Linux for Dummies Quick Reference

I bought this awhile back when I first started with Linux a few years back. This is a Reference book. If you are trying to learn about Linux get the Full book not this one. If you already know Linux and just need to be able to look stuff up quick, this is the book for you.

The "quick reference" in the title means that it's a reference, a tool, not a tutorial on when and why to use commands. It's best function is explaining switches on commands. If you've ever wondered "I wonder if I can get grep to do THAT?" or "I wonder how to plug in sed here?" then this is the book for you. Any deeper knowledge required and you'll need to get one of the other books on Linux introduction. And the author's preference for vi over EMACS isn't really proven, it's just that some of the more esoteric of commands in vi are not readily apparent, but lend themselves to description in a quick reference. I mean if you feel threatened by vi, please, by all means, use EMACS ;-)

I recently bought this for the IS manager that will replace me in weeks to come. I bought it for what it was intended to be. A "Quick Referance". This is not a book that will describe exact procedures, or how to negotiate your way through extedned server calls. It's great for someone with a working knowledge of Linux that finds themself asking "What was that command again?".

It's not that bad, very usefull