Rating: 
Summary: A good, easy to read guide, to FreeBSD.
Review: As a long time user of Microsoft and having gotten well used to its way of working the idea of considering Unix as an option for networking/desktop purposes looks less good after an initial familiarization period. Where are all the Wizards that make life easier in Microsoft, being the most obvious difference. This book by Greg Lehey is very helpful as a guide to keep going. It points out the differences between the Microsoft way of naming files and the difference in the command line conventions that a DOS user, for example, would be familiar with. The rest of the book is comprehensive enough by the look of it. With any details remaining, resolvable with a little bit of perseverance ( not that I am much of a power user, as yet). The issue of which type of desktop is discussed, with some pointers on how to modify their operation. How to accommodate files specific to Windows and Linux, etc. My experience with Microsoft Windows at the NT, 2000PRO and XP-PRO levels has been good. But the reason for looking at FreeBSD Unix was to get around having to keep up with the huge differences in the way each new deployment of a Microsoft system requires. My expectation is that having learned the way of working with Unix the once. It will not be too much different as the OS is updated. Except for very specific instances, users new to FreeBSD, would do well to consider running the software on a decent machine, and not some old redundant machine. This will let them try out much more of what is available on the distribution packages, and with much speedier results. In my case the simplest option was to buy a hard drive rack and a couple of trays, which allows me - at this stage - to experiment with FreeBSD Unix and easily swap back to Windows, or Linux, etc without having the place coming down with odds and ends of computers. The Complete FreeBSD should suit those getting off the ground with its clear and amicable delivery.
Rating:
Summary: The "other" must-have FreeBSD book
Review: Before reading Greg Lehey's "The Complete FreeBSD, 4th Ed" (TCF:4E), I reviewed Michael Lucas' excellent "Absolute BSD" (a FreeBSD book) in Feb 03. I can't say which book is better, and I recommend you buy Lucas' book as well as this one. TCF:4E remains for me the FreeBSD user's manual; any serious FreeBSD user will have it on his or her shelf. The two books complement each other, as Lucas is often more direct in his explanations.
While in some places I find Lucas' material easier to follow, Lehey offers depth of coverage not found elsewhere. For example, Lehey devotes the entirety of ch. 28 to low-level discussions of configuring and troubleshooting XFree86, whereas Lucas offers a few pages. (Urban and Tiemann's "FreeBSD Unleashed" talks about configuring X too.) Lucas' "Absolute BSD" focuses solely on FreeBSD. The only "straying" involves mentioning applications which run on FreeBSD. As apps like Apache and Postfix make systems useful, this makes sense. Lehey's TCF:4E is less concentrated, as it discusses intricacies of hardware, questions to ask ISPs before signing contracts, and principles of network troubleshooting. While I probably don't need to read such topics in a book I bought (yes, bought) for FreeBSD coverage, I didn't mind these "diversions." "Grog" Lehey has been around so long his insights are truly valuable. Lehey also presents a very traditional BSD usage model, where admins check their email using "mutt" (ch. 26) and avoid "Standard" installations in favor of "Custom" installations. I found this approach useful.
Since TCF:4E is advertised as covering version 5.0, I hoped to see some introductory material on items brought from Robert Watson's "TrustedBSD" project. These were "experimental" in FreeBSD 5.0, but could change the way FreeBSD systems are administered. Overall, security didn't get as much attention in Lehey's book compared to Lucas'. For example, Lucas walked readers through deploying a jail, while Lehey doesn't mention the subject. I also found the chapter on Vinum confusing. Since Lehey created Vinum, he may need someone to step back and describe the system in layman's terms.
Overall, TCF:4E is a must-buy. I already referred to it over the weekend when installing a new FreeBSD gateway, and I expect to consult it repeatedly in the future.
Rating:
Summary: The "other" must-have FreeBSD book
Review: Before reading Greg Lehey's "The Complete FreeBSD, 4th Ed" (TCF:4E), I reviewed Michael Lucas' excellent "Absolute BSD" (a FreeBSD book) in Feb 03. I can't say which book is better, and I recommend you buy Lucas' book as well as this one. TCF:4E remains for me the FreeBSD user's manual; any serious FreeBSD user will have it on his or her shelf. The two books complement each other, as Lucas is often more direct in his explanations.
While in some places I find Lucas' material easier to follow, Lehey offers depth of coverage not found elsewhere. For example, Lehey devotes the entirety of ch. 28 to low-level discussions of configuring and troubleshooting XFree86, whereas Lucas offers a few pages. (Urban and Tiemann's "FreeBSD Unleashed" talks about configuring X too.) Lucas' "Absolute BSD" focuses solely on FreeBSD. The only "straying" involves mentioning applications which run on FreeBSD. As apps like Apache and Postfix make systems useful, this makes sense. Lehey's TCF:4E is less concentrated, as it discusses intricacies of hardware, questions to ask ISPs before signing contracts, and principles of network troubleshooting. While I probably don't need to read such topics in a book I bought (yes, bought) for FreeBSD coverage, I didn't mind these "diversions." "Grog" Lehey has been around so long his insights are truly valuable. Lehey also presents a very traditional BSD usage model, where admins check their email using "mutt" (ch. 26) and avoid "Standard" installations in favor of "Custom" installations. I found this approach useful.
Since TCF:4E is advertised as covering version 5.0, I hoped to see some introductory material on items brought from Robert Watson's "TrustedBSD" project. These were "experimental" in FreeBSD 5.0, but could change the way FreeBSD systems are administered. Overall, security didn't get as much attention in Lehey's book compared to Lucas'. For example, Lucas walked readers through deploying a jail, while Lehey doesn't mention the subject. I also found the chapter on Vinum confusing. Since Lehey created Vinum, he may need someone to step back and describe the system in layman's terms.
Overall, TCF:4E is a must-buy. I already referred to it over the weekend when installing a new FreeBSD gateway, and I expect to consult it repeatedly in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of great information, and bias for no reason.
Review: I bought this book expecting to learn all the little details I wanted to know but wasn't going to pick up just by playing around, and that I did. But I also got random mini-datribes against Microsoft. He also feels it neccessary to rag on (I think) older Windows OS's (I think, because he never really says, he only says "Microsoft" never Windows) but a lot of his shortcomings of other OS's are all but a distant memory for users of Windows 2000/XP, MacOS X and the modern Unix variants. FreeBSD is a fantastic operating system, there's no need to weakly defend it to the reader, you're preaching to the choir. Not to mention referring to a companies products by the company name, i.e. "Install Microsoft to use that". That simply shocked me, those are the lines I would expect from a absolute computing amateur, not a seasoned professional. I can think of several PAGES where the word "Microsoft" is used to mean "A Windows Operating System" 5 or more times, that's silly. I wholly recommend the book, but could look forward to a 5th edition text that's not so easily distracted.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I recommend this book for anyone that wants to know more about FreeBSD. It's full of information on installing and running FreeBSD.
Rating:
Summary: This is *the* book to have on FreeBSD.
Review: I've read a few FreeBSD books and coming from a background in *nix and *nix-type flavors, I've been let down before. Other books cover maybe a total of 20 commands and nothing you don't know the first day (and don't even have as much information as the man pages), but this one is different. I wasn't on a *BSD system for a couple of years of mainly using Linux, and I wanted a refresher and for the book to cover new and familiar topics. Useful things, rather than just listing the popular software used on it and not the things you need to know about them, etc. This book covers more than the others in regards to commands, common tasks, installs, configurations and so on. It actually covers the TOPIC (Being the FreeBSD OS). Not a quick and dirty run down of a few commands and a lot of fluff like other books. This gives you what you need to know, be it you have some experience or are new. It doesn't skip around like the other books and only offer maybe a total of one decent chapter on the topic of the book (FreeBSD), it covers many chapters worth. I can't stand when a book only has some information about the title, as much as it does about some irrelevant third party software (and only talks about it as briefly at that). I don't want or need information about anything other than what the book is about--and finally, a FreeBSD book that covers FreeBSD. I was impressed. It may not cover everything, but it sure gets close and is very professional, well structured and informative. Between this book, man pages and online (and up to date) documentation, it's unlikely you will need (much) more information about how to install, configure and use FreeBSD, it's tools and programs and work in it daily and have the information you need. Trust me, this book is far better than the others (see my review on "Absolute BSD: The Ultimate Guide to FreeBSD" to see what I mean).
Rating:
Summary: alot of n00b info but not too bad
Review: If you buy this and know your way around any of the other *nixes somewhat ..... I'd read it backwards ..... in fact the new method of compiling the kernel isn't until the last chapter. There is quite a bit of info that's not available in the handbook (online) but its mainly "author insight/method's" .... I've found very little of it useful myself ..... but anyone new to FreeBSD should find it "almost flawless" .. If you know your way aruond and want to get into the finer details (kernel, ports, etc) i'd get Absolute BSD -- Michael Lucas, it'll cover what this one doesn't and ... better yet ... it never hurts to buy them both !!!!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: If you want to learn FreeBSD, then Greg is the person you want to learn from. He would probably hate to be called a BSD guru but that's exactly what he is. His love of FreeBSD really shows in this book and all of the other work that he does for the FreeBSD community (he's obviously not in it just for the money). Check out his website, you'll learn a lot more about him and his views.
Rating:
Summary: Killer book
Review: Linux is awesome but...I've been thinking about adding a BSD system for my home.edu. I'm convinced it will be a great experience. The author's passion for BSD is evident. Thanks, Mr. Lehey.
Rating:
Summary: Killer book
Review: Linux is awesome but...I've been thinking about adding a BSD system for my home.edu. I'm convinced it will be a great experience. The author's passion for BSD is evident. Thanks, Mr. Lehey.
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