I've been using Linux for a little under a year and I've become fairly proficient at using it for my bare bone needs (Internet, word processing etc.) and I've managed to overcome some pretty hard obstacles in using Linux (winmodems, installing programs, funky sound cards etc.). I really would like a desktop reference that I can take around with me and read in my spare time, to gain more knowledge of the shell, the kernel, installation and other aspects of Linux I don't know very well. I'd also like it to be fairly versatile among distros since I'm planning on changing mine soon (From RH 9 to maybe Slackware or Gentoo).

Does anyone have any Suggestions? I've check out a couple of O'Reilly books (Running Linux, Learning Red Hat Linux, Linux in a Nutshell) and one other book by Steve Shah (can't remember the name...) which was somewhat helpful but not a very good reference type book.

Many Thanks!

Isn't this forum for Newbie help? It sounds like you know more than me but for what it's worth, I like the O'Reilly Running Linux book you mentioned.

The best book I ever baught

'Unix made easy' by John Muster
ISBN 0-07-219314-X

It emphasis on the command line's, which in my opinion is the starting blocks to really learning your computer inside out.

Linux Administration Handbook by Nemeth, Snyder, Hein is also a good book.

even i started using linux only a year(i hope i could have started earlier)
loads of tutorials and manuals on the net
i had lots of friends who knew a lot more than me their company also helped

Rute: http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/

-- J.W.