This book introduces the concepts and features of Linux. It describes the features and services of the Internet which have been instrumental in the rapid development and wide distribution of Linux and focuses on the graphical interface, network capability, and extended tools of Linux. It also gives an overview of the wide range of freeware applications available for Linux. Now completely revised and expanded to help the reader take full advantage of the high-performance of Linux 2.0, this third edition lists all of the currently supported hardware; provides the latest information on Linux as client/server; explains the newest applications including StarOffice 3.1, new graphics tools (including GIMP), Xemacs, and LyX; and presents the most up to date information on security and cryptography. Plus, there is a new UNIX command reference with entries grouped by purpose, as well as a new section on how to deal with errors. All in all, the most up-to-date information on Linux available!

UNIX achieved its widespread propagation, its penetration of the UNIX history university domain, and its reach into research and industry due to its early dissemination by AT&T to all interested parties at almost no cost and as source code. UNIX's present functionality emanated not just from AT&T developers but also from external developers who used the product and contributed their own further developments, which they then put at AT&T's disposal. (Consider the contributions of the University of California at Berkeley, for example.) With the rising commercialization of UNIX by AT&T (now by Novell) since 1983, such creative and cooperative further development became increasingly restricted, and UNIX source code today has become unaffordably expensive and scarcely accessible. Linux provides interested computer scientists and us"ers with a system that revives the old UNIX tradition: Linux is available for free, and everyone is heartily invited (but not obliged) to free & participatory contribute to its further development. Since Linux runs on PC systems, it has begun to penetrate the workrooms of many computer science students and computer freaks.

This second edition has been completely revised, expanded, and improved, to allow users to take full advantage of all the latest Linux applications. The CD-ROM contains kernel versions up to 1.3.X and is fully configured for easy installation. The accompanying manual explains how to administer and operate Linux as well as its implementation in running an Internet site - complete with reference material on installing Web browsers such as Netscape. It also addresses how to install Linux on a hard drive without reformatting the whole disk. Further features include even easier Internet access via SLIP/PPP, the use of the new ELF format (System V Executable and Linking format), provision of a complete C/C++ development environment and a CD-ROM smart cache that speeds up access to files.

The Linux Universie CD-ROM contains the new Linux Kernel 1.2.X and is fully configured for easy installation. Its features: 1) complete 32-bit multi-user/multitasking UNIX system for PCs, 2) runs directly from CD-ROM, 3) easy internet access, graphical administraion tool supports administration and configuration, 4) completely in new ELF format (System V Executable and Linking format) and offers complete C/C++ development environment and 5) CD-ROM smart cache speeds up access to files.

This book/CD-ROM package will get the reader instantly working on the popular 32-bit Slackware implementation of the UNIX operating system. This third edition follows in the tradition of the highly successful first two versions and includes all the latest features of Slackware Linux.

Abstract: "Linux is a Unix-like operating system for Intel 386/486/Pentium based IBM-PCs and compatibles. The kernel of this operating system was written from scratch by Linus Torvalds and, although copyright by the author, may be freely distributed. A world-wide group of enthusiastic volunteers has collaborated in developing many aspects of Linux on the Internet. Linux can run the powerful set of compilers and programming tools (the 'GNU' corpus) of the Free Software Foundation, and XFree86, a port of the X Window System from MIT. Most capabilities associated with high performance workstations, such as networking, shared file systems, electronic mail, TEX, LATEX, etc. are freely available for Linux. It can thus transform cheap IBM-PC compatible machines into Unix workstations with considerable capabilities. The author explains how Linux may be obtained, installed and networked. He also describes some interesting applications for Linux that are freely available. One useful feature of Linux is its ability to coexist with other operating systems. Thus a user who has made an investment in DOS/MSWindows software, may continue running these applications on his machine and install Linux on a separate partition on his existing hard disk. If needed, files from DOS/MSWindows partitions can be accessed by Linux. The enormous consumer market for IBM-PC compatible machines continually drives down prices of CPU chips, memory, hard disks, CDROMS etc. Linux can convert such machines into powerful workstations that can be used for teaching, research and software development. For professionals who use Unix based workstations at work, Linux permits virtually identical working environments on their personal home machines. For cost conscious educational institutions (especially in developing nations), Linux can create world-class computing environments from cheap, easily maintained, PC clones. Finally, for university students, especially in science and engineering, Linux provides an essentially cost-free path away from DOS into the world of Unix and X Windows."