Linux Pocket Guide Reviews

• Great things in small packages...

  
  By A3R19YKNL641X3 on 2004-09-08
  I've always been more of a GUI-type user, and even the old DOS commands never did much for me. But now that I'm moving into the world of Linux, I need to understand the power of the command line. To that end, I got a review copy of the Linux Pocket Guide by Daniel J. Barrett (O'Reilly). I have a feeling this will become a dog-eared favorite on my bookshelf.
  
  Normally I'd list a chapter breakout, but there's just too many "chapters" here to do so. Suffice it to say that if it's a shell command in Linux, it's in here somewhere. The great thing is that you get the command and a list of the useful options, along with the syntax in less than half a page (and the book is small!). So instead of hauling down the large volume and scrolling through multiple pages, you can get right to the command you need with the options you're probably looking for.
  
  For a beginner like me, it will help to make me more comfortable with many of the basics of command line work. For experts, it will be the quick reference for that particular option that you can't remember the capitalization rules for...
  
  Short, concise, easy to understand, and packed with meat... What more could you want in a reference manual? This is a keeper.
  
  

• Excellent guide for all Linux users

  
  By A2ZB3LUN5X8H1G on 2004-04-15
  Anyone who uses Linux will benefit from this handy pocket guide which lists general Linux commands for various tasks, ranging from directory operations, file commands, locating files, doing backups, controlling various processes, to working on the Internet (web browsing, Usenet news, email, and network connections). There are lots of commands listed here. No, this is not a general reference book by any means (and there are lots of Linux reference books around), but it is just the thing when you need to look up a specific command fast. All commands are listed with their syntax and a brief explanation of what they do.

  The book discusses in a little detail about Fedora, Red Hat's "free Linux OS." It also goes into some descriptions about running a shell, logins and logouts, filesystems, and home and system directories. Again this book covers the basics and it assumes the readers already have a decent knowledge of Linux. Since Linux does so many things and it's next to impossible to remember every single command, a book like this is handy to have on your desk when you can't remember a specific command.
  
  

• Great Linux Guide that is Short and Sweet! Worth the $!

  
  By A17BUUBOU0598B on 2004-07-14
  It's no secret, there's a lot of books about Linux on the market today. Linux is HOT!! But it's also no secret that a lot of publishers have been jumping on the bandwagon churning out Linux books just to get a piece of the action. This Oreilly pocket guide is everything you would expect from an Oreilly book: thorough, succinct, and worth the money.

  The book has a great structure, covering the basics and then going into commands. The commands are organized in functional groups. So if you want to do some user administration, just thumb to that section and all the relevant comands are at your fingertips.

  There's enough detail about each command that you can actually use it. The author also often tells you how the command is "usually used," which is helpful. There's even some basics sprinkled in about programming and shell syntax. It's awesome that they actually put useful stuff in a pocket guide!

  Whether you're an advanced administrator or a beginner, this book is worth the investment. It has enough info to be a quick reference, but it's clearly written enough to be a primer for beginners. ENJOY!!!
  
  

• Not comprehensive, but useful, nonetheless

  
  By A73DVBHCNV0FP on 2005-08-09
  Back when I was starting out on Linux I remember when the second edition of Linux in a Nutshell came out. A co-worker had bought a copy, and I drooled over the wealth of information it offered. I had received a copy of an older edition of UNIX in a Nutshell as a birthday present, and while helpful, I found Linux in a Nutshell to be much more applicable (not to mention much more comprehensive). That was before I came to appreciate the wealth of information to be had in the man and info pages, in perldoc, and online documentation in general.
  
  O'Reilly's Linux Pocket Guide could easily be considered a (very) streamlined version of Linux in a Nutshell. It offers a concise command-reference for some of the most common commands you might use in Linux. The commands covered aren't limited to what you would run from a command-line, though. You'll also find (very concise) information about the gimp, mozilla, and xload, and others as well.
  
  Who would want to buy this book? Well, when I was starting out in Linux, I would have loved a book like this. For me as a 'starving' college student, a 'regular' O'Reilly book was usually out of the reach of my budget, so I loved the pocket references beacuse you could get some great information for under $10. For the budget minded, the book packs a lot of information for not a lot of money. Also, for a pocket reference, it's pretty thick at just over 180 pages. As evidence of its usefulness for beginners, I recently loaned my copy of the Pocket Guide to someone I know who is just starting a new job working with Linux. He was looking for something to help him climb the learning curve, and upon returning the Pocket Guide informed me that he was on his way to buy his own copy. The Linux Pocket Guide would make a good stocking stuffer for your geek-to-be, and in a small form-factor, is nice for not having to lug a heavier book with around with you on campus or when on the go.
  
  Most of what you can find in the Linux Pocket Guide can also be found in the man pages on most Linux systems (which don't weigh anything), so from that point of view, you might ask, what's the point of a book like this? For one thing, there is a lot to be said for the dead-tree experience when learning new skills. From another point of view, because the book isn't a thorough reference, it has to focus on only the most relevant and useful options for each command covered, so it's nice to be able to find the info you need without having to wade through pages of obscure information you might only rarely use. The book is also a nice refresher. While I was reading it I had several "oh yeah, I had forgotten about that . . .", and "Wow, cool, I didn't know about that option . . ."-type moments while reading. I've been using Linux since 1998, so my guess is there might be something new for most folks in here. That being said, you'll probably get more bang for your buck with Linux in a Nutshell.
  
  

• Great book!

  
  By A3OLJGKUNWKOGS on 2004-10-03
  If you are a competent computer user and want to switch to Linux but don't really know anything about it, you NEED this book!
  
  Basically, it tells you how to do all the things that everyone assumes you already know how to do: text editing, basic text manipulation, finding files, managing files, changing permissions, using groups, &c&c.
  
  If you have installed Linux but are now wondering, "How do I delete a folder?" go buy this book!
  
  Edit: It's 2008 and years since I first wrote this review. I'm LPI certified and I work with Linux every day at an advanced level. A lot of the knowledge I apply every day came from this book. I recommend it to my coworkers who know less about Linux and I still use it for a quick reference on some commands. When I wrote the review, I was a beginner; now I'm an expert and I still feel the same way about this book. BUY IT!
  
  
• Something for everybody ....
  By A1YM0LKWLLE43N on 2004-03-15
  I have just received the "Linux Pocket Guide", and am very pleased about the way it can and does help me, and it will definitely help others too. The `door' to the inner workings of Linux, can be painlessly pried open after all!
  For a Linux novice such as myself very useful and informative - there is enough information - and more importantly - with examples, to whet the appetite, but not to drown the reader in mind-boggling detail. The 'Man' or 'Info' pages are enough to put a newbie off for life. The supplied URLs to other informative sources are also very useful.
  This guide also helps to dispel some of the mystique that perhaps some *nix wizards like to project around the subject - that is my sad experience in many News-Groups, when asking questions of established `Gurus'.
  I would be very interested to see more such works in various - for Linux newbies at least - other Linux `problem' zones.
  For Windows fugitives/Linux novices - and even for slightly forgetful experts - a *must* have .....
  
  
• Indispensible reference
  By A2VQPDSY82I43I on 2004-03-06
  The Linux Pocket Guide will prove to be an indispensible reference for new linux users as well as those with years of experience. This guide covers just about every command you will ever need while using linux, as well as all of the options that each command supports. The fact that it is oriented towards the new Fedora Core releases from Red Hat will also make this guide more valuable to the many new users who are being attracted to linux by this new distribution.

  I especially liked the fact that the author exposes the 'internal' commands that are built into the shell, also describes the 'external' commands that are not part of the shell, and let's the user know which ones are which.

  Mr. Barrett also includes information as to where the command is stored on disk, the directory and file name, and even which package is used to install the command.

  This guide has made administering my systems much easier, and I will keep a copy of this pocket guide right next to my personal linux system at all times.
  
  

• Best reference book for Linux
  By A316BY44PYTXZG on 2007-01-15
  This is the second copy of this book that I have. It is true that in the latest distributions of Linux (Suse 10, Fedora 6 or Ubuntu 6.+) you do not need to enter almost any command via the terminal, but there are two main reasons to learn to use the terminal line:
  1. you want to become a power user and customize your linux distro, or
  2. as an open source system, you are likely to broke something trying to install the latest applications, as Beryl for example, and you broke the graphical server.
  In both cases, this book is a must have.
  You can have access the same (or more) information via the 'man' command, but is useful to have some writen examples on how to use some commands. This book is very well organized and the size is really 'pocket'. It is a little outdated (2004) and oriented to Fedora (I'm an Ubuntu user), but useful anyway.
  
  
• Handy Linux guide for beginners and power users alike
  By A31RB58BWSYBPU on 2004-07-07
  Barrett's compact book (191 pages) covers the most frequently used commands in Fedora Linux. He has done an excellent job of covering the most useful commands with their most useful arguments. The book begins with a brief introduction to Fedora Linux, shell and command structure. Next, the commands are arranged in logically related groups beginning with login & logout and ending with audio & video commands, with file system, shell, installing software, basic file operations, directory operations, file viewing, file creation & editing, file properties, file location, file text manipulation, file compression & packaging, file comparison, disks & file systems, backups & remote storage, file printing, spelling operations, viewing processes, controlling processes, users & their environment, working with user accounts, working with groups, basic host information, host location, network connections, email, web browsing, usenet news, instant messaging, screen output, math & calculations, dates & times, scheduling jobs, graphics & screen savers in between. This is followed by an easy to understand tutorial on shell scripts. There is an excellent index.

  The book is technically accurate. I found only one questionable term - `superusers'. Since Linux allows only one superuser ('root'), the word `superusers' may cause confusion by suggesting the possibility of multiple superuser accounts.

  This short and handy guide will be an excellent book to sit next to (or on top of) your system so that you don't have to use man pages to look up commands and squint your eyes to read the folded lines. It is also a great book for a new Linux user so that he or she doesn't have to pore over huge reference books for day to day Linux use.
  
  

• If you own one reference book for Linux, this should be it.
  By A1VOTYR8OQKUWS on 2007-01-05
  I am a linux newbie, though I have an extensive computer background in other operating systems, and I wanted a comprehensive, yet brief reference book for Linux. This is indespensible! I have other detailed, how-to Linux books, but this is the one I continue to use on a regular basis. THe book is arranged in a very logical way, and the table of contents in conjunction with the index allows me to quickly find the command I need. Essentially all Linux commands are included, and for a given command, the most commonly used options are explained.
  
  If I need more detail, and I infrequently do, I can go to those other books, or most likely I just use Linux available documentation (command help, man pages, etc.)
  
  Alot of information for just a few bucks -- again, indispensible!
  
  
• Worthwhile reading for beginners and advanced users
  By A2X1ZISPQ5XKFF on 2004-03-28
  I've been using Linux since 1996, and this book still gave me some new tips and information to make better use of my Linux system.
  
  
• Buy it
  By A1DSAS0TLXS4XP on 2004-06-22
  I was often reluctant to buy this kind of books. Often because I think the same info can be found on the Internet.
  
  But in the case of this book, I liked it. The presentation is easy to carry with you, choose a topic and see the commands related to the given topic. There is nothing new in the book, however it is a good quick reference guide for new and old Linux users.
  
  In my particular case, I've worked on Linux for 4 years and I found some interesting topics inside. It is a nice reference guide to have in hand any time we work with Linux.
  
  
• Most-used book in my Linux library
  By A1PV6LGZWF05WM on 2005-07-11
  I was a novice Linux administrator as of 4 months ago, having spent 10 years administering NT/2000 only. I needed to get up to speed fast on the command line, and this provided exactly what I needed -- quick and dirty references on what to do when.
  
  There's nothing more frustrating than knowing precisely what you're going to do, and it's simple as all heck, but you just don't know the blasted command in Linux. This got me past this phase so that I no longer had to ask silly questions of my peers. Certainly worth it.
  
  --tgr
  
  
• Buy this book
  By A29F2UJD8EX1T6 on 2005-10-31
  Best $10 I ever spent on linux. If you purchase this in conjunction with "Linux in a Nutshell" you'll have EVERY command you'll ever need at your fingertips. This book is just the super speedy version that you can keep in front of you without "pulling it off your bookshelf." I use this thing daily. Its often even more informantive than info or man pages. Example: command 'rmdir' - man pages say to use some extention "--ignore-fail-on-empty" - this extention does not work you must use "rmdir -rf [dir]" - only the linux pocket guide could provide you with this. This book rocks!
  
  
• Linux Companion
  By A1D23OXVEGBIWX on 2006-04-10
  If you are new to Linux like me and would like to learn Linux in a week then this book is a must have along with "Linux for Dummies" by LeBlance.
  
  This pocket Guide continuously help me out of a jam every time I need something done on a Linux box that is not available with the graphic user interface. The truth is the more I use this book with the command window, the more comfortable I am with using Linux. So get this book and stop pounding your head against the wall when you can not find the answer with the GUI.
  
  
  
  
• Great book for anybody working on Unix Env
  By A2C3KJE96J3GXP on 2006-05-17
  This is the best pocket reference book that you can get. Its been really helpful to me in a lot of occasions when you just know that there is a command to do it but just cannot remember what the command is. Would definitely say a must to anybody starting or already working with Unix/Linux.
  
  
• A good book for Beginners
  By A287BCUU1VIDA1 on 2006-11-23
  This book is a great help for people in the early stages of learning Linux since it tackles all sort of Linux CLI commands together with a list of options and syntax.
  
  For people who have already a good idea of Linux, it can serve as a reference for the multitude of Linux commands and flags that exist.
  
  
  
  
• good handbook
  By A2I11C1KSJ7RJN on 2007-03-16
  A good, standard handbook for Fedora and other Linux flavors. A good reference when you already know the OS and need a reference back to refresh your memory on command syntax, etc
  
  
• An excellent reference
  By A2P0DJ3F69IRF4 on 2007-03-25
  This book is exactly the type of excellent work one comes to expect from O'Reilly. Tons on useful information in a handy pocket reference size. I bought it because I had been away from Linux for awhile and was rusty on all of the commands. This filled the bill perfectly.
  
  
• Just as title promises.
  By A5I71U0KBKNFO on 2004-03-09
  This is a well rounded guide that gets right to the point and serves its purpose well. With easily referenced material/subjects (that goes into even more detail when needed), you will likely find everything you'll need using in this one book, without the need for a 'bible' with a lot of discussions that are ultimately irrelevant to the information you seek. A definite for a beginner, and a good reminder or reference on some subjects you may not have touched on over the years for those with experience. And, for the size, this book has a lot and touches on many topics. Well formatted and easy to follow. Recommended.
  
  
• Keep it near the computer
  By A3QNPNSKKZSTUC on 2004-03-19
  The Linux Pocket Guide is filled with useful command descriptions that should prove beneficial to all. I really appreciated the examples and the task-oriented reviews.

  In addition, it provides information on file system layout, on the shell, on basic shell scripting, and even on basic commands in emacs and vim.

  While Linux has nearly escaped from requiring command-line understanding at all, I believe all users will need or have an opportunity to be benefited by the command-line at some point, and I think this book is an excellent resource.
  
  

• Carefully crafted Linux overview
  By A8V7ZZUX57TK on 2006-03-02
  It is never simple to learn any new system and UNIX/Linux aren't exemptions. This book and "UNIX Core and UNIX Essentials" DVD both guided me trough the journey. The most challenging part for me was the transition of what you read to what you eventually can do yourself on computer. I mean not just learn to type this or another command, but to see a horizon, to understand how this particular command should be used within a bigger workflow. Get this book and you will not regret, it helps!
  
  
• Not bad...but no iptables?
  By A23GR4IZUEFGDG on 2006-03-10
  I guess you'll have to invest in O'Reilly's IPTABLES pocket guide too. A pretty handy beginner reference nonetheless.
  
  
• Good enough, but not great.
  By A1WCA9JKPT021J on 2006-12-20
  It's full of concise little notes that might be useful to a relatively new Linux user or system administrator. On the other hand, I found it depressingly Fedora-centric. I made some use of it in the first couple months after I bought the book, but subsequently haven't opened it. In fact, I just went looking for it to refresh my memory for this review, and couldn't even find it, thanks to my lack of interest in using it now. There are better books to use as Linux references than this.
  
  
• Small, Useful and Nice For Beginners
  By AKJWEIGVC5CEU on 2007-11-10
  These book includes most used unix commands. One step more explanatory than man pages. With its small size, it's very appropriate for reading while travelling with bus or metro.
  But this is not a complete reference book, for advanced users.
  
  
• Does what it says at a price you can't argue with.
  By AAXFU78OIIE1H on 2007-12-18
  This is definitely a great companion for any Linux administrator or hobbyist who is trying to become a level 60 command line warrior. There are plenty of commands to familiarize yourself with, and they are grouped logically (rather than alphabetically), which means that when you look up a command, you can find other similar commands in the same section. This book was written with Fedora Core Linux in mind, so it may not cover some of the commands unique to other Linux distros.
  
  
• Not just for geeks...
  By A1PZ1L462H83DZ on 2004-03-06
  This is a great book for anyone who wants to begin using the Linux operating system. It covers all the important concepts one needs to run Linux, and how to find helpful information to solve problems not covered by the book. This is the perfect book for anyone who already knows how to use a computer, but would like to learn to use Linux.
  
  
• A must-have Linux guide to accompany your keyboard
  By A2ZJOVJ3YMW3YD on 2005-09-12
  This guide is probably what every Linux user has always waited for. I always keep it in my Laptop bag to serve me when there are times I need to figure out the correct option or command, or when I fail to remember an essential Emacs's productivity keystrokes.
  
  Since it's meant to be a practical "pocket" guide, it doesn't cover every single Linux commands, or discusses advanced system stuff. I'd recommend buying O'Reilly's Linux In a Nutshell for a detailed Linux reference.
  
  The author, Daniel Barrett did a great job of presenting the helpful aspects of Linux in a simple and organized way. You'll not have a hard time on finding an essential command or option. It's the book that every Linux user should have.
  
  
  
• An essential book
  By AFPBXQIK06Y06 on 2006-03-05
  I can't even count the number of times this book has come in handy. I cuts out the junk and sorts the stuff you need to know. I keep this one by my desk at all times and love it. It is based on Fedora, but should hold up against most distributions. At less than $10 new, you just can't go wrong.
  
  
• Great Product!
  By A2KVOZT51KP65T on 2007-03-08
  This book has helped me to have a better understanding of the Linux commands.
  
  

• A Practical Guide to Linux(R) Commands, Editors, and Shell Programming
• Linux in a Nutshell (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))
• VI Editor Pocket Reference
• Essential System Administration Pocket Reference
• Learning the bash Shell (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly))