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Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: Being a newcomer to Linux, with an extensive background in the "other" OS, I spent quite a while debating over several Linux books. Even though I had installed Red Hat 7.3, this book on 7.2 SEEMED to be the best of the lot. Now after several weeks of observing the author going aimlessly 'round in circles trying to explain concepts, I've had enough and must shell out MORE bucks trying to find a decent Red Hat book, as this one is destined for the trash bin. The book is very poorly organized and the author never focuses on one topic long enough to fully explain it. The final straw came when, in the chapter "Setting Up a Local Area Network...", section titled "Internet Access by Local Hosts", he explains how to set up the gateway host for IP masquerading but never even touches the topic of how to set up the host to connect to the Internet through the gateway. I was, and still am, absolutely livid. Since he stopped halfway through the explanation, can I have half of my money back?? Isn't there SOMEONE out there with thorough knowledge of Linux who has the ability to effectively convey that knowledge in type????
Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: Being a newcomer to Linux, with an extensive background in the "other" OS, I spent quite a while debating over several Linux books. Even though I had installed Red Hat 7.3, this book on 7.2 SEEMED to be the best of the lot. Now after several weeks of observing the author going aimlessly 'round in circles trying to explain concepts, I've had enough and must shell out MORE bucks trying to find a decent Red Hat book, as this one is destined for the trash bin. The book is very poorly organized and the author never focuses on one topic long enough to fully explain it. The final straw came when, in the chapter "Setting Up a Local Area Network...", section titled "Internet Access by Local Hosts", he explains how to set up the gateway host for IP masquerading but never even touches the topic of how to set up the host to connect to the Internet through the gateway. I was, and still am, absolutely livid. Since he stopped halfway through the explanation, can I have half of my money back?? Isn't there SOMEONE out there with thorough knowledge of Linux who has the ability to effectively convey that knowledge in type????
Rating: 
Summary: Good Red Hat details
Review: Excellent up-to-date Red Hat reference covering security issues like encryption, intrusion detection, and firewalls. Features all Red Hat administration tools like those that do automatic updates, network configuration, user setup. Found it to be really helpful with the nuts and bolts of network servers like Ftp, Apache, DNS, and email. Even deals with the newest versions of Gnome and KDE. All in all very wortwhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Good many topics covered, but individual coverage thin
Review: Good book, lots of topics covered, but the coverage on any one topic is thin, too thin in my opinion. He explains how to set up and configure an FTP server via the GUI. I don't use the gui and wish he would give step by step instructions on how to do this. An integral part of setting up an FTP server is to show how to add users, this guys doesn't even come close to even thinking about how to set up users.Bottom line--
If you want a little bit of information on practically all opics this is your book, if you want detailed information as to how to do something, well look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Most current Red Hat book
Review: I am tired of all the books that have the audacity label themselves as "complete reference". I have used linux for several years and this book is very much lacking in details. Security is coverly too lightly. The author focuses on the gui front ends for system administration, which may be fine for a home user toying around for the first time, but a serious administrator needs more information about what goes on behind the scenes. As a previous reviewer stated, this book covers a lot but doesn't cover anything in depth. This book is a good introduction to someone who know little about linux but I would not recommend it to anyone who plans to use a linux machine as a serious production server.
Rating:
Summary: Beginner's Introductory Book
Review: I am tired of all the books that have the audacity label themselves as "complete reference". I have used linux for several years and this book is very much lacking in details. Security is coverly too lightly. The author focuses on the gui front ends for system administration, which may be fine for a home user toying around for the first time, but a serious administrator needs more information about what goes on behind the scenes. As a previous reviewer stated, this book covers a lot but doesn't cover anything in depth. This book is a good introduction to someone who know little about linux but I would not recommend it to anyone who plans to use a linux machine as a serious production server.
Rating:
Summary: Fine for beginner
Review: I found The Complete Reference not very complete. If you are a PC user and making the move to Linux you will fine this book very helpful. If you are a Unix user (Solaris, AIX, HPUX etc...) and are transitioning to Linux you will find this book severely lacking. For the most part it only shows you how to do things using the GUI. The book gives no reference to the underlying files/commands that are being edited/executed. Most Unix users prefer command line which allows for automation through scripting not to mention the ability to troubleshoot.
Rating:
Summary: Most current Red Hat book
Review: I found this book to be the most up to date Red Hat book in its class, covering the recent Red Hat innovations like the new network and system administration tools (something missing from many other Red Hat books). Though accommodating to the beginner, it provides professional level discussions of server, system, and network administration. Security coverage is very extensive including topics like latest encryption tools, integrity checks, and firewall configuration. Claims that the book overemphasizes GUIs are completely wrong. For example, the book spends almost 40 pages detailing configuration of Linux FTP servers (for which there is no GUI tool). Unix features such as shells, scripts, and regular expressions are covered in far more detail than any other book in its class. As far as GUIs are concerned, Gnome and KDE are here to stay and have become an integral part of most software projects in the Linux community. In all I found it to be not only the most current Red Hat 7.2 book in print, but also fully compatible with Red Hat 7.3.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of info but hard to find
Review: This book has lots of information in it but is hard to find unless you already know the answer. Not a beginners book at all.
Rating:
Summary: Red Hat Linux is Required reading for Excellence
Review: This is the most informative Systems Book that I have ever owned.
Everything is dealt with in detail and no stone unturned. I have been in systems management for 26 years and few thing have impressed me as much as this book and it's Author Richard Petersen. I approach Linux System problems with new confidence having researched the issue, in this book. I will never buy another book detailing Linux subjects, unless it is by Mr. Petersen. Definitly the Steven King of LINUX.
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