Need a recommendation on a book (Long Post - sorry)

[nakona]

I have some basic knowledge of linux.
In fact, I'm typing this on my mac powerbook that I'm running yellow dog linux on.

I can manage to get a modern distro installed, if it holds my hand a bit, I like Pine & Pico, I can even do a little bash quoting with a gun to my head and a refernce book handy.

I haven't the slightest idea how to REALLY work with linux and there are a lot of holes in my knowedge. Like I don't know how to install rpms and I couldn't recompile a kernel even if the fate of the universe hinged on it.
In other words, I'm a surprisingly knowledgable ignoramus.

I want to basically go back and start over, filling in as I go along.


I'm doing a career change and my general thrust is to be a Cisco expert, but I also want to have a good "mid-level" sort of skill with a mixed Unix/Linux & Windows Server enviornment since I believe that this is going to be a VERY common model. I've got my ccna & da and I've started to work on my np.

So, I'm looking for two things...

1) I have to pick a distro to "re-start" with. Is RedHat (rpm type distros) the right choice for my career needs, in terms of where I should focus my study, and;

2) Has anyone had a particularly good experience with a particular "learn linux" book?

 

[fluid11]

I would use Red Hat, since it is the most popular distro out. This means that most Linux software has a Red Hat package, and you can find the most help online if you are using Red Hat.

The book I would recommend is O'Reilly's "Linux in a Nutshell" third edition. It won't teach you Linux, its just a command reference guide, but its much better than reading the man pages. Supplement this book with a learning linux book.


ChrisP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[nakona]

Thank you Chris.


Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[fluid11]

In order to recommend a good book to you, we need to know what you want to do with Linux. If you want to really learn Linux, get a book that teaches you how to do everything from the command line. Don't waste your time learning the GUI if you want to be a network admin. Most Linux servers don't have a GUI installed. If your just looking for a desktop OS, then you obviously want a book that teaches you how to do everything from GNOME and/or KDE.

As far as which books to recommend, I'm not sure, but I hear that O'Reilly's "Running Linux" is good -->

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=sr_8_1/104-8727615-7801565?s=books&n=507846.

I would go to

http://www.amazon.com

and look at the reader reviews on the books you are interested in.

Anybody else have any suggestions for nakona?


ChrisP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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[greadey]

For a good overview of the basics of working with Linux you would do no wrong by reading "Idiots Guide to Linux", QUE publishing. It is based on Caldera Linux, which is RedHat based to a certain degree anyway.

It contains enough information for you to get your teeth into and to give you that springboard you need to shove you into the "hmmmmmmn, what happens if I do this" mode of thinking.