Sebastopol, CA--A change in circumstances can be surprisingly disorienting. Consider Little Dorrit, the Charles Dickens' protagonist who was born and lived her entire life within the walls of the Marshalsea debtors' prison. Upon learning that she and her family were not only free to leave, but were also wealthy, Little Dorrit promptly fainted. Similarly, Windows and Mac users confronting a Unix-based operating system for the first time--while not reacting quite so dramatically as Little Dorrit--may find the experience disconcerting. But, there is help available to ease the transition. Learning Red Hat Linux, Third Edition by Bill McCarty (O'Reilly, US $39.95) provides a comprehensive yet gentle entry to the world of Linux with new users in mind, specifically, the popular Red Hat distribution of Linux.
"When the first edition of this book was being written, Linux was a much-talked-about novelty," says McCarty. "Today, Linux has invaded corporate information technology departments, becoming a popular technology used by hobbyists and professionals alike.
"As predicted in the first edition of this book, Linux is becoming easier to use," McCarty adds. "If you work with Microsoft Windows and have dabbled a bit in MS-DOS or are curious about what happens inside Windows, you already have the skills to install and configure Linux. Thousands of people from all walks of life have already done so."
The third edition of "Learning Red Hat Linux" eases newcomers into the world of Linux, guiding them through the process of installing and running Red Hat Linux on their PCs. Written in a friendly, easy-to-understand style, this book contains all that readers will need to get started, including the complete Red Hat 8.0 distribution on CDs. With new tutorials covering OpenOffice Tools and the desktop, this book is ideal for first-time Linux users who want to install the operating system on a new PC or convert an existing system to Linux. Throughout the book, the author addresses security issues on a level appropriate for a beginning user.
The book shows readers how to:
- Prepare a system for installing Linux
- Install and configure Linux and the two popular desktop environments, GNOME and KDE
- Run the most popular productivity tools on Linux: mailers, web browsers, OpenOffice, and Evolution
- Burn CDs and sync a PalmPilot
- Obtain and set up software through the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)
- Set up a Linux system for networking, either on a local area network (LAN) or via dialup connection to the Internet
- Use the sytem-administration tools included with Red Hat, GNOME, and KDE, including such valuable utilities as Samba file-sharing, the domain name system, and DHCP service
Since the release of its first edition, "Learning Red Hat Linux" has guided many a PC user into the world of Linux. This book and the accompanying CDs are all anyone needs to get started.
What the critics said about the previous editions:
"Here is a book that will give you a helpful and hearty boost in the right direction along the path to creative computing independence...the O'Reilly publications are cream of the Linux reference publications."
--Rip Yarnall, CCPCUG, November 2002"The first thing that impressed me was the way 'Learning Red Hat Linux' was written. It read more like a novel then a technical manual/book, and I found myself excited to see what was on the next page. The book is a quick get-you-started guide that explains what you need to know, then moves on and does not spend too much time dilly-dallying...Microsoft OS readers should NOT pickup up this book, it will make you want to format your OS and install Linux, it did for me!"
--Ken Wilcox, Boise Software Developers Group, July 2002"The book is an excellent guide to get somebody up and running with the latest release of Red Hat Linux. By the time you have read the last page not only will you have set up your computer to create nicely formatted documents, sophisticated spreadsheets, or even graphically appealing presentations, but also you will have integrated your computer into your local network, set up your email, and even accessed the Internet using the ISP of your choice."
--Adrian Popescue, New York Oracle Users Group, May 2002"For those of us who need our hands held, so far this is the best basic book I've seen."
--A.T.Connellan, Write.net online"A one-week course in anything would cost me $1500 or more. Give me an O'Reilly 'Learn XXX' book and a little spare time, and I'll get considerably better value sitting right here doing my own hands-on learning."
--Sandra Henry-Stocker, LinuxWorld, February 11, 2002"The book and disc have everything you need to get Linux up and running...this book does exactly what it sets out to do: get the Linux novice user up and running useful applications quickly. If you are in the market for a gentle introduction to Linux, 'Learning Red Hat Linux' is well worth checking out."
--Keith Schengili-Roberts, Computer Paper, April 2000"...one of the more useful and user-friendly Linux books; it clearly explains procedures and provides the reader with the precise answers...this is one of the books that I reference frequently."
--Elizabeth Zinkann, "Sys Admin," February 2000"...best in its category, especially helpful to newbies."
--Paul Andrews, "Seattle Times," Sunday Nov 14, 1999
Additional Resources:
Learning Red Hat Linux, Third Edition
Bill McCarty
ISBN 0-596-00469-9, 319 pages, $39.95 (US), $61.95 (CAN), 28.50 (UK)
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O’Reilly
For over 40 years, O’Reilly has provided technology and business training, knowledge, and insight to help companies succeed. Our unique network of experts and innovators share their knowledge and expertise through the company’s SaaS-based training and learning platform. O’Reilly delivers highly topical and comprehensive technology and business learning solutions to millions of users across enterprise, consumer, and university channels. For more information, visit www.oreilly.com.