Linux Pocket Guide Author: Daniel J. Barrett Pages: 191 Publisher: O'Relly & Associates ISBN: 0-596-00628-4 Summary: A handy guide for newcomers to Linux Review Date: 8 August, 2005

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 (US $9.95 list-price, and probably a couple dollars less, depending on where you go). 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.

Rating: 7/10