Inside Linux

ISBN  0-7357-0940-8 £30.99  UK
Michael J. Tobler
  25 Chapters, 2 appendices and index in 800 pages

Chapter List

1    Introduction to Linux
2    Installing Linux
3    Using Linux
4    Installing X Windows
5    Using X  Windows
6    Network Configuration
7    Hardware Configuration
8    Email Services: SMTP and POP
9    File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
10  Domain Name Service (DNS)
11  Network Information Service (NIS)
12  Network File Service (NFS)
13  Dialup Networking Services: SLIP and PPP
14  UNIX to UNIX Copy Program
15  Samba:  Merging Linux and Windows
16  Apache Web Server
17  Internet News Service
18  Print Services
19  The Tools
20  Booting and Shutdown
21  Security
22  Managing Accounts
23  Other Administrative Tasks
24  Utility Programs
25  Regular Expressions
Appendix A
  Other Sources of Information
Appendix B
  Common Questions

Synopsis

        Inside Linux is a useful addition to the Newriders catalogue of Open Source books about Linux.  It does have more than a few things that the Sams books don't have.  Even the O'Reilly books don't have some of the simple facts that are explained in this publication.

Review

The author is Michael J. Tobler.  He's a software consultant who is based in Texas where he is the President of the Houston Java User's Group.  On the back of the book it says [ and I quote ] .......

If you are planning, developing or administering a Linux network, this book shows you how to:
 

[end of quote]

The first chapter is an invaluable intro to various things that are Linux.  On the first page there's even a simple explanation about the difference between a hacker and a cracker.  Kind of thing you won't see in an MS Windows book.  The reader can quickly move on to chapter two where the task of installing Linux is explained.  There's even a system planning worksheet to help those of us who aren't used to just plugging things together.   Various types of hardware are discussed and then hints are given for the installation of several different distributions of Linux.  This is followed by a helpful chapter which tells the reader how to use Linux.  Chapter four explains how to install X Windows.   I found it to be very useful but most of the present day distributions install X Windows as a default option.   Some background knowledge doesn't hurt and the person who is new to Linux will be helped along by this.

One of the great mysteries that affects many people is the subject of network configuration.  Most people are fine after their first 200 computers.  If it's your first time then welcome to the world of Unix and networking.  Chapter six gives an excellent guide and first time introduction to networking and how to avoid confusion over something that is simple once you know how.  Sorting out hardware problems comes along at chapter seven.

Part III of the book which starts at chapter eight and goes up to chapter eighteen describes the services that can be used in Linux.  To the MS Windows user this is something that is simply not understood.   All they have to do is click on a button and they get a hard copy or e-mail is sent.  The clients are trusted.  Nothing can be wrong.  Who could question Microsoft and their technical supremacy ?  The Linux user knows otherwise.  Even a printer driver can be used in a clever way to break into a system.  A service can be enabled or disabled.  In Linux most of them are disabled so that the user's computer is secure and not open to everything on an untrusted network such as the internet.   Everything that is of any significance is covered in this chapter.  What isn't covered in part three is seen off or seen to in part IV.  This is all about System Administration.  This isn't a trivial subject.  There are people who take complete degrees at Universities around the topic of system administration.  Security is mentioned at chapter 21.  Security is something that most Windows users will never get to know about in their entire lives.

The final part of the book is a quick reference which is very useful.  Appendix B answers some common questions that most people ask.

I get the feeling that another 200 pages might have helped.  However, This is an extremely comprehensive guide to Linux and what to do with it.   If the other Linux books didn't help you to understand how to install and use Linux then perhaps this is the one for you ?  I'd recommend it to anyone who is slightly confused just now.  It does make some of the other Linux books look a bit tame in comparison.
 

Review by  Richard Ibbotson