Mastering Red Hat Linux 6

Showcases the operating system's newest version, covering GUIs, installation, commands, file management, internet connections, LANs, operating system integration, applications, and database administration

What we have here is a great big book about the Red Hat 6 distribution of the Linux 2.2 operating system. Mastering Red Hat Linux 6 explains how to set up and use Red Hat Linux in terms a person who lacks Unix experience--but who is comfortable with command-line interfaces and editing configuration files--can follow.

Your best strategy for using this book is to rely on the index for locating information on the commands and programs that interest you. Once you've tracked down the relevant pages, you'll find Danesh's explanations to be right on--he includes some example uses of file-management commands and utility programs. A solid command reference fills 70 dense pages, but there's not much on server software: The Apache section consists mostly of unadorned configuration file listings.

This is a serviceable Linux book. The kernel information it contains is accurate and generally well presented, and the coverage of the windowing environments is good, but there's nothing really outstanding about any of it. Coverage of server and application software is weak. You might consider Red Hat Linux 6 Server, which includes far better information on Apache and other server software, or Red Hat Linux 6 Unleashed for applications and programming information. --David Wall

Topics covered: Red Hat Linux for the novice, particularly installation, initial configuration, and basic command-line operations. Other coverage includes X, Gnome, KDE, kernel configuration and compilation, basic local networking with TCP/IP, and peripheral configuration.