Linux for Windows NT/2000 Administrators: The Secret Decoder Ring (Mark Minasi Windows 2000) Book

Too many Linux books shoot themselves in the foot, either by explaining Linux in terms that can't be understood without a grounding in some other Unix flavour or by expecting the reader to blindly follow instructions and be satisfied at their completion. Linux for Windows NT/2000 Administrators advertises itself as a "secret decoder ring", meaning it explains Linux phenomena in Windows terms. For example, the book specifies that daemons are to Linux what services are to Windows NT/2000. It may not make any sense to people unfamiliar with either environment, but it's perfectly clear to those who know Windows. This sort of approach, which reflects knowledge of the audience as well as of the subject matter, is typical of accomplished author Mark Minasi.In large part, this book comes across as "Linux for the Reader with a Clue". Minasi enumerates the tasks that system administrators typically have to carry out. Examples of these include installing software and manipulating the privileges of users and groups. It explains how to do those jobs in various Linux environments, addressing itself to Windows experts who will need a bit of background but don't require babying. Minasi doesn't explain why you would want to install applications, but rather explicitly the mechanics of installing RPM packages and tarballed source code. He states flatly that most people will be happy with a precompiled kernel--that's what works for Windows, after all--but shows how to build your own anyway. The book's full of that kind of material. This fact-rich text is a pleasure to read and learn from. --David WallRead More