Rating: 
Summary: The only UNIX book you need.
Review: There is enough information in this book to propell you into guru status. Just getting started with UNIX? Already a gure? No matter how much you know, this book is a great value. Not only does it come with FreeBSD, but a full set (FULL) of utilities and programs.Moreover though, this book can guide you from the rudiments of the file system, to firewalls, name servics, and setting up NFS. When you get tired of using the command prompt, learn how to configure your X-Windows sessions. Once you feel the power of being able to control your enviroment, you'll never want to give it to Microsoft again. Don't be fooled. FreeBSD is UNIX, not a clone like Linux. FreeBSD or bust!!!
Rating:
Summary: A 'must' for using FreeBSD
Review: This book descibes all important parts of FreeBSD detailed in good structured language. It gives good theoretical background on XWindows - Hardware configuration and networks. You'll find useful tables for future reverence and 1000(!) pages of selected man pages. I even lost may scare about the kernel configuration and the interface setup! A 'must' for getting friends with FreeBSD!
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad at all for the only book but...
Review: This book does a fair of taking the new FreeBSD user into the realm of Unix. However, a lot of the examples do not point out how to get to get to a particular files contents, It needs to be in a particular order for taking someone through a first time set-up. For example, there are file contents or listings in the early chapters that show material before the system is even set up. The section on PPP is very vague for getting someone onto the Internet through a dial-up connection. The sample desktop is a GREAT kick start to getting a desktop going. There is not enough of those types of things. Having the man pages is good if you want to see the syntax of a command (but it's half the book). If the target audience is for more experienced users it should be noted before purchasing. I want FreeBSD because I feel it is the better OS, even though I have to work harder to get it to that point. I wish there were a better book!
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money
Review: This book is a hard copy of the online documentation you can get for free at freeBSD.org except that it doesn't match the version of freeBSD that is shipped on the CD.
Rating:
Summary: pretty good, but falls short sometimes
Review: this book was extremely helpful and informative throughout the installation process. it would have been wiser to stick w/ this format when discussing other relevant OS topics (i.e File systems) -- unfortunately the author occassionally meanders off while drawing contrasts b/w Windows and UNIX systems. (eg. the discussion on the limitations of eight dot three file names vs no such stupid thing in UNIX) thanks but if you just tell me what to do in UNIX i can figure the differences out myself. Good book for the most part, sprinkles of UNIX rhetoric notwithstanding.
Rating:
Summary: Incomplete
Review: This book was really good to a point, and then just as you were about to solve a problem, it went on to another topic. I became tired of the constant teasing. My other comment has to do with FreeBSD in general. The installer sucks! If you want a really good UNIX type operating system, I recommend Debian. It's installer is equally cryptic, but unlike FreeBSD, if you figure out what is being asked, and make your decisions accordingly, the correct things get installed. FreeBSD, on the otherhand fails to do so in many instances.
Rating:
Summary: Incomplete
Review: This book was really good to a point, and then just as you were about to solve a problem, it went on to another topic. I became tired of the constant teasing. My other comment has to do with FreeBSD in general. The installer sucks! If you want a really good UNIX type operating system, I recommend Debian. It's installer is equally cryptic, but unlike FreeBSD, if you figure out what is being asked, and make your decisions accordingly, the correct things get installed. FreeBSD, on the otherhand fails to do so in many instances.
Rating: 
Summary: Comprehensive and thick, newbies beware
Review: This is a pretty good collection of information on FreeBSD. However, as others have said there are some rough edges. My copy is actually the second edition and it came with a set of FreeBSD installation and port CDs. I can't tell if this version does or not. Another thing you might consider before shelling out your hard earned $$$ is that Mr Lehey is working on a new edition of this book. You might want to wait awhile for the new edition to surface. I plan to.
Rating:
Summary: This is not a book- it's a set of 2 CD-ROMs
Review: This is Berkeley Unix for x86 machines. There is no book-
it's a set of two CD-ROMs which contain the complete Unix
operating system, including source code. It is pretty easy
to install, and includes just about everything you might
want, including Web server software. Walnut Creek, the
publisher of this product, uses it to run their Web site,
which has over 70 Gigabytes of data online.
Rating:
Summary: This is IT! A sure winner in my opinion!
Review: This is not for the beginner. Read "Complete Idiots Guide to Unix" for the best way to learn about Unix, then jump into this book. I think it's important to note that FreeBSD is a solid, robust OS that Yahoo, Link Exchange, Hotmail, and many more are betting their whole business on. You can't go wrong with FreeBSD! Since it is a full Unix-like OS you will want a book that covers everything from how to configure DNS, NAT, Sendmail, NFS, NIS, Hardware, Ports, and everything else under the sky. This book really delivers! The way it is written makes you feel like you are interacting with a human. It's clear, concise, and doesn't put you to sleep. If you are a Linux user who want to fiddle around with FreeBSD then go for it! So many businesses use FreeBSD it's definately worth knowing. Besides, the FX company that made the movie "The Matrix" used 30 FreeBSD machines each with 1GB RAM and Pixar's Renderman! *VERY COOL*
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