Books on Linux
 

What's the best book to learn Linux for newbie? I'm using Slackware.

If you are looking for something quick, you might try http://rute.sourceforge.net. The book is available in PDF and HTML formats for downloads. General Linux type book and is based on RedHat if I recall correctly.

The Slack store offers "Slackware Linux Essentials" a small book primarily focused on installation and configuration. However, some of the first edition is out of date since Slack 8.1 has been released. The Slack store offers a couple of others but I haven't read them. But I would think if the Slack store is offering them they should be highly considered.

I also have a book titled "Using Linux" from Que. An old book but a good command reference. The CD might have included an old copy of RedHat but I do not think the book is really focused on any particular distro.

Keep, in mind that "Linux" is really just the kernel. All the rest are packages put together to make a distribution. Consider looking for books on packages as well. They will provide much greater detail than any book on a distro can. For instance, a book on Sendmail or Apache will be focused on that application program. I suspect that most books in this category are published by O'Reilly. http://www.oreilly.com I have several and have been pleased with all of them.

If you haven't visited the Linux Documentation Project then you might want to try http://www.tldp.org.

Perhaps it is of some help.

Runniing Linux by o'reilly is a great general linux book and covers a lot of things from configuration, installation, use, guides for VI and Emacs, etc...
Also Linux in a nutshell is a good desktop reference.
Slackware essentials is good, but its the same book from the slackware site, so no point buying it unless you like hard copies (like me!)
Also dont buy Linux references from Slackware store because they cost a lot, and they are packed with HOW-TOS that you already have in /usr/doc/ so it's useless buying it.
Hope that helps
-NSKL

Yes, I agree with NSKL, I can't recommend the O'Reilly Linux books enough, they are absolutely awesome! Check them out at your local bookstore, you won't be disappointed.

--Marshall

what about the book "Linux Bible " ?

- K

I have lots of Linux books and found that "Running Linux", as suggested by NSKL is probably the best all-purpose book for Linux in general.

If you are looking for distro specific books, you'll find that most are heavily geared towards Redhat, although there are a few books available for the other distros. I happened to be in Barnes & Noble the other day and found 'Linux System Administration' marked down to $3 because it is an older book, but as luck would have it, the book is based on Slackware (v3.5). Not totally up to date, but certainly worth $3. :)

you can try:
http://www.dsl.org/cookbook/

I just ordered the Linux Cookbook after reading parts of it online. Instead of listing descriptions of commands (this approach never works for me), it lists tasks the user would want to do, and gives recipes for getting it done. Like, 'How do I find (or do) such-and-such?'...followed by step-by-step instructions.
The whole thing is available for online reading or free download, but I wanted to have a paper copy just in case my 'confuser' ever goes kaput again. www.dsl.org/cookbook/

I got Slackware Linux Essentials from the Slackware Store when I ordered 8.1 and I consider it mostly useless for a beginner. It omits a lot of critical information that I guess the authors take for granted. Like, to tell a newbie how to use the 'less' command, but not to tell them they must type 'q' to get out of it... or tell a newbie to try <alt + F2> to go into a virtual terminal, but not tell them how to get out of it.
I'm sure a bunch of people reading this post will say, "But all you have to do is xyz!", but for a total newbie these omissions are terribly frustrating and I find I'm not learning much from it.

Just my $0.02.

Siri Amrit

agreed. ;)

Slackware linux essential assumes that you have some linux knowledge, and then just shows you where things are in slackware, Basically its not a newbie book, its just so people learn where the things are in slackware (startup scripts, config files, etc..) and what tools slackware offers (xwmconfig, pppsetup, etc..) and how to use them.
Again i really reccomend o'reilly books, especially Running Linux
-NSKL