Looking for a good home desktop how-to book

[Guest JoeDesertrat]

I'm looking for a book that covers the system administration of a home Linux desktop PC. I was always very particular in administering my Windows PC's but I feel there is a great deal I am missing in Linux.

 

1. I already have Mandrake Linux installed so I don't want chapters covering this issue.

2. I don't dual boot Windows (or anything else for now) so I don't care about that.

3. I had experience using Unix years ago so I am already familiar with the file structure, using basic commands and using the vi editor.

4. I don't need chapters telling me how to click on start menu items or icons to use my favorite applications.

5. It's a home desktop PC. I don't need info on networking right now nor do I need to know how to make my PC a server.

 

I guess I'm really looking for help in manually administering log files, what to look for and whether or not it's safe to delete all or part of these files. They do start to take up space.

I also would like greater detail about installing software. Do I extract tar's and run rpm's from my home directory? What if I want other users (I have several users for myself) to access this software? Since there seems to be a great deal of choice where to install files is there a consensus as to the best location(s)?

Updating software seems to be pretty iffy from the gui. I would like to see more information on using the Mandrake tools from the command line.

I'd like to learn more about the Linux kernel and what, if anything, I should be doing to update and maintain it.

 

Does anyone know of a book that covers all or most of these areas in particular? I'd appreciate any suggestions any of you may have.

[axel_2078]

Some of these might get you started.

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/007...0202418-1726461

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/059...0202418-1726461

Edited March 2, 2005 by axel_2078

[Steve Scrimpshire]

Now that's the kinda user I like to see.

I'm interested in writing HowTos on more advanced topics like you discussed and put them in order of importance. Would you possibly be interested in helping me sort out what order to do things in and exactly what kind of info you look for.

You can PM me here or click on my name and scroll a little down and look right and click 'Send Email'.

Edited March 2, 2005 by Steve Scrimpshire

[aRTee]

Welcome to the board!

 

Just a thought on the side: howabout browsing the manpages and infopages on your system?

In konqueror, put as address:

man:

or

info:

and off you go.

For many config files there is a manpage, as well as for commands like urpmi, etc.

 

As another aside, there are nice docs in html or pdf on the mdk official website, for getting started and more. Just go to the doc section, you'll see.

 

 

Lastly, logfiles taking up too much space? They get tar-gzipped automatically after some time. My firewall / inetserver has been up for over 400 days, the logfiles are not remotely filling the system or anything.

You will hardly have to worry about logfiles taking up too much space.

 

 

All that being said, I agree with the idea that a book is nice - read it while you're underway by public transport, to not be at your computer etc.

I do think that no book on Linux exists with no info on networking, unless it's really too much for ultimate beginners.

Why not get a more complete book and skip the chapters you don't care about at the moment?

 

Lastly, have you checked RUTE?

http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/index.html

Edited March 2, 2005 by aRTee