[lug] Here is an easy question

[B O'Fallon]

Craig Small wrote:

> Also, where can I find really good tutorials on the basics of linux
> (will purchase if necessary)?

This may get me laughed out of this forum, but if you are a beginner,
Linux for Dummies is very good at covering the basics. It will teach
you enough that you can then go to O'Reilly's classic Running Linux by
Matt Welsh, et. al. After that, try either the Red Hat Linux Unleashed
or Mastering Linux (I believe there is a RH specific book with this
title). These latter two may be more than you need if you are not
setting up a network or want lots of information on other network
services, so take a good look at them before squandering your
hard-earned money.

With these under your belt, you can then branch out into the O'Reilly
books for speciality knowledge about the shell, network
administration, etc.

If you're planning on running a small network in your home or office,
I can also recommend Sams Linux: Networking for Your Office.

Another good source of information for RedHat is the various
certification manuals. I think the RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer
Linux Study Guide is superb.

I've also found Kabir's The Red Hat Linux Adminstrator's Handbook to
be useful.

One aspect not very covered well in the above is security. I think
that Bob Toxen's Real World Linux Security: Intrusion Prevention,
Detection, and Recovery is as good as anything on the market. I
particularly like chapter 2, which gives tips that can be quickly
implemented while reading the rest of the book.

Since Red Hat is the most popular distro in the US, there is a wealth
of books on it. The only problem is that the long lead time to publish
often means that the distro covered by the book is one or two version
out of date. Usually, the information is still valid, but like
everything else, caveat emptor.

All of these should be available from Amazon.com or Bookpool.com
(which heavily discounts the O'Reilly series, as well as most others).
If you're in Denver or Boulder, all of them are available from SoftPro
Books at a 5-10% discount.

--
B. O'Fallon
bof at americanisp.net

Facts are stubborn things and whatever may be our wishes, our
inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the
state of facts and evidence.

                --- John Adams, 1771

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