Sebastopol, CA--Over the last few years, Linux has grown both as an operating system and a tool for business. Simultaneously becoming more end-user friendly and more powerful as a back-end system, Linux has achieved new plateaus: the newer filesystems have solidified, new commands and tools have appeared and become standard, and the desktop--including new desktop environments--have proved to be viable and stable. The new edition of Linux in a Nutshell by Ellen Siever, Stephen Figgins, and Aaron Weber (O'Reilly, US $39.95) brings readers up-to-date with the current state of Linux.
Considered by many to be the most complete and authoritative command reference for Linux available, "Linux in a Nutshell" covers all substantial user, programming, administration, and networking commands for the most common Linux distributions.
"'Linux in a Nutshell' isn't something you'd read cover to cover, but turn to when you need information fast," says coauthor Figgins. "It has many quick references rolled into one: vi, ex, sed, gawk, RCS, CVS, regular expressions, firewalls, package management, bootloaders, and desktop environments. Throw in condensed and clarified man page information, and you have a book worth keeping open right next to your computer system."
The fourth edition of "Linux in a Nutshell" continues to track the major changes in bootloaders, the GNOME and KDE desktops, and general Unix commands. Several commands related to CDs and music reflect the evolution of multimedia on Linux. Coverage of GRUB--which has become the default bootloader on several Linux distributions--has been added, as well as coverage for vim, the popular, feature-loaded extension to vi. The addition of several new options to the iptables firewall command and new commands related to DNSSEC and ssh show the book's value as a security tool. Contents include:
Programming, system administration, networking, and user commands with complete lists of options
GRUB, LILO, and Loadlin bootloaders
Shell syntax and variables for the bash, csh, and tcsh shells
Pattern matching
Emacs, vi, and vim editing commands
sed and gawk commands
The GNOME and KDE desktops and the fvwm2 window manager
Red Hat and Debian package managers
Praise for the previous edition:
"...the ultimate Linux command reference dictionary...In our opinion, it's not a question of should you buy this book, its more like how fast can you get to the store without getting a speeding ticket. If you buy only one Linux book, it should be this one. Whether you are a newbie or a geek, a Sys Admin, end user, or a programmer, this is a must have. Bravo O'Reilly! It's not often that you can improve on something already deemed the best in the field."
--Dean Staff, Maximum Linux, November/December 2000"A valuable resource for the Linux user and an essential tool for the Linux administrator."
--Elizabeth Zinkann, Sys Admin, December 2000"Serious power users are sure to be delighted."
--John Suda, Apple Cider Computer User's Newsletter, December 2000"Without a doubt, the best Linux book is 'Linux in a Nutshell' from O'Reilly."
--David Coulson, PC Plus, February 2001"A welcome update of a good reference book. It is a usable, well organized, and thorough reference on all Linux commands. Highly recommended."
--Jan Fagerholm, PC Clubhouse News, January 2001"O'Reilly & Associates' classic 'Linux in a Nutshell' title has now undergone another revision and release, and the new 3rd edition fits the bill just as completely as previous editions did. I have begun to keep 'Linux in a Nutshell' on my desk, using it in lieu of online pages in many cases. If you're looking for a fast flip-through reference for use in the trenches, 'Linux in a Nutshell' still holds the crown."
--Aron Hsiao, Focus on Linux, November 2000"An excellent reference for those wanting to work at a more intimate level in the system."
--Dr. John Joyce, Scientific Computing, October 2000
Additional Resources:
Linux in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition
Ellen Siever, Stephen Figgins, and Aaron Weber
ISBN 0-596-00482-6, 928 pages, $39.95 US, $61.95 CA, 28.50 UK
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
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