Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 1590594584 I’ve spent years working with Linux and think it is one of the best operating systems going but I have spent very little time with the SUSE distribution. This book not only describes the basics of SUSE Linux but also includes a DVD with a complete copy of version 9.1 ready to install. Why should you consider looking at SUSE? If you work in the networking technical support arena then sooner or later you will have to deal with a SUSE system.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 059600754X A true test drive, this book includes a Linux Live CD that can be placed into your computer and booted directly to Linux without affecting your current operating system. As a result you can test drive Linux without any concerns about your current system integrity. The book covers the popular KDE desktop environment, using virtual desktops, change backgrounds, the Konqueror web browser, playing music and videos, games, email, using the organizer, and Instant Messaging.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 0596007876 When it comes to Live CDs Knoppix is by far one of the most popular. So much so that many of the other Live CDs are remasters of the basic Knoppix system. This book contains a lot of hacks that can better be described as how to do all the things you were wonder if Knoppix could do. This includes booting Knoppix with cheat codes, working with the Knoppix desktop, installing Knoppix onto your desktop computer, repairing a Linux installation, repairing a Windows installation, creating your own remastered Live CD, copying the system to RAM so the CD player becomes available, using it as an emergency router, file server, or web server, using it for forensics, and scanning a Windows file system for viruses.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 0596008015 Linux is a great operating system but like every other one it has some annoyances that may crop up from time to time. The purpose of this book is to help the reader to get Linux to work the way they want it to without getting annoyed in the process. As such the target audience is the Linux power user and system administrators. Some of the areas covered include configuring GNOME applications in KDE and configuring KDE applications in GNOME, X Window configuration, working with CDs and DVDs, configuring sound, converting from Outlook, interfacing with various Instant Messaging programs, working with Microsoft Office documents, multimedia, hardware issues, startup problems, system maintenance, CUPS printing, using Samba, and various administrative tasks.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 0596002726 The Running Linux book is expanded and updated regularly and is designed to bring the casual and new user up to speed with using Linux as well as updated information. This is all done is a distribution-neutral context which makes it one of the better guides available. Of course that also presents problems when a particular distribution does something a little bit different from the norm. If you are a serious Linux enthusiast and have been for some time you will find the book too elementary for your needs but those new to Linux will find it a great introduction.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 1584503718 Written for application developers, this book is a great source of information on working with the GNU/Linux architecture and process model. If you know something about programming but want to know how to use those skills in the GNU/Linux environment this is one of the best books available. The coverage is thorough and filled with coding examples to illustrate the concepts. To make your life easier it even has all the coding examples included on a CD in the back of the book.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 0596005288 This exhaustive book of over 900 pages is one of the best organized and on-point books available for studying for the LPI Linux Certification. Beyond that it is a fantastic desktop reference guide that is easy to use and gets right to the point if you are trying to look up how to do something or use a command. This is not a book for the average peson to try to learn how to use Linux.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 1590594444 The book starts with the basics of hardening a Linux system to prevent purposeful attack as well as the inadvertently harm some users may cause. This basic section includes booting securely, securing virtual consoles, passwords, groups, users, authentication modules, package management, hardening your kernel, and removing development tools that are not needed. Of course no book on hardening a system would be complete without discussing how to build an effective firewall.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: SELinux: NSA’s Open Source Security Enhanced Linux So what makes Selinux more secure than standard Linux? Primarily it is the implementation of role-based access control, sandboxing, and an audit facility that allows the system to log any attempts to exceed specified permissions. It does all this without conflicting with the normal permissions of Linux. If you are able to access a file through normal discretionary access control then the role-based mandatory access control provides additional security to determine if you can run the file or not.
Review by Harold McFarland
on 2020-03-10
Product: 0131478230 For some people knowing how to do something through a graphical interface is akin to knowing how to drive without knowing how an engine, transmission, etc. work together to make the car run. For them knowing how to get down to the command line and get things done that either the graphical interface does not allow or does not do the way you want it done is a matter of pride and represents the dividing line between a user and a power user.