Richard Stones | Neil Matthew | Alan Cox
1 Good book
A very good book on programing if you already know a little.
I would have given it 5 stars, but i am not to keen on look at this program and here is how it works style of teaching.
Don`t get me wrong though it can be followed fairly easily. An d the chapter on shell programing is great.
If you know a little c or c++ and want to learn to program for unix
this book is well worth the money. If you don`t know any programing
it may be a little hard to follow.
All in all i would by more book by this auther
2 an Excellent Book & an Excellent Start
This is an excellent, large book. And as its title suggests it is for "begginers". It covers a wide range of topics, starting from shell programming and ending with device drivers.
- Most likely, as in my case, you will read a large subset of the chapters in this book, but not everything.
- This book covers a lot of the old APIs as well, thus, you will learn to write portable code which will run under different Linux distributions (and under UNIX too).
- This book is a *MUST* for anyone starting in the Linux development world.
- One problem though, in my opinon, it should cover a little less of the "OLD" stuff and it should include MORE about the "NEW" stuff, especially about the LATEST/GREATEST 2.6.x kernel.
- I really liked the fact that it covers few basics about Linux kernel programming and device drivers in chapter 18.
- For more info about specific topics (in addition to this title), I suggest the following:
A) Linux Networking -> "The definitive guide to Linux Network Programming"
B) Linux Kernel Programming -> "Linux Kernel Development (2nd Edition - by Robert Love)"
C) Device Drivers -> "Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition"
D) Another excellent book addressing the same topics -> "GNU/Linux Application Programming, by M. Tim Jones"
3 Everything You've Been Looking For
If you are a sysadmin or want to learn programming on UNIX/LINUX you must have this book. I have several books on C and several on other languages I would trade them all for this. It covers the basics (essentials) that other books written exclusively for one language don't even touch on. I explains how all of the languages covered interplay with UNIX/LINUX.
The first chapter covers programs, the C compiler, header files, staic libraries, and shared libraries. It explains they all come together to make a program in a way that it can be understood
The second chapter covers UNIX shell scripts at length. I have good book on shell scripts, and this chapter alone is just as good as that book.
The third chapter covers working with UNIX files, system calls, library functions etc... The sample programs all work as they are supposed to. Everything is clearly explained and easily understood.
The 4th chapter covers passing arguments to C programs, envorment variables, temporary files, configuring logs, and system resources.
I have not read any further, because I've only had this book a week. I've been looking for a book like this for a few years. It talks about how C and other languages interface with LINUX/UNIX rather than just giving you the pure language and leaving you to fend for yourself.
Other chapters include:
5) Terminals
6) Curses
7) Data Management
8) Development Tools
9) Debugging
10) Processes and Signals
11) POSIX Threads
12) Inter-process Communication: Pipes
13) Semaphores, Mesage Queues, and Shared Memory,
14) Socets
15) TCL: Tool Command Language
16) Programming for X
17) Programming for GNOME using GTK+
18) The Perl Programming Language
19) Programming for the Internet: HTML
20) Internet Programming 2: CGI
21) Device Drivers
Appendex A) Portability
Appendex B) FSF and the GNU Project
Appendex C) Internet Resources
Appendex D) Bibliography
If you are only get one book on programming, this is the one you need. I have at least 8 other books on various programming languages, and this one is better than all of them combined. This book is 900 pages packed full information, and it's easily understood. The sample programs all work and are well documented.
I write this review after reading only four chapters, because the information I have gotten out of them is worth way more than the price of this book. This book gives you all the pieces to the puzzles and tells you how to put it together. This book can be used by advanced programmers as well to fill in any knowlege gaps they may have. This book gets my highest recommendation, as it will be by my side for years to come.
4 Heavy reading
This book has a good coverage of a lot of topics, but it is hard to get through.
5 Great book compared to similiar books on the subject
This is a big book that covers a lot of topics relating to Linux. If you're looking for a introductory book or a somewhat intermediate book that will help you get a jump on Linux programming then this is probably the best one released for this operating system so far. Although you'll find many typos and misaligned text in this book, as well as some dated code and libraries, it still does provide a lot of useful examples into how Linux programs are written and created. Most of the things covered in this book are done rather quickly so it is not a complete reference manual at all and it doesn't aim to be. It is more or less just a large book on many key Linux subjects and you will not be wasting your time picking up a copy of this book. Hopefully we'll see more books like this one released for this operating system.
6 If you gotta program in Unix or Linux, you gotta have this
I won't waste your time here - suffice to say that if you need to get into Unix/Linux programming fast (as I did for a computer science course), get this book quickly. In too many programming books, the authors just seem to want to show off their knowledge. In this book, you really will learn something, as it was written for the student.
Just buy it, already.
7 A good book, lots of information.
This book has a lot of information. I see why people are let down by the next in the line (Advanced Linux Programming), stating it doesn't advance enough--this one has a lot to it. That's a good thing (for this book).
8 An excellent starting point
This is a good book for those that want to get down to programming in Linux. Its a good choice for the sysadmin that wants to learn shell scripting, perl, and some C.
9 Not for beginners, but definitely recommended
I just finished this book after about 4 months of off and on reading and working (most of) the examples. I've already been able to put the knowledge I gained from it to work at my job at Travelocity.com - my biggest frustration was that I had to wait until I came home to continue reading it. This book will play a prominent part in my work bookshelf.
One caveat - it says it's for beginners, but almost all of the examples are in C, using some pretty advanced constructs. If you're still rusty with pointer syntax (for example), brush up on your C programming first. Also, like most Linux source, the examples are in straight-C rather than C++, but this is probably a Good Thing.
Also, there's a chapter at the end on writing device drivers - I couldn't get any of the examples to compile on my Redhat system running kernel version 2.4.9; I guess they're due for another edition of this book.
All in all, one of the best computer books I've ever read!
10 A great beginners book.
A great book for people interested in developing Linux "real world" applications. Covers, in an introductory way, most of the topics a programmer could need. It's not intended as an "advanced" reference book, but as a beginners book.
11 GREAT BOOK!
Verry nice book,
from bash/sh scripting to C socket coding
to CGI scripting, verry nice all in one,
some parts could be a little more explained, and some are to basic,
but a great buy, a MUST HAVE!!
12 Not for beginners...
Hi, I bought this book because my unix programming class requires it. Everyone I know told me it's an awesome book to buy so I bought it. I suppose it's a good book like everyone said except you have to watch out if you are below intermediate level programmer. It's a good reference book to programmers who are intermediate to expert but definitely not for beginning C programmers. Every thing is short to the point and the book will not pamper you through. If you think you have good knowledge, go for it!
13 Unix programming from a to z
All Unix programming in just one book. From advanced shell scripts to C system programming.
Well explained, better docummented. Nice examples.
It well worth the money
14 Unix programming from a to z
Realliy wonderful book. From prowerful shell scripts to C system programming.
Well docummented and nice examples. It worths the money
15 Very Cool Linux Coding Book
I recommend this book to those who know how to code in some language(s) but are moving to the Linux platform. Various technologies and languages are described with code examples in all cases. C lanugage is the emphasis but intros to shell, perl, and tcl/tk are given as well.
The book is a clearly written survey that will get you writing all kinds of code on the linux platform.
16 easy understand and well written
This book cover most of basic information you need to know about Linux programming and also included many useful examples. The only thing missing in this book is the detail, you need other references to help you catch other deeper topic. For example, the book cover Makefile but it doesn't mention about the configuration file for different plateform but most of the (Linux) OpenSource community also make their utilities available to Solaris, IRIX, Windows .......
But again, if you want to have the most foundamental knowledge about Linux programming ( or any UNIX-like system ) , this book give you the broad idea and always the best pick.
17 Very good introduction.
This is a great start in Linux programming if you already have some C experience. It has many examples and is written in quite a clear style.
It covers shell programming, cgi programming, debugging, threads and more. I guess my main comment is that this book goes into enough detail that you can make something work, but it does not explain the more complex features of the interfaces or tools. It notes some "gotchas" which can occur using the interfaces or tools which can be very useful.
So this book is a good place to figure out what you need, then leap off to another book if you require more detail.
18 Easy to understand and apply
This is probably the best book out there on the shelf. The book goes beyond simply listing of the system functions. Very easy to read. It can be used as a reference book (although I would recommend Stevens for reference). Target audience: programmers, who want to learn how to develop in the Linux platform. The only thing that is missing is CVS and an extensive description of Makefiles, automake and autoconf.
19 For Linux kernel modules see the Second Edition
The March 1, 2000 review posted by Daniel Sheltraw pertains to the second edition of this book. Both editions of this book are excellent, but the
edition has no information on writing kernel modules. Be sure to order the edition if you are looking specifically for information on writing Linux kernel device driver modules.
20 not a good linux book
This is a book talks many things, but do not let you have a whole picture or what is the uniques of Linux.
21 The Title Tells It All!
This book as written on the title, is for beginner who wants learn Linux programming. However, you should have some basic of C programming language before reading this book (if you know what is pointer, and how to use pointer to pointer, that is enough). Mostly of the code (80%) in this book is written in C. This book explains very well what do you need to be a Linux programmer. Like, how to make the Makefile, how to use CVS for group development, how to program for X, etc. With 945 pages, and 21 Chapters + Appendixes, I think they did their jobs by keeping the explanation about each aspect of Linux programming in the right portion on each chapter.
22 An excellent introduction to various concepts
I can't say enough good things about this book! It covers a wide range of topics to such a depth that you will be proficient enough to slinging code when a section is compleat. For example before going into this book I had no ncurses knowlege at all, but by the end of the chapter I was coding ncurses apps easily, and I had a good idea where to go for topics that wern't covered in the book. This book does assume that you are proficient in C and the topics (exp threads and ipc) can get nasty quick. So if your looking for a beginning programming book you would be better off looking elsewhere, but if you need a introduction to linux/unix programming this is the book for you.
23 good book - could be great
This book will bring you up to speed on the Linux API. My only complaint is that it skims the surfaces. Take out the sections on Tcl, HTML, Perl, and CGI; they are so basic that they are useless anyway, and they don't fit in here. "Beginning Linux Programming" has the potential be the master of all of the Linux books if they would cut out these non-Linux topics and replace them with more Linux information.For example, I loved the compiler section but it stopped short on shared libraries to save room for Perl and CGI later in the book. If the authors are listening: the cover of the book says Linux programming, not web programming.
As for the presentation of the book: Great examples, great explainations, and very clear.
24 Exceptional writing ability makes concepts clear
I have approximately 5 feet of bookshelf space dedicated to linux books, by now. While many have detail that surpasses this book, none are written as clearly. I enjoyed the writing style as much as the information conveyed. You will not be disappointed with this tome.A word of warning, however. This book, while a beginning introduction to many topics, is not for beginning programmers. If you do not already know C, shop for another book. The authors hit the ground running and do not stop to explain pointers and other syntactic minutia. This probably will not be a problem for most of you. Why would a complete novice jump into device drivers? Still, do not be fooled by the "Beginning" in the title. You are introduced to some fairly hairy concepts most programmers seldom delve into (system calls, for example).
Am I happy with this book? You bet. If every Wrox book is as expertly edited and authored, then O'reily has some stiff competition. By the way, do not ever purchase a book with the words "Unleashed", "Maximum", or "Que" on the cover. You'll regret it.
25 Direct hit!
Excellently balanced book. One of the rare ones that really correspond to their description in the foreword (which is worth reading, by the way). Very good combination of range of topics, depth, and conciseness (at least for me). Not the book, though, for very beginners or people who have no experience in UNIX-oids at all. The very important characteristic is that the book is good for aquiring something new (re-reading some material couple of times, of course), and at the same time excellent reference, so you don't want to throw it away after reading and buy something lighter on the same topics; believe me, the book is brief enough. Like the authors promised in the preface, a very wide range of topics is covered, so the book is perfect for deciding what you're up to in Linux and is also perfect for general education. But if you want a very detailed and very-very explanatory text on some topic, buy another book on the topic you are inerested in to become really proficient. Considering that the book is a brilliant general reference and tutorial at the same time, well-formatted, and almost without any typos, I would say that for Linux programmers it is rather a must-have item than nice-to-have one.
26 Excellent Introduction for Linux Programming and more...
I found this book an excellent introduction for wide range of topics which can be roughly bundled as Linux programming topics (but I think that there's more inside). If you're looking for a book which will cover many topics in a quick-yet-not-that-shallow tutorial, then I highly recommend this book. This book covers many, many important topics from the basics of Linux/UNIX such as terminals, shell programming(scripting), through more proramming issues like Inter Programming Communication (IPC), X programming, debugging and building issues under Linux to the more sysadmin oriented topics such as Perl, HTML programming, etc'. It also includes many other important things, which can be easily viewed in it's TOC... . What I can add is that it's explanation and building of the chapters is very good. This book covers many topics so each chapter isn't too deep, but yet not shallow at all. Most of the time, at the right ratio. So, all in all, I think the authors did a good job in the balance between delving into details and coverage of wide range of topics.
I recommend this book to the following: 1. Junior sysadmins (like me!): just make sure you go through an extensive C/C++ tutorial (C++ even better) before getting this one. Go through *all* of this book's chapters. It'll teach you ALOT more than you know about Linux and it'll give you in depth understanding of many things. 2. Programmers in Linux: Well, this is just your first step but, IMHO, it's very important to know your surroundings even if you'de never mess with some of the book's stuff in the future. 3. Every "Linux lover"/hacker (not cracker!) out there. Get this book. you'll love it. It'll feed you with a perfect mixture of topics/details about the Linux system.
27 Fantastic book!
Every computer book should be like this one! Very easy to understand, yet still manages to reach depth of subject AND in MANY areas of Linux - definitely the best way to start Linux Programming!
28 Nice One Guys!
What can I say this book is good.Even if you are a novice C or C++ programmer, or just looking for more in depth information on GNU/Linux or Unix systems you would be hard pressed to go past this book.
The book covers a myriad of topics from bash shell script programming to X and GTK topics, HTML and CGI scripts!
It does it in an easy to read style, with good examples that will let you find out whats going on and then allow you to work them into your own programs and code with minimum fuss.
There is even, in chapter 21, an introduction into kernel module development and device drivers for GNU/Linux that goes a long way towards de-mystiying this (to me) mysterious topic.
In all of the topics there is an explantion of common pitfalls that occur, and even better good sensible ways of avoiding them or overcoming them.
Do yourself a favour if you are just beginning C or C++ programming in the GNU/Linux or Unix enviroments get this book, it will make your life much much easier!
29 Excellent device driver section
I bought this book because I was looking for information on writing device drivers and I noticed Chapter 21. This chapter of the book was concise and fairly complete. I would have liked to have seen info on programming PCI and DMA under Linux here but hey you don't want to get hurt carrying the book. The rest of the book was just icing on the cake for me. I would encourage the authors to write a book solely on device drivers since they have a nack for clear and well organized presentation.
30 Should have left well enough alone
The 1st edition was so well done that you might know the 2nd edition would be a disappointment. The authors and contributors have done a fine job; there is a wealth of well presented detail here. It's the physical production of the second edition that disappoints. For reasons known only perhaps to Wrox management, someone changed style sheets; light typefaces now appear where there was bold, double line space where there was single, wider bottom margins that consume more paper, etc. Inappropriate typefaces adversly affect the readability of what could have been another excellent book. They had it right to begin with; they could have left it alone.
31 An Excellent Primer for Linux Programming
This is a really cool book, not only technically, but a decent read also. It covers all the major Linux languages: C, TCL/TK, Perl, Shell programming, etc. It's not just a cornucopia of different dialects, though, it's clear the authors are true bilinguals: all the examples are well coded, commented and generally do things in the way I would!.Anyone who finishes this book to be able to write pretty much anything they please. It shows you stuff from small utilities for the command line to full GUI-driven database apps. There is a section on writing device drivers and kernel hacking, there's also another section on writing HTML. It really is that broad and encompassing, I refer to it time and time again.
Although this book is called 'Beginning Linux Programming', it's clear that a lot of the skills you'll gain from this book are transferable to other platforms, thanks to POSIX, X/Open, et al.
One possible criticism is that KDE programming is not covered (except, the TCL/TK programs will obviously work under KDE, as will the GNOME programs if you have the correct libraries installed). However, the book had to end somewhere, and for the bang-per-buck (this is a big book) the value-for-money is quite amazing.
And, to top it all off, it has a foreword by Alan Cox, Linux demi-god uber-geek. If that's not a recommendation, nothing is!
32 IM having a MS flashback....
As simple as I can put it this book reminds me of something that would have MS slapped across the front... iow If you have a couple of years to sift through a book and find the valuable information then this book is for you.... I wont totally put down this book after all it helps keep my door open....
33 Really a rather poor book
It's most valuable as a complement to Linux Application Development (ISBN 0-201-30821-5) because it contains some material that LAD doesn't. Other than that ... yuck.The book is too big. It doesn't fit comfortably in your lap, and it doesn't open flat on a desk. It's bloated with too many tiny apps that advance the discussion microscopically and are padded with detailed analysis of each increment. Yes, the book is called "*Beginning* Linux Programming" - but, imho, Beginning should really be applied to the Linux, not the Programming.
Worse, it seems to have been written as Beginning Unix Programming, and had "Linux" slapped on at the last minute as a marketing gimmick: It's full of vague statements about 'some Unixes do this as do many Linuxes'. It basically treats Linux just as a Yet Another dialect of Unix.
Part of this is just that it's just plain dated. The first edition came out in 8-96, which means it was probably started in '95, when Linux wasn't quite as mature - let alone dominant - as it is now. This age shows in the all too many totally risible strawman references to "MS-DOS" programming. (Hardly anyone has used or programmed MS-DOS for years, yet this book only acknowledges Windows in a few of the newer chapters.) It also shows in the way the book is all C - no C++.
The new (second edition) chapters are better than the old chapters, but they're not enough to save the book. Too, they've just been sort of dumped in, in the sort of haphazard manner you might expect from a book that uses C examples in Ch 1, devotes Ch 2 to shell programming, and then moves back to C in Ch 3.
Don't buy this book with your own money. It'll take too long to extract the few bits of useful info from the herniating mass of blather. Look elsewhere for X and Gnome info.
34 An excellent book to begin programming in UNIX environment!
The book is absolutely the best book to beggining programming in Linux-UNIX world. The authors are VERY good programmers and that is quite obvious during all the reading of the book. The examples are understandable but not simple. The coverage is wide and is extended from essential interprocess communication skills to GTK and HTML programming.After all a very good choice!
35 Overall, A Good Book
I thought that overall this was a good book. It covered many different areas of programming under Linux, which was great. Covering HTML, Perl, CGI, BASH, GTK+, TK, TCL, etc...My only complaint (hence the 1 star deduction) is the fact that if you *really* want to get into some of these topics (ie. GTK+), you would have to buy another book dedicated just to that. Sometimes I thought the explainations were not as thourough as I would have liked...but, overall a good book for people learning to program many different languages under Linux.
36 Very useful book, marred by some incompleteness
The book is very good. It has a lot of useful information on the LINUX programming environment.The discussion of make though is oriented towards UNIX generic make, not GNU make. GNU make has more powerful rules that the book does not discuss.
In general, given the choice, the book concentrates on common subsets that will be valid on all UNIXen and with most UNIX tools rather than the specifics of LINUX.
On the other hand this is a great book which fills a keenly needed niche.
37 very comprehensive, but easy to understand
I highly recommend this box to any newbie to linux, and to experienced proffesionals as well...the developers at my company keep picking it of my shelf to check references for scripts :)
38 Excellent coverage of some complicated subjects.
I always keep this book at my desk. If you are a UNIX or LINUX programmer, not just a C programmer, and really want to know some of the less covered areas: sockets, ipcs, pipes, signals, etc., get this book. It may not be in depth but it gives you a good overview of all the topics covered. Make sure you get the source code from the WROX press site. I always use it as a start for quick and dirty programs that I may need from time to time.
39 Excellent book on Unix/Linux programming
This book is the first book I've seen that delivers what the Title and Cover promise. I have been working as an application programmer on other platforms for several years and this book has been great for me. Unlike some of the other books on this topic that limit themselves to things like using editors and compilers, or describing basic progamming concepts in detail, the authors expect the reader has some familiarity with these topics already, and provide an example application that is developed using many of the different tools and facilities that are available on the Unix/Linux platform.
40 Truly a must have .....
This Wrox book truly rocks! A proper introduction to Linux,Unix, *ix, etc... The concepts presented by the authors are clear and directly relative to anyone pursuing mastery of a "Unix-style" computing environment. For me this book provided a bridge between mearly tinkering with Linux and actually understanding some core concepts in the Linux/Unix underbelly. Highly recommend!
41 file system
ext2fs,file system,prigramming with
42 Excellent for beginers
I bought this book almost a year ago. But this book helped me a lot in *getting my way around* with Linux. The FYI, and comments in the book text are so useful that they prevent you doing anything wrong. I do recommend this book to all beginners. But beware that this book is really for those who have no UNIX experience at all.
43 UNIX and not Linux
Overall, this book is okay for beginners. I have a problem with the section that covers processes/threads. Their discussion talks about UNIX details and not Linux details and completely skims over the Linux threading model. The cover of the book say "Linux" not UNIX guys.
44 Go Go Gadget programmers
hehe...This was a great book for me. I cant recomend it for someone who has never programmed or someone who has no linux knowledge. I have -->lots<-- of experience in windex programming, mostly C, C++, VB, Basic and some others. That really helped me out with this book. Also, not all programmers like star trek or star wars or that other ****.
45 A great book for fast-paced learners
When I began this book, I was comfortable with Linux and I had written several C programs for Mac and Windows. I like the tutorial style of this and my other Wrox book, Beginning Access VBA Programming. The examples are clear and concise, and the book moves VERY quickly from basic to advanced concepts, which I prefer. However, I think more explanation of why the examples work is needed. Often, commands are introduced with no or little explanation, only to be explained later. This can be annoying. Also, you must be fairly comfortable with Linux to make use of the book. Also, I don't think you could follow this book if you've never done any programming before.I would advise people using this and other Wrox "Beginning" books to have other reference books on hand, when concepts spring up without sufficient explanation. Also, spend more time with the examples and try to use the examples to write your own unique programs before moving on. It will take a little longer, but you'll learn better and faster in the long run.
46 right to the point, concise but comprehensive.
I think for some topics, even the author double the number of pages, it won't help. In the sense, putting tons of stuff inside a single volume. This book really worthes the money. no nonsense at all, and a really good place to start,and a good reference too.
47 excellent book for organizing ones thoughts
For anyone who is just learning Linux this book is an excellent source of information and means of organizing, what on the outside may seem very ambigious.
48 Pretty good, very concise
overall good, easy to read wont find your self rereading parts. While its examples are short, they are that way for a reason. It covers many great topics such as electric fence and gdb a bit. The only place where the book fails a bit is X programing. Understandable though consideing volumes of books can be written on the subject.
49 A very good book!!!
The book is very well explained and easy too understand...I recommend it to all Linux beginners
50 One of the best computer books I've read
I have a huge library of computer programming books and this is by far the best that I have. Evrything is very well explained. The only short coming is that it does not go into X-lib programming.
51 beginning linux programming
programmin
52 THIS BOOK KICKS
Before i never new ANYTHING about linux now i know tons and starting work on a MUD YOU MUST GET THIS BOOK. i also thing that you should get unix in a nut shell you will know it when theres a rat 0n the cover. no linux or unix programer should be with out theres two books.
53 Excellent Book
This book is excellent for those who have a basic understanding on ANSI C, as well as the Unix/Linux operating system, and wish to begin programming for the platform. It is well written and touches on a wide variety of subjects such as sockets, X programming, CGI, shell scripting, etc. An excellent investment!
54 Very happy with this.
It actually goes through examples and then puts it all together into something you can relate to everyday use. If you are wondering how to utilise you linux box for something other than just routing, this book will teach you.
55 Best out of the best
I did not have any clue about Unix before I read this book. Now I can talk with Unix Programmer on the same level. Just great book.
56 Enough to get you going
This book was excellent for its intentions. It provided the basic information needed to get up and programming quickly, without all the unnecessary details. It gives you enough information to get the job done without having to wade through all the fluff.
57 Lots of breadth!
This book has a lot of interesting topics, including interprocess communication. I felt that the authors gave you a great introduction to these topics and enough information to find the correct man pages and what to look for in purchasing further references.I found this book to be a great help to me in my use of Linux, and also for programming tasks. I was already an intermediate user and beginning programmer and it has helped me become a better programmer.
The only problem is you will want to learn more and drop lots of money on follow up reading.
58 Great Book!
This book is great! Go out and get it right now... I loved it.... After I read it I was ready to tackle such tough topics as FIFOs, sockets, CGI programming,etc.... A great book!
59 the best in my Linux book collection
This is the best Linux book I've read. Comprehensive, to the point, and very well organized.
60 The best linux/unix programmers reference I have!
This book has proved indespensable as a reference for common linux programming tasks. The author covers many important topics in a clear and consise style. One very nice thing is a large selection of example programs that illustrate and reinforce th ecovered topics. I use this book almost daily, and it has become one of my main references.
61 This one is a winner.
This is an excellent text for someone with a smattering of C in a non-Linux/non-Unix environment, such as MS C in DOS or Windoze, who wishes to acquire the ability to work with GCC in Linux. It actually makes sense in a very practical way. (by) David Fisher, Fisher Research Corporation
62 Buy this book ASAP
This book is the best computer book I have ever read, all categories. Can be used both as a reference and a tutorial. Manages to cover so many aspects of Linux programming in such a clear and concise way that you will feel clever just having read it because you understood it all. Deserves it's '10'.
63 Everything a Unix/Linux Programmer Could Want To Know.
This is most definitely a book I was looking for for a long time. Most Unix/Linux books either baby you through it or dive too deep into the topic. This book is *perfect* for people that understand how Unix (Linux) works, but do not how to *make* it work. This teaches you what you need to know in order to take control of the system and produce the results you want. This is the top book in this subject.
64 Technical books don't get much better
I am amazed at the author's ability to cover such a large amount of material in such depth while using a very digestable writing style. Each topic is carefully introduced and then explored in enough detail to be very usefull in real programs. The book makes oustanding use of example programs to demonstrate each topic. If you need to program Linux (or any UNIX for that matter), this book should be on your "buy" list.
65 Excellent book for intermediate/advanced users
I enjoyed the book tremendously. It covers a huge number of topics which are enormously helpful to someone who has not programmed in linux/unix before or to even someone who has. I am somewhat disapointed that they used C instead of C++, but then C is the "language of unix".
66 unix in general - nothing Linux specific
I thought this book was well structured and informative. It gives the reader a good start into unix programming. I was a little disappointed though, as far as I can tell this book has little to do with specifically linux. Almost any of the example programs can be run on any unix machine. I've tried a lot of them on HPUX and freeBSD without any changes. Other than the misleading title the book is great, especially the process communication part on sockets, etc. If another book like this comes out then I hope it will have more to do with Linux in paticular.
67 You won't feel like a beginner after reading this.
I've been looking for the opportunity to rave about this book. It is by far the best UNIX/Linux book I've ever read. The part that got my attention is that while it covers several different programming topics, it isn't afraid to get down to the details. From the program management tools to the low-level system calls, every line is explained. The text is full of examples to illustrate the concepts presented which include sockets, database structures, and inter-process communication. Not exactly introductory topics, but the writers have made them as straightforward as your first "Hello World" program. From shell scripting to CGI, it's all here; and in the same visually appealing style that distinguish other books by Wrox Press. I anxiously await a follow-up to Beginning Linux Programming
68 Excellent intro to Unix and Linux programming in C
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in starting programming on Linux. It is not, however an introductory programming text and assumes basic knowledge of ANSI C - combined with any of the ANSI C beginner texts available you will be producing useable code in no time.
As well as C, the book touches briefly on other development systems on the Linux platform - Tcl/Tk, Interviews, Java and also HTML and CGI scripting.
An excellent book for any Linux nut!
