FFS! Yeah, right. Let's all learn about init.d , Xfree86.conf, samba, and how to recompile a kernel using curses.
Yeah, those old books were out of date when they came out.
this post was submitted on 08 Feb 2025
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Of course there are going to be passages to skip as with any technical reference.
Don't knock samba!
Samba + mDNS makes cross platform network attached storage so easy my grandma could use it!
OK Boomer.
Counterpoint: everything one needs to learn Linux is online.
Your opinions don't align with mine, so I'm going to personally insult you.
It's this toxic attitude that we reject. If you prefer to stare at screens all the time causing damage to your retinas, then I'm happy for you.
You gave a command, I rejected it.
Physical books are great. Internet goes out or other devices die and you need to complete work. These are reasons I like to have book references.
Also, one of my favorite things to do when reading is writing in my margins. When I figure something out or find something interesting I like to write it in my own words in the margins, and then if I have to reference again, I have my own words and explanation in the margins to help myself understand faster and better.
I also like to add sticky notes for the same purpose.
Find an online guide. Print to PDF or save as HTML/ODF/whatever you like. Annotate the document. Now notes and article are searchable. I guess a physical book might have an advantage if the power went out, but at that point you're going to have other problems implementing the things the book suggests.
If you're going to print something, just buy a book. It's much cheaper and you don't have to deal with the carcinogenic effects from the printing.
Online guides are often poorly written.
Internet service can go out without the power going out, you know. Not everyone has the good fortune to live in a place with quality infrastructure or multiple choices of ISP.
Who needs manuals!? Download the source code! Don't RTFM. RTFSC!
The code is the documentation!
Get ed!
If the internet is gone I have no need for a Linux box.
E: and if it is really just me in my own LAN then I have the man pages
If the internet is gone I have no need for a Linux box.
Linux isn't dependent on the internet FYI. It doesn't send telemetrics data to Microsoft for example.
Really nostalgic about the times when you were taught computer stuff in physical books. The only ones I have nowadays in physical format is Code Complete and Clean Code...
I did SEC+ entirely from book, i kinda prefer books tbh. Nothing like a slapping a manual on a table and saying RTFM.
I have an old Fedora book which still has a Fedora 15 disk in it! Helped me realize on old PC's to burn the ISO onto a DVD for installation instead of finding a work around for not having a USB boot option in the BIOS.
Because the GUI may change, but bash goes on forever. 😉
(Seriously, if you need a sed primer or something, an old copy of O'Reilly's Linux in a Nutshell is a decent resource.)
Exactly! The old books cover the terminal commands really well and almost everything will still apply. If you read it cover to cover, you're going to end up knowing more commands than most daily users of Linux and it'd help you with any networking / IT courses you intend to study.
Buy a second hand linux book you say.
I remember spend hours learning Novell networks for the CNE exam. With 18 months of me qualifying, most people had gone to NT . That’s when I quit networking and became a project manager