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Running Linux: a nightmare

[email protected] (Gene Wilburn) écrivait/wrote:

>On Wed, 17 Nov 1999 19:06:38 -0600, Scott L
><[email protected]> wrote:
>>I'm considering switching to Linux from Windows. I'm looking for
>>suggestions of books that can teach me the Linux operating system.

>Running Linux, 3rd ed., O'Reilly & Associates. Excellent intro.

That's what I've been told too. Here's an excerpt from page 76, 
3rd edition:

"We suggest that Unix novices do some reading on basic Unix 
usage and system administration. Most of the remainder is going 
to assume some familiarity with these basics, so don't say we 
didn't warn you."

Too bad they don't warn you on the cover instead of on page 76...

If  I compare to his tutorial on the web, I don't recognize Welsh's 
style. For a beginner, the book is confusing. Most of the intro 
is no use. Too much babble you don't need, no »orderly« hands 
on approach.

I open the book and... here's an exemple, p. 166:
"(...) and Cd-ROMs suffer from dust, and fingerprints, as well 
as being inserted upside-down -- that kind of thing. (If you 
attempt to mount your Stan Rogers CD ISO 9660 format, you will 
likely run into similar problems.)

Ha, ha, ha! So funny! 

I wouldn't mind "ISO 9660 format  is for data only" but I'd 
leave "as well as being inserted upside-down" for the "For 
dummies" series.

OTOH, it oftens happens you don't find the information you need.

Where is it said, for instance, that you can set an extended 
partition active and install LILO there so it doesn't get wiped 
out if you reinstall Windows? 

The index  refers to info about /home on pages 94 and 226. On 
page... 95, you do learn that it's where user files are placed 
and, 131 pages later, (p. 226) that it's a good idea to back it up.
Where do you learn that it's a good idea to make /home and /usr/local 
partitions so that they won't be scrapped by the next installation? 
Yes, in the partition section, on page 51, you do learn it's a good 
idea to have separate "filesystems" for /usr and /home. You always 
have to read half the book to get to the information you need.

On page 107, under "What is a Command", you find the only information 
in the book about the Path. You learn how to modify it temporarily at 
the prompt. Where is it explained how to modify it permanently?

Under "prompt", the index first refers to page 78, where you find 
information about... the LILO prompt. (Obviously, the index has been 
dumbly set from a database that blindly records words.) On page 93, 
in "Logging in", you do get info about the prompt, namely  that Linux 
is case sensitive, that "root" is not equivalent to "ROOT". (Really? 
How does one manage to get to page 93 without knowing this?) 

Ok. Now you want to know how to have the path at the prompt 
( e.g.: user@computer : /home/user >_ ). On page 95, under 
"Popular Commands", you do learn that  "You certainly won't 
have much fun if you have to stay in one directory all the time."  
(O'Really? Couldn't figure this out!) Then, "cd" changes to another 
directory and "pwd" shows where you are, but you won't find a single 
word on showing the path at the prompt.

This book is ill written and grossly overrated. I doubt it's any use 
to advanced Linux users and it's pure nightmare to beginners. 
And it's the third edition! I guess this is how far "printed on 
acid-free paper with 85% recycled content" can get you. Does 
O'Really expect this book to be of any use in a century from now?

Gilles Pelletier

C.c.: O'Really

P.s.: Oh, yes! A good book... IMO, there is none and there never will 
be. Linux is a complex OS. In order not to bore some people to death 
while giving all necessary information to others, a tutorial in the 
form interlinked html files would be the solution. But no company will 
come up with such a product as it would be too simple to copy. 
And besides, imagine, the file would only have to be slightly 
modified when an update comes... No no-acid here! It's a no-paper 
solution!

Instead of being written by illeterate Linux experts,it would have to 
be written by a writer who knows nothing about Linux. But Linux experts 
find it humiliating. They'd rather offer «support» to litterate people 
at 100$ an hour than be offered support for writing for free. As everyone 
knows, the Os is free, but Linux is strong on support.

So, for the time being, you still have to rummage through piles of books 
to find even the most basic information. It's a tremendous lost of time. 
And guess who's benefiting from it?

GP