Ubuntu Unleashed 2008 Edition :: Book Review

Here is yet another review of a Ubuntu book before the release of the next version of Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex at the end of this month. In my last post I wrote about Beginning Ubuntu Linux

Ubuntu Unleashed 2008 edition by Andrew Hudson and Paul Hudson is the second Ubuntu book I am reviewing this week. At 850 odd pages this book covers a lot of ground and is yet another wrist breaker from Unleashed series.

The book caters to a wide range of audience from beginner to advanced, this is the highlight of the book and its major defect. The book starts by teaching you the much feared task of installing your first Ubuntu system (Part I Installation and Configuration, Part II Desktop Ubuntu) and do some basics tasks like adding new users, configuring network connections, backup up the system and burning DVD disks (Part III System Administration) and advanced system administration tasks like turning Ubuntu machine into a File and Print server or LAMP server(Part IV Ubuntu as a Server) is also covered. These who are planning to learn bit of programming could get started with Perl, Python, PHP, C/C++ or Mono (Part V Programming Linux).

Also the book has a section on Linux gaming which is rarely given coverage in other gnu/Linux books . You will find out how to install games like DOOM 3 , Unreal Tournament 2004, Quake 4, Wolfenstein, Battle for Wesnoth on Ubuntu. The book lives up to unleashed series reputation of power packing information into a single book. If you are beginner learning Ubuntu Linux this is a book you should have on your bookshelf. As for advanced users you better stick with your O'Reilly books for now or read The Debian System book.

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