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Debian GNU/Linux Bible

Debian GNU/Linux Bible

List Price: $49.99
Your Price: $32.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Lacks sufficient depth/detail, title is misleading
Review: Author does an "okay" job of presenting a Linux overview, but if he aims to write a tight, well-indexed, comprehensive compendium of GNU/Debian, he has sorely missed the mark. This is unfortunate, since it is very difficult to find good-quality Debian documentation.
The book seems to have been rushed to market, complete with spelling mistakes and, rather than dish the goods on Debian details, the chapters appear to be little more than overviews, each one ending with a short summary and a small number of URLs, most typically pointers to the linux HOW-TO documents on the web.
The author, like too many others, discusses hardware setup during initial install, but no discussion of what to do if you add something after Debian is installed. (Hint: you'll need 'modconf' for this, and no, it's not in the book). Chapter 5 includes manual file configuration for networking, but the author passes on the opportunity to mention resolv.conf in this discussion.
A couple dozen chapters in similar style are guaranteed to instill a profound sense of resentment in the reader who was hoping for a true Debian-specific volume. All of this is capped by 85 pages of "filler" masquerading as Appendices. Yes, we all know where to find lists of linux commands, and giving us a tedious description of the Debian packages does nothing more than reiterate information we get from running 'dselect'.
.... Save your money for the real Debian "bible"... if it ever gets written.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: this only a test
Review: forgive me for this just only a function testing, pls delete it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Wouldnt be without it.
Review: I found this book to very satisfying to my Debian loving soul. If you feel Debian, and it makes you proud to be human to use it, Then you must have this wonderful book. It even feels good to just hold the book and look at it, and the Introduction by Ian Murdock himself makes this book a special case amongst the few Debian specific books available. I personally use Libranet Gnu/Linux, which is a MUCH easier to install and more user friendly Debian system, in conjunction with this and other books(Running Linux)
and this would be worth looking into for anyone looking into Linux or Debian for the first time.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: second rate at best
Review: Not only does the book provide very little insight into and help with using the Debian/GNU distribution, it's riddled with typographical errors and has at least one pair of mislabeled graphics. I believe it was written and edited in a hurry. Notice that nowhere in Brandon Robinson's cover blurb does he say anything about the quality of the book or indicate that he has read it. The QUE book, "Using Linux, Special Edition," on the other hand, is a well-polished and useful work. As an aside, please be aware that, although Debian/GNU Linux may indeed be the "best" distribution in some real sense, it definitely is not for beginners (unless you have a personal tutor).

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: second rate at best
Review: Not only does the book provide very little insight into and help with using the Debian/GNU distribution, it's riddled with typographical errors and has at least one pair of mislabeled graphics. I believe it was written and edited in a hurry. Notice that nowhere in Brandon Robinson's cover blurb does he say anything about the quality of the book or indicate that he has read it. The QUE book, "Using Linux, Special Edition," on the other hand, is a well-polished and useful work. As an aside, please be aware that, although Debian/GNU Linux may indeed be the "best" distribution in some real sense, it definitely is not for beginners (unless you have a personal tutor).

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Who was the target audience here?
Review: Stephen Hunger, The Debian GNU/Linux Bible (Hungry Minds Press, 2001)

I can only look at this book from one angle, but I'm guessing it misses its mark both from the perspective of the Debian novice and the advanced user. There's a good deal of information here, but it's more of the "reference guide" variety than it is either an overview aimed at the new user or the in-depth coverage an advanced user needs.

This is not to say the book is of no use whatsoever. There is a good deal of information here, and those who are self-taught or new to the system are liable to find at least a few things they need, though they'll probably want to find further coverage of those things in other places. Think of this book as a catalog of what's available, and it will be of some use. ***

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: okay, sketchy in some places
Review: The book has good treatment of some aspects of using Debian GHU/Linux, such as upgrading the kernel, but doesn't appear to be uniformly thorough in it's discussion as it might have been. I'd recommend considering titles written by several people, where more knowledge is likely to be available, before purchasing. Also, this is the first edition of the book, something else to consider when comparing it with other titles. The tone, by the way, is informal. Please considor my earlier review (if it appears) to be obsolete.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: okay, sketchy in some places
Review: The book has good treatment of some aspects of using Debian GHU/Linux, such as upgrading the kernel, but doesn't appear to be uniformly thorough in it's discussion as it might have been. I'd recommend considering titles written by several people, where more knowledge is likely to be available, before purchasing. Also, this is the first edition of the book, something else to consider when comparing it with other titles. The tone, by the way, is informal. Please considor my earlier review (if it appears) to be obsolete.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good for Newbies
Review: This is a great introduction to Debian as server or workstation. It covers lots of basic information needed to understand how to administer a debian machine and get a debian server setup. For those who are beyond the newbie stages, it does not offer a whole lot tho.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It's a Bible book
Review: While this book may not offer in-depth coverage, the Bible books aren't really meant to. It does, however, do a decent job of doing what it's supposed to do, provide introductory material on a wide range of subjects. Providing in-depth coverage in all of the subjects presented in this book would result in 5,000+ pages.

Lets face it, there's not a lot on Debian out there let alone v2.2. For someone just starting out (yes, beginners can use Debian too) this is probably one of the better books to have as it covers installation through basic system administration to setting up servers.

I'm giving it four stars because anyone with realistic expectations of a Bible-type book will find it to be a valuable reference.


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