Sebastopol, CA--Linux is open source, affordable, infinitely configurable, and gaining new users faster than any other computer operating system. Linux users and administrators can unearth plenty of documentation online, but finding the exact answer to a problem or question often entails a fair amount of searching through dross. The Linux Cookbook (O'Reilly, US $44.95) is designed for those who want to cut to the chase.
"This book is for folks who want to know what button to push," says author Carla Schroder. "Understanding the underlying theory is useful, but if you can't make the darn thing work, not very helpful. So my book is light on theory and heavy on how-to-make-this-go, with detailed, step-by-step instructions."
Schroder has assembled a collection of scripts, tools, and tips that distill years of hard-won experience into cut-and-paste recipes that solve everyday Linux dilemmas. The book's problem-solution-discussion format is geared for those who prefer to learn by doing--you look up your problem, grab the recipe that fixes it, and get back to work.
The Linux Cookbook covers the fundamentals: installing and removing software, doing automated backups, printing, basic system security, and the like. But it also presents non-obvious information that is often ignored in other books, cures for the time-sinks and headaches that are a real part of an administrator's job, such as dealing with devices that Linux historically hasn't supported well, building multi-boot systems, and handling video and audio. And since most users work with both Windows and Linux systems, the Linux Cookbook includes practical methods for integrating the two operating systems. The book focuses primarily on key Linux distributions--Red Hat, Fedora, and Debian--and includes recipes for sorting out distribution-specific issues.
Whether you're responsible for a small Linux system, a huge corporate installation, or a mixed Linux/Windows/MacOS network, you'll find the Linux Cookbook an indispensable companion for your daily adventures with Linux.
Additional Resources:
- Chapter 14, "Printing with CUPS"
- "Cooking with Linux, Part 1," is on LinuxDevCenter.com
- More information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bio, and samples
- A cover graphic in JPEG format
Linux Cookbook
Carla Schroder
ISBN: 0-596-00640-3, 580 pages, $44.95 US, $65.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
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