, depending on your perspective. Regardless, the excellent coverage of Linux and its server software makes this book a worthwhile buy, particularly if you want to try out several distributions. --David Wall
Topics covered: Linux 2.2.x and three of the most popular distributions of it (Red Hat, Debian, and Caldera). Installation, TCP/IP network configuration, and the basics of system administration are all here, but most readers will appreciate coverage of server software the most. The authors cover Web, FTP, mail, and print servers, plus implementations of the Domain Name System (DNS). File-sharing resources, including Samba and the Network File System (NFS), receive plenty of attention too. Rudimentary programming coverage includes Perl, Motif, gawk, Tcl/Tk, C/C++, and Java.
About the Author
Tim Parker is a consultant and technical writer based in Ottawa, Canada. He is Technical Editor for SCO World Magazine, and Contributing Editor for UNIX Review, Advanced Systems Magazine, and Canadian Computer Reseller. He has written more than 800 feature articles and two dozen books including Linux Unleashed, Second Edition. Bill Ball is a Linux guru with 5 years experience installing and administering Linux systems. Bill is the author of the best-selling Sams Teach Yourself Linux in 24 Hours, Que's Using Linux, and Sams How to Use Linux. He is a frequent contributor to other Sams titles, such as UNIX Unleashed and Slackware Unleashed. David Pitts is a Senior Consultant with BEST Consulting, one of the premier consulting companies in North America. David is a system administrator and programmer assigned to The Boeing Company. David has been working with Linux for 4 years. EXPERT ADVISORS: Gary Lawrence Murphy, President, TeleDynamics Communications Inc. Gary Lawrence Murphy is the president and founder of TCI and is the principle Unix/Internet Applications Consultant. He has 11 years experience in Unix applications using SunOS and Solaris, SiliconGraphics IRIX, IBM AIX and BSDI, with over 6 years experience using Linux in business and research server and desktop applications. Eduardo Marcel Macan, Linux Developer, Core Technologies Informatica LTDA. Eduardo is in charge of administering a 5,000+ user world-wide Linux based network. Eduardo has been working with Linux for 5 years. Mario Camou, Director of Technology at Umbral, one of the fastest-growing international Internet portals. He is in charge of systems and network administration and software development, and manages a heterogeneous network composed of Linux, Sun, Windows and Macintosh systems. Mario has been working with Linux for seven years.
