I'm fluent in Windows and all things Microsoft, but have yet to dabble deeply into the wonderful world of Linux. I just picked up a copy of Fedora Core 2 and got it installed on my box. I'm reminded of when I was 10 years old and sitting in front of Windows 95 for the first time: lost, confused, intimidated. All great words that come to mind. I can hack my way around and get a few basic things done but the rest escapes me.
I need a book that will teach me the basics of Linux and get into the more advanced stuff, without wasting time on the baby steps of learning to use a computer. Any suggestions of great texts would be much appreciated. I'm eyeing the Fedora Core 2 for Dummies book I found at Barnes & Noble but I'm not sure if it would give me all the info I need. Any ideas of a good book to check out? Thanks.

sure, check out the reviews section on LQ. here's a link to the linux books that have been reviewed: http://www.linuxquestions.org/review...cat.php/cat/17

at places like Barnes & Noble, they have a million linux books, especially distro-specific ones. since you have FC, you're in luck - most of the linux books i've seen at the bookstore are fedora core/redhat books. the "Bible" books (as in "RedHat Bible") tend to be good - lot's of info. but if that's too overwhelming, a "for Dummies" book can also be helpful.

http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz

Read online, download, or buy :)



Cheers,
Tink

I too have been looking at books. After reading the reviews at the link posted here, I thought the Rute book looked best. But one review at Amazon gives me pause. It says that significant sections of the book are outdated. For example, the book is written for the 2.2.x kernal. As soon as my new computer arrives, I will install a 2.6.x kernal distro. Is the difference significant as far as this book is concerned? Is the book still worth reading if you are planning to use Yast or another configuration tool?

I can only recommend the books I've read; Marcel Gagne's "Moving to Linux - Kiss the Blue Screen of Death Goodbye" which gives a good overview of Linux, has a lot of the basic/starter how-to's (like installing stuff, the K desktop environment etc etc) and also provides some distro specific info too but only for RedHat, Mandrake & SUSe if i remember rightly.
The Rute; a must read guide to the command line. It's not the most enthralling read, but it's chock full of 100% need to know information. Highly recommended.

Hello,

The Rute book is online and free -- I haven't looked at it yet though.

Most books on Linux tend to be outdated and your distro may be different.

I bought the Dummies on Linux two years ago but in fact it's for red hat only and useless even as an introduction to Linux.

Cheers

I suppose there are worse places to start than here:
http://www.tldp.org/

Here's another resource:
http://linux-newbie.sunsite.dk/

For that matter, linux.org has online "courses" that might help familiarize you with *nix syntaxes and procedures:
http://www.linux.org/lessons/index.html

I find having documents available both in online HTML format and downloadable to be convenient, since I can print them for reading on paper and have them as quick references when online.

Thanks a bunch. The Linux Documentation Project should keep my hunger for Linux knowledge at bay for quite some time.

my favorite book:

Linux Install and Configuration
Little Black Book

by Dee-Ann Leblanc & Isaac-Hajime Yates
CoriolisOpen Press

not too technical for a newbie, but very informative & always a good reference


www.alibris.com

I was at the tattered cover and I saw a Linux Reference Book it was really small (small enough to fit into your pocket). It went through bash, important system files, all sorts of the essentials. Pretty nice, I can't remember the name though = ).

It was published by those people who do all the excellent Linux books with the drab black, grey, & white covers.

You know the books I'm talking about = ).