[techtalk] A good intro textbook for Linux

[Katie Baynes]

A lurker speaks........O'Reilly's "Running Linux" is great.

Katie

Raven Damask wrote:

> Heya --
>
> # if disclaimer
>      I'm not sure whether this should be on techtalk
> or grrltalk, but it seems relevant here to me.
>
>      I teach free introductory-level networking
> classes in the Washington, DC area.  For the past
> several months I've done CCNA certification classes,
> but I've gotten a bit bored with that (there's only so
> many times I can go over the same material), and in
> about a month or so, I'll be running a "Intro to
> TCP/IP Networking and Linux" course.
>
>      I know what I'm using for a textbook for the
> TCP/IP half of the class -- "Demystifying TCP/IP", by
> Michael Busby.  It does a pretty good job of
> explaining things clearly, and even covers some of the
> network-design things I wanted to show this class.
> But I'm a bit stymied when looking for an appropriate
> intro to Linux textbook.
>
>      I want to train these people to more than the
> end-user level, but I don't need an uber-BOFH-admin
> text, either.  Many of the students are just coming
> out of tech support, and don't have much of a
> background in networking.  I don't want to drown them.
>  But by the end of the class, I want them to be able
> to install and configure a Linux workstation, set up
> ppp, and have at least a passing acquaintance with NFS
> and Samba.
>
>      I'm looking for a textbook that will cover those
> topics.  I spent a couple hours in my local bookstore
> checking out the offerings, and the closest thing I
> could find was SAMS's "Teach Yourself Linux in 24
> Hours", by Bill Ball.  I'm not so stuck on this, and
> would swap it for a better alternative if I saw one.
>
>      The O'Reilly intro series are too basic (I was
> pretty disappointed in their book on learning Debian,
> which is a first for me and O'Reilly), and "Running
> Linux" is too in-depth for this class, and presumes
> too much basic knowledge.  One of the main problems
> that I have with "24 Hours" is that it's based on
> Caldera Open Linux, which I've never used.  (I'm a
> Debian and Red Hat girl -- the class will probably be
> based on Red Hat to give them a relatively easy start.
>  I run Debian at home.)
>
>      I would appreciate any suggestions y'all have.
> Is Caldera different enough from Deb/RH that I'd have
> difficulty familiarizing myself with it in a month?
> Or is that frighteningly ambitious?  (Yes, I've been
> following the distro-vs.-distro thread, and scooping
> some of it up for my class.)
>
>      Thanks in advance.
>
> Cheers,
> Raven Alder
>
> =====
> "And I know the world is cold but
>  If you hold on tight to what you
>  Find you might not mind too much though
>  Even this must pass away..."
>  -- The Sisters of Mercy, "Some Kind of Stranger"
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