Linux with Operating System Concepts

A True Textbook for an Introductory Course, System Administration Course, or a Combination Course

Linux with Operating System Concepts, Second Edition merges conceptual operating system (OS) and Unix/Linux topics into one cohesive textbook for undergraduate students. The book can be used for a one- or two-semester course on Linux or Unix. It is complete with review sections, problems, definitions, concepts and relevant introductory material, such as binary and Boolean logic, OS kernels and the role of the CPU and memory hierarchy.

Details for Introductory and Advanced Users

The book covers Linux from both the user and system administrator positions. From a user perspective, it emphasizes command-line interaction. From a system administrator perspective, the text reinforces shell scripting with examples of administration scripts that support the automation of administrator tasks.

Thorough Coverage of Concepts and Linux Commands

The author incorporates OS concepts not found in most Linux/Unix textbooks, including kernels, file systems, storage devices, virtual memory and process management. He also introduces computer science topics, such as computer networks and TCP/IP, interpreters versus compilers, file compression, file system integrity through backups, RAID and encryption technologies, booting and the GNUs C compiler.

New in this Edition

The book has been updated to systemd Linux and the newer services like Cockpit, NetworkManager, firewalld and journald. This edition explores Linux beyond CentOS/Red Hat by adding detail on Debian distributions. Content across most topics has been updated and improved.

Richard Fox is a professor of computer science at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). He regularly teaches courses in both computer science (Artificial Intelligence, Computer Systems, Computer Architecture, Concepts of Programming Languages, Object-Oriented Programming I and II) and computer information technology (IT Fundamentals, Unix/Linux). Dr. Fox, who has been at NKU since 2001, is the current chair of NKU’s University Curriculum Committee. Prior to NKU, Dr. Fox taught for 9 years at the University of Texas – Pan American (now known as University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley). Richard has received teaching awards from UTPA and from NKU, and a service award from NKU. Dr. Fox received a Ph.D. in Computer and Information Sciences from The Ohio State University in 1992. He also has an M.S. in Computer and Information Sciences from Ohio State (1988) and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Missouri Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 1986. Dr. Fox has written two other textbooks published by Taylor & Francis/CSC Press in the IT field (Linux and Operating System Concepts, 2015, and Internet Infrastructure: Networking, Web Services and Cloud Computing, with Dr. Wei Hao, 2018). Dr. Fox has also authored or co-authored of over 50 peer reviewed research articles primarily in the area of Artificial Intelligence. Richard Fox grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a big science fiction fan and progressive rock fan. As you will see in reading this text, his favorite composer is Frank Zappa.