Special Edition Using Linux (6th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Not as useful as I had hoped
Review: Yes, it comes with three distributions of Linux: SlackWare, RedHat, and Caldera Lite. I started with the RedHat edition and gave up after three attmpts. It simply would not install on my system. The SlackWare version went on very smoothly. However, once getting it installed, the book does not help very much when configuring XFree86. It scares the user instead of assisting the user with multiple typical examples. Similarly on configuring PPP and using auto-dialing. It covers a few files and points the reader to How-To files on the Internet. This book is not for intemediate Windows users trying to figure out Linux. It lacks a cohesive roadmap, a description of sequence and processes for configuring systems to accomplish real world tasks. It's a little like reading a dictionary when you were looking for a "how to" manual. Overall, this appears to be a rehash of material available on the Internet with the author providing one sample thread through the process.