Linux: Configuration and Installation (Mis Press Slackware Series)

Rating:
Summary: Too old and not enough guidance
Review: If you're looking for a guide to Linux and a distribution that will work on an older computer with very little hard drive space, and only need to play around with it and not do anything terribly useful, then this may be the book for you. Otherwise, I suggest you look elsewhere.

While this may have been a helpful book at one time, this distribution is now very out of date. As the book focuses on the Slackware distribution included, it may or may not pertain to newer Slackware distributions or other distributions. The book includes the Slackware 3.3 distribution on a single CD.

I purchased this book as it was recommeneded as one of the few ways to get Linux on an old 486 laptop. I had no previous experience with Linux, but with this book and some helpful websites I was able to install it to the laptop. The laptop only had a floppy drive, requiring a floppy installation (about 2.5 hours). While I did learn much about Linux in this process, I didn't really make the computer much more useful than when it had Windows 3.1 installed (for my limited needs). I'm giving two stars because it did assist me in installing Linux.

Summary: The book and distribution are now out of date. The book does not necessarily stand on its own in guiding installation. Not recommended as an introduction to Linux as there MUST be better books out there now.

Rating:
Summary: Covers exactly what it says it does
Review: This book covers exactly what its name says it does. It is an in-depth tutorial and discussion of configuration and installation concerns with regard to the Slackware Linux operating system. Period. It doesn't cover commands or the X Window system to any great extent, but then again, it never claims to do so. It does provide a thorough examination of Linux installation. After reading this book (OK, after reading the first couple of chapters), I was able to install Linux with no problems on my home PC. I am still looking for a good command reference manual so that I'll be able to become proficient with this operating system. All in all, this is a great book as far as it goes.

Rating:
Summary: Good Linux reference text.
Review: This book is very useful as a reference, which should be used with additional information sources on Linux. The guidance on setting up the Linux operating system discards alternative ways on doing so by mentioning other techniques in passing. For example it mentions that you can install using your hardrive as the source for the installation, but fails to mention the directory that needs to be copied to the hard drive. This confirms their singular approach of installation using the CD-Rom I think that the authors assumed that persons who purchased this book are very familiar with Linux and should have no throuble with the installation. The assumption should be that individuals purchasing this book are installing Linux for the first time; this premise will ensure that there is enough handholding to guide them through. The only chapter that incorporated this approach was chapter3 " Installing and Configuring XFree86". I found it rather helpful to use this book in conjunction with the QUE book " Using LINUX (Third Edition) by Jack Tackett Jr. and David Gunter". Overall Linux Configuration & Installation provides a quick introduction to the Linux World.