Best book for learning Linux

[bluestrobe]

I'm ok at installing and messing around in Linux but want a book to read to learn more. I bought "Linux for Dummies (2005)" and sad to say I am not impressed. The book goes over details of 4 distros and bounces around a lot between them scratching the surface for the most part. I'm mainly a Debian/*ubuntu fan and would like to read more on them and their tweaks/tricks/ect. I guess I don't need a beginner's book like what I bought but something of the next level. Any ideas?

 

[xSauronx]

i thought about this, but every book seems like it would get rapidly out of date. i decided im better off having a test box i can play with and just go with googling tutorials and checking forums and how to's and such. mainstream software and distros have loads of documentation available. and dont forget things like howtoforge and the linux documentation project

i prefer reading a textbook over reading on a monitor myself, but given the rapid changes and loads of configurations i cant justify buying something.

 

[bluestrobe]

I agree. This would be for times when I don't have internet access. I am currently playing Kubuntu and left Ubuntu due to not liking GNOME. This book is only two years old and a lot of the information is out of date that I recognize.

 

[bluestrobe]

I guess what I am looking for is something to help me understand the command line stuff. At this point I have never used a Linux command line and mostly forgot what I knew from the DOS days. This book basically tells you how to do basic tasks in Fedora mainly and some 2005 era distros such as adding printers and setting up user accounts, stuff I could have figured out on my own or found online.

 

[TheVrolok]

No need for a book when you have TLDP. The Linux Newbie Administrator Guide was the first thing I ever read; it's slightly dated now and maybe not completely applicable, but it was a good place to start for me. Both are Internet resources, but you can also DL local copies or print them if you wish. I'm pretty sure TLDP has most/all of its guides in HTML/PDF/RTF/etc. as needed.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
I guess what I am looking for is something to help me understand the command line stuff. At this point I have never used a Linux command line and mostly forgot what I knew from the DOS days. This book basically tells you how to do basic tasks in Fedora mainly and some 2005 era distros such as adding printers and setting up user accounts, stuff I could have figured out on my own or found online.

download some tutorials.

and what is this "times when i dont have internet access" nonsense? do people actually deal with that still?

/shudders

 

[cleverhandle]

Running Linux was the old standby for this kind of stuff. The 4th edition is pretty dated now (2002), but there's a healthy couple of chapter on command line basics - manipulating files and permissions, stringing commands together, etc. Probably not worth the purchase cost at this point, but worth checking out from a library.

 

[Cogman]

You know, I really think LFS is a great online book to read to get a general feel for what linux is. The book is written to guide a user through compiling a Linux OS completely from scratch, but it does a good job of explaining what you are installing and what it does.