Description:
Lots of newcomers to Linux, having heard from friends and publications how great the operating system is, enthusiastically set out to install and use it. They then become frustrated by the unfamiliar conventions Linux employs--"How in the world do I dial up to my Internet provider?!"--and give up because of the learning curve. The Linux Cookbook aims to provide new Linux users with enough instructions to get them familiar with the Linux conventions that surround everyday procedures. Using the Debian GNU/Linux distribution for his examples, author Michael Stutz combines "type this, get that" listings with text. Debian isn't the most popular Linux distribution, but it's one of the most capable and least sugar-coated. Users who want to get familiar with the command line (Stutz uses bash) will be thrilled. There's not a lot of original wisdom in these pages; pretty much everything documented in the book appears in help files and in free online documentation. The value of this work is in formatting (it's easy to locate the instructions you need) and in commentary (the comments on procedures help enlighten the reader as to what's going on and why). Consider this an easy-to-follow HOWTO document, in book form, for users who know very little about Linux and aspire to use it for everyday workstation tasks like electronic mail, Web surfing, and file storage. --David Wall Topics covered: The "Linux Way" of getting work done, primarily with the bash shell under Debian GNU/Linux, workstation subjects (like getting hooked up to the Internet via a PPP connection on a modem), and Linux peculiarities (like the environment's exotic text-processing capabilities) in a "recipe" format well suited to novices.
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