Beginning Red Hat Linux 9 (Programmer to Programmer)

Red Hat Linux 9 is a powerful, flexible open source operating system. Its popularity is growing, both in home use and in corporate environments of all sizes. Its user interface makes it every bit as accessible as other operating systems, and its open source pedigree opens the doors to a mind-blowing amount of free software.

This book guides you through that difficult time that comes just after you've installed a new operating system, by giving you the confidence to open your wings and fly with it. We'll take you through the installation, we'll get you working, and by the end of the book you'll have a well-configured, stable, secure operating system and a world of possibilities.

What does this book cover?

In this book, you will learn how to

• Install Red Hat Linux 9 using the included 2 CD-ROM distribution from Red Hat
• Use Red Hat Linux 9 to connect to networks, printers, and the Internet
• Get working — using Office applications, Web browsers, multimedia applications, and so on
• Get the most from Linux — by understanding Linux's powerful file system and command line interfaces
• Set up and configure a Web server, a mail server, a file server, and various other types of servers
• Secure your machine against unauthorized use — both from the Internet and from internal threats
• Modify your machine to suit the way you work — installing software to create a tailored working environment

Who is this book for?

This book is for you if you're using (or planning to use) the Red Hat Linux operating system for the first time. It offers the simple, plain-speaking guidance you need as you begin to explore the vast potential of open source software. The book assumes that you're familiar with using Microsoft Windows, and aims to help you make the jump from Windows to Linux by introducing it in those terms. No previous knowledge of Linux is assumed.

Pancrazio ‘Ezio’ de Mauro has been using Red Hat Linux since 1996. He is a Linux consultant specializing in system integration, mobile technologies, and training. He actively supports and advocates the use of free software. Ezio spends most of his free time traveling and backpacking. He welcomes comments and questions at his e-mail address, pdm@demauro.net.

Shishir Gundavaram is the Chief Technology Officer for MechanicNet Group, a company that specializes in p roviding CRM services for the automotive repair and maintenanc e industry. When he is not dealing with auto mechanics and broken-down cars, Shishir consults for a number of companies, designing architecture and providing technical expertise. He has more than a decade of experience in various aspects of software development and is considered a foremost expert in wireless applications, distributed systems, electronic commerce, and web backend architecture. He is also the author of various articles and books, including Professional Perl Development, CGI Programming on the World Wide Web, and Scripting Languages: Automating the Web, and he is regularly invited to speak at technical conferences around the world.

Mark Mamone, a Solutions Specialist working for Syntegra Ltd in the UK, has 16 years of experience in the IT industry ranging from Assembler and MS-DOS and now specializing in the development of enterprise and mobile systems using a variety of technologies, including Microsoft .NET, Java, and Linux.

Kapil Sharma, an Internet security and Unix consultant, has been working on various Unix systems and Internet security technologies for more than five years. He has deployed many Unix, high availability, clustering, and Internet security projects. Kapil is also a Sun Certified System Administrator (SCSA) and Sun Certified Network Administrator (SCNA). He enjoys working on new challenges in Internet security, Internet architecture design, and various Unix flavors. He also fancies technical writing and sharing his knowledge with the community. He is actively involved in the open source community and has written many technical articles on system and network security. Apart from his hectic technical life, Kapil also enjoys clubbing, music, and touring the world. Kapil currently lives with his wife, Usha Sharma, in London, U.K. and can be contacted via e-mail at kapil@linux4biz.net. He maintains a consultancy company and a web site with loads of security resources at www.linux4biz.net.

Deepak Thomas lives and works in the San Francisco Bay area. His interests include PHP, Linux, and J2EE technologies. He has co-authored and reviewed several books for Wrox in these areas. In their spare time Deepak and Ansu go bike riding along the many beautiful trails in their part of the country.

Simon Whiting, a graduate of Clare College, University of Cambridge, is a Principal Consultant for AnIX Group Ltd and has been a Unix system administrator. He is an expert in Linux, storage area networks, and C, Perl, and Korn Shell programming.