Linux Desk Reference (2nd Edition) (Open Source Technology Series)
Amazon.com
Desk references–if they are worth their desk space–have to be immediately appealing for some quirky reason or other. The appeal of Scott Hawkins’s ingenious new reference, Linux Desk Reference, is that it sorts basic Unix commands by task.
Flipping through Hawkins’s book is like browsing a thesaurus. How many ways can you compare files? diff comes right to mind, but did you know about comm, cmp, diff3, or sdiff for merging diff’ed files? The know-how-return-on-time-investment for browsing the Linux Desk Reference is one of the highest in the Linux library … for up to five-minute periods.Not without humor, Hawkins begins his array with a list of man-like utilities. So what are they? Try to guess: apropos, whatis, whereis, info (of emacs fame), and locate, and their associated functions. The lines blur between true POSIX-compliant Unix functions, shell capabilities, and individual applications. You wouldn’t have info if you didn’t have emacs, which you probably wouldn’t have if you didn’t have Linux, or you didn’t install it yourself. For users of non-open-source versions of Unix (Solaris, Irix, HPUX, etc.), the name-the-synonym game is still playable, but the fun ends sooner.
Ultimately, the meat of Linux Desk Reference is a grammar-less compendium of command-line flags, annotated with notes, warnings, and an occasional example. Root-only executables or actions are flagged as such in the margins. Entries are typically briefer than the man pages output, and the clustering of common commands reflects the “See Also” cross-reference section of a man page. This strategy of organization highlights the relationships between commonly used utilities.
The bash shell has its own chapter (but not tcsh), and Unix daemons have their day. TCP/IP is here, so is general DOS connectivity, mail utilities, NFS’s many fragile pieces, and X11 tools. Hawkins’s intentions were encyclopedic, and he has succeeded handsomely. The table of contents is like a school yearbook, filled with familiar and forgotten functions.
The book’s aesthetic design is mysterious–function names in the primary headers appear in a small font, causing them to be lost against the backdrop of the visually stimulating reference text. The book also contains too many horizontal lines that break the eye’s line at nonintuitive junctures. Otherwise, the Linux Desk Reference earns its patch of pine, right between Strunk & White and Roget’s. –Peter Leopold –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Info
Explains all the basic concepts needed to understand the use of the Linux system. Provides practical examples for every command, plus hundreds of invaluable tips and warnings. For intermediate to advanced users. Softcover.
From the Inside Flap
Introduction
I hope you get a lot of use out of this book. Since I first got started in Unix in 1986, I’ve spent a ton of cash buying reference books. I’ve always been a bibliophile, and computer books have the advantage of being tax deductible, so I’ve amassed quite a collection. It always annoys me when I get home and the glitzy, well-packaged 400 page document-o-rama I just shelled out $50 for turns out to contain only 5 pages of actual information or, worse, to be full of information but so poorly organized that it’s more trouble than it’s worth to find what I need. I’ve got a shelf full of them, which I will sell cheap.
What I’ve tried to do here is incorporate the best features from my collection. I know what I likeÑa good index, thorough technical coverage, relevant examples, and concise explanations (in English). Also, in the process of writing this book I’ve become almost supernaturally attuned to the subject of computer reference booksÑyou can whisper ÒLinux in a NutshellÓ from thirty feet away across a crowded room and my ears will perk up like a retriever on point. The number one complaint I hear about reference books is Ònot enough examples.Ó I’m not unsympathetic; thinking up, configuring, and testing all the examples for this book slowed the writing process down to a crawl. But, as my editor pointed out, I’m not doing this for my health. So you will find that for every command in this book there is an accompanying example.
To some extent, Linux commands tend to come in clusters. For example, there are a dozen or so that handle filesystems, another half dozen for fiddling with disks, a whole slew that do things with files. Sometimes the command clusters follow a naming convention, as in the case of the ÒremoteÓ commands (rlogin, rsh, …); other times they do not. It occurred to me it wouldn’t be entirely wrong to group the Linux commands into clusters (one for users, another for disks, etc.) and then treat the clusters as data structures. Technically, a data structure consists of two things:
a specification for how data will be stored
a specification of methods by which the data will be accessed
That’s not a perfect description of how the chapters are arranged, but it isn’t bad either. At the beginning of each chapter there is a high-level discussion of what purpose each Òdata structureÓ serves, how that service is accomplished, and the jargon that has sprung up around it. That provides background for the detailed description of commands which follows. Hopefully, this will provide enough information for newcomers to get started and perhaps be of some value for experienced users as well.
Of course, as you can tell from a quick glance through the contents, the main thrust of this book is information on actual user commands. I have collected what I believe to be a fairly thorough subset of the most useful Linux commands, together with their options and some suggestions for use. Information on configuration and use of the various subsystems (e.g. NIS, Samba, Networking) is also included, either explicitly or as part of the examples. How to Use This BookWhen You Know Exactly What You Need
For the advanced users who know exactly what command they are after and are looking only for examples or command line options, the book has two command indexes:
all commands are indexed in the back of the book, as are term definitions, procedures, and the rest of the content.
there is a second index in the front for executable programs only.When You Know What You Need But Not What It’s Called
Did you ever find yourself digging around looking for a command that you know must exist, only you don’t have any idea what it might be called? Back when I was in school I clearly remember fumbling around for an hour trying to figure out what command I’d use to lower the priority of a running process. There was nothing in the man pages under ÒpriorityÓ or ÒprocessÓ, but I knew it had to be out there somewhere.
This book is arranged by concept. If you want to find out how to do something with filesystems, flip to the chapter on filesystems. In each chapter, there’s a brief discussion of relevant terms and concepts, followed by a one-line summary of all the relevant commands, a list of related files, and finally a complete listing of the commands with options and examples.When You’re Just Getting Started
This book explains all of the basic concepts you need to understand in order to use your Linux system. If you’re not familiar with particular terms, they are defined in the text and indexed in the back. There’s also a glossary. For every command, there is at least one example. For the more popular or confusing commands, there are frequently two or more. Where I thought it would be helpful, I included diagrams and sample output. Conventions of This BookIntroductions
There’s a certain amount of overhead involved in learning the Linux system. Some of the concepts can be counterintuitive at first glance, particularly if you’re still in the process of switching over from one of the lesser operating systems. Each chapter in this book starts off with a few of pages of notes about the concepts, terms, and theory underlying the commands. Hopefully, this will help you get a feel for how the commands make up subsystems and how the subsystems make up Linux. Related Files
Most Unix commands take configuration or startup information from one or more files. The entries in this section are a listing of the files associated with the commands in each chapter.A Final Word
Any single book that purports to cover the entire Linux operating system is probably lying. There’s so much going on that what you can fit between two covers is, of necessity, a reflection of the experiences and prejudices of its author. To the extent that I neglected
I really do apologize. If it’s any consolation, it wasn’t from lack of effort. If you have comments, corrections, or suggestions for improvement, feel free to contact me.
As a post script, some of you may be wondering about the significance of the Minotaur on the cover of this book. Tradition has it that Daedalus, a mythological inventor and the spiritual ancestor of hackers everywhere, built a large and complex maze in Crete (the Labyrinth, capital L) at the behest of king Minos. The Minotaur was a bastard child of the Queen Pasiphae (Minos’ wife) and some unusually attractive livestock. He had a man’s body and the head of a bull which (understandably) made him a bit shy and grumpy. Territorial and ferocious, he lived in the center of the Labyrinth, which he ran with an iron fist. He guarded its secrets jealously, and was famous throughout the kingdom for biting the heads off ignorant newbies. When I was asked to suggest a creature for the cover of this guide to deciphering the intricacies of the Linux OS, there was really only one choice. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Back Cover Copy
* Completely updated with hundreds of new examples!
* The only Linux reference with examples for every command
* All-new chapters on the Apache Web server, tc shell, and Emacs editor
* Organized by task, so you can find it fast!
The practical, handy desk reference for every Linux user—now completely updated!
Linux Desk Reference, Second Edition packs information about every command Linux users need—organized for maximum value and convenience. Scott Hawkins has updated entries throughout the book, and added four new chapters—including all-new coverage of the tc shell, Emacs editor, and Apache Web server.
This friendly reference is organized by task so you can find what you need even if you don’t know what it’s called! Unlike other Linux references, this one delivers practical examples for every command it contains—plus hundreds of invaluable tips, warnings, diagrams, and sample outputs. And if you’re a Linux expert, you’ll love the “roadmap-style” alphabetical fast-find reference section!
No matter what you need to know about Linux, it’s here…
* Files and the filesystem
* Sessions, users, and groups
* Networking
* I/O, devices, and disks
* Apache Web services
* Windows connectivity
* Security
* X Window System
* Printers and print queues
* Text editors-including vi and Emacs
* The Linux kernel
* Scripting
* Email
* Comparing and merging files
* Scheduling
* Archiving and compression
* Performance monitoring
* Startup/shutdown
* Daemons
* Shells-including bash and tc
* Pattern matching
* Processes
* Diagnostics
* Tuning
* NIS/NFS
* Development resources
* And more!
Whether you’re a sysadmin, developer, power user, or newbie, get the most convenient, up-to-date Linux reference you can buy: Linux Desk Reference, Second Edition!
Praise for the first edition
“Hawkins provides a superior combination of explanations, descriptions, and examples. Every Linux user, whether novice or experienced administrator, will value the organization and contents of the Linux Desk Reference.”
About the Author
SCOTT HAWKINS has been a Linux user since 1992. He is a systems administration consultant and resides in Atlanta, GA. He is the author of Apache Web Server Administration & E-Commerce Handbook and with Ellie Quigley, he is co-author of The Complete Linux Shell Programming Training Course (PTG Interactive).
Code - [#]
Download
