Product: 0131478230

It was through the previous edition of this book that I really got to know my way around the command line. I had a bit of knowledge beforehand, but Sobell’s book introduced me to loads of new utilities and made me far more competent in using bash and vim.

I’m happy to say the Third Edition retains what made the Second so great, and adds considerably more. As other reviewers have noted, one of the standouts is the new chapter on Python. I had no Python experience before picking up this book, but I was able to work through the Python chapter and write some simple code in no time. Of course, since this is a Linux book rather than a dedicated Python book, Sobell covers only the basics, but it’s enough to show the power and elegance of the language. I feel inspired to look into Python further.

I also particularly appreciate the extra attention given to Mac OS X in this edition. The handy command reference in the back includes icons indicating utilities (or options for utilities) that are available only on Linux or only on OS X. Since there are so many similarities between the two operating systems, the Second Edition was sort of an implicit reference for OS X anyway. But it’s great in the Third Edition to see OS X treated explicitly, so you can be aware of the subtle differences between OS X and Linux without having to learn the hard and slow way.

Altogether, it’s a great book for those who want to learn the command line, or for those who know it but just want to get better.
Rating: 5
0131478230
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