Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, Don't let the bad reviews fool you.
Review: A great book. I just read all the reviews, and I'm guessing most are by people who have no idea what they're doing. Ppl saying the book is not for Newbies apparently never read the book "Running a Perfect Website with Linux". This book is very detailed in exactly how to set up your system and get things off the ground. It is filled with information specific to this distribution of linux also, further helping Redhat 6.x users get moving without having to make them learn that not every distribution is the same. I've read several complaints here about ppl not liking there being any programming info in the book. Why would a newbie be setting up Linux if they won't be doing programming anyway? The info is only there to help you out. If you want a book that will help you set up linux at home or work so you can do what you want it for in the first place, you will love this book. If you want to buy linux because you've never used it before and want to give it a whirl, you may want to read up on it a little BEFORE you delve into the land where only gods can tread. It isn't a toy, it is a programmer's OS. It is a design and development environment. If you don't know anything about Linux and Hardware Compatibility, for example, don't just jump in. Do some research. Then if you're interested, buy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for Step by Step Instruction
Review: A great reference book but not for the beginning linux user who is setting up a server for the first time. If you are looking for a bit of step by step instruction this is not the book to buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Not perfect, perhaps not pretty, but useful.
Review: I purchased the book, read most of parts I & II andinstalled Linux on my PC using the CD ROM included. I had few problemsinstalling Red Hat Linux - Oracle 8i for Linux is another story... I agree that this book and Linux for that matter are not necessarily for nontechies. I am a techie with a background in programming, but a Linux newbie. I think some of the other reviewers need to lighten up. For this price I received a Linux distribution and more than enough information to get it installed and running. I am using the rest of the book as a reference for setting up services such as Samba file sharing and recompiling the kernel to accomodate Oracle's requirements.
Rating:
Summary: Still my first source
Review: I'm not sure if this is common of the "Unleashed" series or not, but I still use this book for most of my Linux problems. I always seem to be able to find the answer and the index is the most complete of all the books I've bought since -- not sure if that's saying too much since I've been so frustrated with ALL the other Linux books I've bought since. Maybe I just find the bad ones.If you haven't had some "command-line" experience, then I'm not certain this book may be for you. Most things are described via command-line interfaces with some desciptions of companion gui apps. For what's worth, I'm (still) runnning RedHat 7.2 and this is still my best reference. The only other reference I usually use is the man pages and an occasional HOWTO. Not sure that's bad or good, so take it as you will. :o)
Rating:
Summary: Still my first source
Review: I'm not sure if this is common of the "Unleashed" series or not, but I still use this book for most of my Linux problems. I always seem to be able to find the answer and the index is the most complete of all the books I've bought since -- not sure if that's saying too much since I've been so frustrated with ALL the other Linux books I've bought since. Maybe I just find the bad ones. If you haven't had some "command-line" experience, then I'm not certain this book may be for you. Most things are described via command-line interfaces with some desciptions of companion gui apps. For what's worth, I'm (still) runnning RedHat 7.2 and this is still my best reference. The only other reference I usually use is the man pages and an occasional HOWTO. Not sure that's bad or good, so take it as you will. :o)
Rating:
Summary: If you think this book is over your head,don't install Linux
Review: Linux is complicated and not for newbies. This book is quite comprehensive. I may not agree with their suggestions and I couldn't find some files on the CD but you will not lack in information if you use this book. Get this book and install the latest version of Linux and you'll be OK. If the book is too complicated for for you, Linux will drive you crazy.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't begin to tell you how much this book sucks!!
Review: Not worth buying if you are a novice. Get some first hand UNIX/Linux experience before you buy it. Again, if you are an administrator dont buy it as there will rarely be a time when this book will find way from your shelf to your hands. Written in a ramshackled way and some typos too. Buy this book if you want to know about the flexibilities and features of Red Hat.
Rating:
Summary: A (Very) Poor Choice For New Users
Review: This book is easily the weightiest of my growing collection of Linux books, and the least useful. Its number one failing is that it does not walk the new user through setting up complicated stuff like networks. Go ahead, read the chapter on networking. There is tons of dry technical information there -- which doesn't help the frustrated new user in doing an actual network setup. There are no examples of what must be configured. The entire chapter would be improved with a case study of how to set up a 2- or 3-computer network connected by Ethernet cards and with a ppp0 dialup internet connection. Additional case studies can focus on larger networks with subnets. (Most home users won't need to subnet, but business users will.) It should tell you common setup mistakes. It should give example screenshots of a healthy running network. Most nuts-and-bolts detail information can be gleaned for free on Linux Documentation Project web sites. The Networking HOWTO is what enabled me to get my network going, not this book. What the LDP HOWTOs sometimes skimp on is distribution-specific information, and that is where a book like this could combine techie detail with useful walkthroughs and walkthrough-related diagrams that really help the new user out there.
Rating:
Summary: a nice companion for general users
Review: This is a great book if you want to use your Red Hat Linux for general home usage, not servers or some specific task. It tells you how to set it up, step by step, then explains all the tools that come with Red Hat for personalizing it and shows you what you can use the system for. It is a great book for beginners to intermediate users of Linux, so i highly recommend it for an overall reference to RH6. And it is definitely easier to use than the widespread and complete, but scattered help files and howtos. You get all the info you need in one thick book with a distibution, and an extra CD with instructional video files that show you how to install Red Hat 6.
Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER "TYPICAL" SAMS BOOK. GARBAGE!
Review: This is the 4th Sams book that I have purchased and then returned. In the past, Howard W. Sams, Inc was a GOOD technical publisher. No longer. It appears that they will put almost anything between two covers to generate page count and a massive tome to justify the price. Stay away!
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