I am not a totally newbie to linux, at least I have tried installing several distros on my comp without many problems. But as I have been learning linux bit by bit so I cannot get a full image of what it actually is. Now I am thinking of getting a reference book on linux and study it from ground up. Any recommendations?

I have browsed through amazon.com and found this book titled "Running Linux - 4th edition -". Is this a good book which worth the pennies spent? I am still a student so it is kinda expensive to me. Please give me some advices.

p/s: If possible I would like to get a book which can teach me on configurations and administrations.

Thanks in advance

Kon-nichiwa koyi. O-genki desu ka!!!

I've recently got a nice book, not so cheap though, even for a second hand one. My favorite distro is RedHat, so I've got RedHat Linux Bible. It was quite helpful, and huge (over 1.000 pages) but you know, RedHat usually has it own set tools, so probably you will want something more "compatible" with real Unix systems.

Cya

When it comes down to Unix, Linux and all things associated with them,
the best books are published by O'Reilly & Associates.
They have also published a number of Open Books.

O'Reilly & Associates
http://www.oreilly.com/

Open Books Project
http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/

Best Books Ever

Hi Koyi

I dont know of any specific books to reccomend but The Linux Documentation Project has hundreds of guides and how tos that you can download in many different formats - Its well worth a look.

www.tldp.org/

Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition is available in hard cover.

I find it to be the best with O'Reilly's Running Linux running second.

Hey Dude,

Running Linux 4th Edition is really easily the best bang for the buck, especially if your knowledge is middling, not fresh and not complete. That book will get you most of the way there. O'Reilly books are almost never a bad investment! Like you, I've read a couple of books, but this one really helped me get up to speed.

An excellent follow-up if you want to go from experienced Padawan to a duel-lightsaber wielding Jedi is this book: Essential System Administration . AND a good companion to that is
Linux System Administration Handbook . Those two together are very complimentary and once you've assimilated the knowledge of both you can apply for membership in the Spacing Guild, as once you've read both and put that knowledge to practice you will be able to bend space/time with your mind (or so I hear)

But to get things off on the right foot, by all means pick up Running Linux, as it seems to be the most targeted to your needs. It spends a lot less time talking about GUI crap than a few other books I've seen and gets down to the real business of running a Linux box: editing config files!!!

-Tim

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Thanks a lot, you guys! you know, what I think best about LQ.org is that you can get almost instant replies about any questions in you mind(regarading linux of course... ). So now I will be more brave to edit the config files as I can always get supports here

Thanks again, I will try to look around first before making a decision.

you can download from the web search in google i do not know if they are legal copies of the books(i did no downloaded them ) so i cant give you the addres but google can.

I've read a different book by the guys who do the " The xxxx Bible" books, and I really liked their writing, not to be too technical or anything.

Actually as an employee of KCLS, a library system around Seattle, I feel compelled to tell you that there are many recent introductory, guide, and reference books for Unix, Linux, etc. that you may check out at your local library. Off the top of my head the Dewey Decimal numbers are 006.something. You may want to keep the book for reference and not have to return it in a month after reading, in which case you may view checking it out from your library first as a sort of test-drive.

Good luck in your search.

I finally decided to get "Running Linux, the 4th edition" and now waiting for it to be delivered by the ppl in amazon. Thanks everyone for your replies!