Rating: 
Summary: Incomplete Source Code
Review: It might of been a great book !! No source code for most of the examples........... The book was sent back the same day I received it.
Rating: 
Summary: Missing CDs spoil otherwise well done Programming Book
Review: Kurt Wall, the author, has taken the time to write me and express his frustration at the missing CDs(see my prvious review), and also graciously pointed me to a website for the book's source code. Thanks Kurt. I am upgrading my review to reflect my feelings on the book based on the content of the information and on the assumption that I have a Linux Operating System to test and experiment the code functions, rather than just my own frustrations at the publisher dropping the proverbial ball. This review is based on a scan read, not a detailed examination and exploration of the books content. Much of the writing is well structured, and provides great handholding for what seems to be a lot of topics and problems that programmers would have installing and using Linux. The combinations of information into one source seems good, but I'm not sure how all inclusive. I just wish that the book had come with a programming environment (as promised by the pre-publication press releases).
Rating: 
Summary: good coverage sloppy editing & depends on nonexistent cdrom
Review: Nicely fills some holes left by Wrox's Beginning Linux Programming. Pretty broad coverage if necessarily shallow. Not just a compilation of howtos and faqs, but decent writing. BUT! Constant references to a CDROM that doesnt exist, and generally these are where a fragment of a sample program is being discussed and you want the whole listing, and there isnt one. There are 3 authors. One, Mark Whitis, maintains a site with the code for *his* chapters only. He says to see the sites of the other authors for the code to their chapters, but doesnt provide a link to their sites. His comments on publisher SAMS are so damning, you wonder why he published with them. This is an expensive book (arent all these halfwitted computer books?) for someone to buy only to face these omissions. Too bad too, because its coverage is otherwise what I wanted. BEWARE!
Rating: 
Summary: I liked it
Review: Overall this book is great. It gets you started in all of the major areas of Linux development, something I'd missed in other programming books. It provides a central source of information for many of the most common programming utilities and libraries on the GNU/Linux platform. It answered *a ton* of questions. I just wish the topics described would've been explained in more detail or saved for a second / third book.
Rating:
Summary: Acceptable, but not excellent
Review: Probably I would give it 3 stars and a quarter, or even one third, but obviously less than 4 stars. The authors tried to cover nearly all the topics in linux programming (excluding databases). The results are quite mixed. The most of explanation is done using C, though C++ is also touched a couple of times. The book consists of 6 parts. Part 1 is the linux programming toolkit. Not bad at all. Suprising things are that gdb is described in part 5, and electric fence in part 2, not here. Part 2 - System programming, Part 3 - Interprocess communication and networking. These parts are central and most valuable in the book. Good. Though I like Linux Application Development by M.K.Johnson and E.W.Troan better. Part 4 - Programming the user interface. Very shallow. You can learn that such and such techniques exist but may hardly understand how to use them. Part 5 - Special programming techniques. A strange feeling. As if the authors decided to collect here the material which they did'nt know where else to place. Part 6 - Finishing touches (about creating the software packages and documentation). Not bad at all, though a little shallow again. As it was already said in the previous reviews there are regular references to the non-existing CD. RESUME: it is an acceptable book, espesially if you just start programming linux, or migrate from another platform. You will get acquainted quickly with the most necessary things. So if you have bought it, try to enjoy it:). If you don't have it yet I recommend better to buy already mentioned Linux Application Development for both application and system programmers, plus Programming with Qt by M.Dalheimer or Developing Linux Application by E.Harlow if you are interested in GUI development for KDE or GNOME respectively.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Linux Programming book
Review: This book provided exactly the information I need to dive into building applications and utilities for Linux. The writing is clear, the code is solid, and the examples are practical. I contacted the publisher, SAMS, and the source code is on their website. You can download it in a couple of minutes. Don't let the other comments talk you out of buying this book. It's a really fine effort. Thanks!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a comprehensive introduction to Linux programming
Review: Those familiar with Linux know how obtuse its documentation can be. Anyone who has tried to compile Linux software will appreciate the additional information about what is going that is provided in this excellent text. You are bound to be inspired to try some highly educational examples. For those who want to try programming, this is an indespensible aide. Unfortunately, I found some errors that are hard to spot. You may be luckier.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a comprehensive introduction to Linux programming
Review: Those familiar with Linux know how obtuse its documentation can be. Anyone who has tried to compile Linux software will appreciate the additional information about what is going that is provided in this excellent text. You are bound to be inspired to try some highly educational examples. For those who want to try programming, this is an indespensible aide. Unfortunately, I found some errors that are hard to spot. You may be luckier.
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