User Group Bookshelf User Group BookshelfO'Reilly Releases "Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora, Fourth Edition"
Back to INDEXUGN Home PageSubmit ReviewThey're all around us, their ranks are growing, and they look just like everyone else. Perhaps they don't swear at their computers quite as much as users of some operating systems do. They even smile. In fact, the time when Linux users were a fringe element has receded into the past; now you will find them in organizations of all sizes and in homes, virtually indistinguishable from other computer users. In terms of cost, power, stability, and reliability, Linux presents an attractive alternative to proprietary operating systems. And what was once perceived as the key barrier to adopting Linux--the initial difficulty of learning and configuring the system--is no longer an issue with the new user-friendly distributions available today.
It's true that the first look at a Unix-style operating system can be daunting to users who are grounded in Windows or Macintosh graphical interfaces. The latest edition of "Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora" (O'Reilly, US $39.95) by Bill McCarty will ease them into the world of Linux with a clear, no-nonsense introduction to the popular Red Hat distribution. The book guides readers through installation and shows them the key parts of the system, always with an eye toward what can go wrong and what they'll need to know to get over the humps.
"Linux is becoming easier to use," observes McCarty. "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."
Red Hat currently provides two distributions of Linux, both documented in this book. The first is their commercial, subscription-based product, called Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which is also available through retail channels as Red Hat Professional Workstation. The second is the free Fedora distribution. The Publisher's Edition of Fedora is included in this book on two disks.
Part of Linux's growing acceptance has been based on its reputation as a secure environment and a good platform on which to run a web server. But today, users can also burn CDs, sync their PDAs, and edit slideshow presentations with powerful tools on Linux. Each of these topics is covered in "Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora."
New in this edition are installation instructions for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora, package updating for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora, information on the GRUB bootloader, and a guide to the CUPS printer system.
"Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora" tells readers how to:
Since the release of its first edition, this book has guided many a PC user into the world of Linux. "Learning Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Fedora" with the accompanying CDs are all anyone needs to get started.
All You Need to Get Started with Linux
Bill McCarty; 326 pages, $39.95 US, $57.95 CA (Click here and save up to 30%); 0405-10; Click above for more details or to purchase.
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