[techtalk] Re: Computer Books

[ktb]

On Fri, Dec 29, 2000 at 10:46:38AM +0000, Telsa Gwynne wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 28, 2000 at 01:03:50PM -0600 or thereabouts, ktb wrote:
> > On Thu, Dec 28, 2000 at 07:34:48AM -0800, RobertWichert wrote:
> > > Speaking of books...
> > > Does anyone know of a book on Red Hat Linux 7?  I have Linux 7
> > > installed, but it seems to be just different enough from 6 that the step
> > > by step instructions (yes, I am new to Linux) for 6 are not enough to
> > > get me going. 
> [snip]
> > > Thanks for any guidance.  I think a good "step by step" book for Linux 7
> > > would be perfect, but I find nothing in the stores.
> 
> I think the problem is that a good book takes time to write, and RH
> 7.0 is new. I actually distrust books which arrive simultaneously with
> a new product, on the grounds that "the beta started a month ago, and
> this person has written a complete guide to all the wrinkles and got
> it to press in that time?". Especially with RH's .0 releases, which 
> tend to include more changes and differences. (eg: inetd->xinetd,
> movement of many file locations from /usr to /usr/share, and other
> things which are _just_ different enough to make a "type these
> commands exactly" list break.
> 
> I did find that if you install the docs off the documentation CD,
> there is good information there in the big rh-install and rh-something-
> else docs, but you have to find it. Trying to find one item of info
> when you're not familiar with the whole thing is a pain, though, so 
> that may not help? 
> 
> Exactly what are you trying to do? If it's something like "set up
> a webserver" or "find the programs that do foo", then with luck,
> someone on the list will know where to find info for that and
> any RH6.x/7.0 differences.
> 
> > I'd take 7.0 back and pick up 6.2 if it were me and I really
> > wanted redhat.  I know the guys at work who use redhat couldn't
> 
> If you have a RH 6.x book, this is a good approach, I think :) 
> Except that you'll miss out on the wonderful Gnome 1.2, should you
> care :) (It includes a doc I did, so it must be good, you see...) 
> 
> > get X to work with a couple different vid cards and as a result
> > 7.0 isn't running on any computer at work.  The cards weren't
> > anything unusual and the person installing has used linux for
> > quite a while and knows his way around.  On the flip side having
> > to work at an installation can teach you a lot.  My first stab at
> > it was debian hamm.  Talk about an ordeal:)  Of the
> > installations I've done I think maybe Mandrake was about the
> > easiest.  
> 
> I agree that you learn a lot when messing with an install, but I
> am not sure how transferable a lot of that to "running the thing"
> is. I speak from bitter experience there :) 
> 

	Well with my first debian install I had to learn about hardware.
	X wasn't set up automatically like many of the distros do today
	so I learned how to set X up "from scratch."  I waded through
	tons and tons of configuration questions about programs I knew
	nothing about.  I was dropped into dselect and had to learn how
	to use the package manager front end.  I could go on but you get
	my point:)  Many of the skills I learned installing debian added
	to my knowledge of running linux.  After two months of trying
	you have to learn something:)  That is how long it took me to
	get X working.....and I had to have help in the end:)  I can see
	that with a gooey install not much is gained about day to day
	usage of the os though.
	kent

-- 
  "In order to make an apple pie from scratch,
      you must first create the universe."  
                 - Carl Sagan