What's a good book on Linux for a newbie(me)?

giffgiffs · 12-22-2008, 10:53 PM

Hiya. I'm pretty new to computers and I'm looking to read up on Linux before I jump headlong into it. Can anyone recommend a good book or two?
-Thanks a bunch!

portamenteff · 12-22-2008, 11:02 PM

Yeah
'Guide to UNIX using Linux' by Micheal Palmer, Jack Dent, Tony Gaddis
It comes with Fedora core 1, (Fedora 109 is out) but 99% of this book in 'distro-neutral.'

chromei386 · 12-22-2008, 11:09 PM

Though books are good, a lot of the time it's best not to bother with books. Just stick with website guides that are usually more up to date and possible to find guides specific to your distribution and up to date.

There's loads of websites out there with command references and everything. Just learn-as-you-go. If you pick up a book you usually read a few pages and put it in the too hard basket or hit a snag and never get round to fixing it...

dchmelik · 12-23-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chromei386

Though books are good, a lot of the time it's best not to bother with books. Just stick with website guides that are usually more up to date and possible to find guides specific to your distribution and up to date.[...]

Books and digital docs are have advantages. Sometimes one cannot read a screen for a long time.
For books, I recommend all versions of Linux: The Complete Reference. Fifth ed. (and probably earlier) had the whole TLDP ( http://www.tldp.org/ , one of the 1st sites you should read.) Newer editions may, except they omit some older stuff such as one of the only completely helpful howtos on dial-up modems (still relevant for a large percentage of people.)

I know no smaller book you could read (but some exist for certain GNU/Linux distributions you might choose.) There are plenty general Unix & GNU/Linux books that may help: one introducing consoles/terminals/shells may help. Those are automatically there, but you may just want to use the X Window System with either KDE or Gnome. Maybe there is a book for X users, but probably not KDE or Gnome. Hopefully you will find a GNU/Linux distribution that can automatically set them up (otherwise read the www.)

portamenteff · 12-23-2008, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dchmelik

Books and digital docs are have advantages. Sometimes one cannot read a screen for a long time.
For books, I recommend all versions of Linux: The Complete Reference. Fifth ed. (and probably earlier) had the whole TLDP ( http://www.tldp.org/ , one of the 1st sites you should read.) Newer editions may, except they omit some older stuff such as one of the only completely helpful howtos on dial-up modems (still relevant for a large percentage of people.)

I know no smaller book you could read (but some exist for certain GNU/Linux distributions you might choose.) There are plenty general Unix & GNU/Linux books that may help: one introducing consoles/terminals/shells may help. Those are automatically there, but you may just want to use the X Window System with either KDE or Gnome. Maybe there is a book for X users, but probably not KDE or Gnome. Hopefully you will find a GNU/Linux distribution that can automatically set them up (otherwise read the www.)

Yeah TLDP is a good one. They have foreign language support, up to date changes which is good especially for certain shell features. Hey this is a great thread, I think I'll watch this one.

tailender · 12-23-2008, 01:14 AM

tdlp is a good source for books but, there is no good book other than practising or using linux. Even if you read the whole book couple of times you will forget it if you stop using the system... To me practise is the best book