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The Best of FreeBSD Basics by Dru Lavigne

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For over seven years, Dru Lavigne has meticulously documented her learning experiences with FreeBSD administration and open source software usage in a series of over 110 articles. This Best of FreeBSD Basics book contains most of these articles -- updated to reflect the usage on FreeBSD 6.2. The Best of FreeBSD Basics provides practical advice for completing common tasks on FreeBSD and is a great way to get to know FreeBSD — and UNIX in general. Darwin, DragonFly, Linux, Mac OS X, NetBSD, and OpenBSD fans will also find a lot of the book invaluable and useful.

Covering a huge range of FreeBSD and open source topics, the book includes step-by-step directions, things to watch out for, and hints for success. An example of some of the book's topics include installing an X11 server and setting up a desktop environment, comparing common tasks with Linux, playing audio and video files, user administration, system startup, finding and using documentation, managing backups, networking basics, IPsec, setting up several servers, filtering spam, improving security, enabling firewalls, and a lot more.

Cross-referenced and including a lengthy index, The Best of FreeBSD Basics book by Dru Lavigne is an excellent resource. The organization and writing also make the book immediately useful and enjoyable for leisure reading. Dru has a huge audience that endorses and recommends her writing.

  • Price: US$35.90
  • Author: Dru Lavigne
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-9790342-2-0
  • ISBN-10: 0-9790342-2-1
  • Pages: 595 (paperback)
  • Publishing Date: December 28, 2007
  • Book dimensions: 7.44 x 9.68 x 1.25 inches
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Photos of the book

Donations

A portion of the profit from the sales of this book will be sent to the BSD Certification Group, a non-profit organization focusing on helping employers and employee candidates gauge proficiency in BSD administration with the side-effect of helping further integrate BSD into the marketplace. You can learn more about donating to the BSD Certification Group, Inc., at http://www.bsdcertification.org/index.php?NAV=Sponsors. Reed Media Services actively donates money and time to various BSD and open source projects.

About the Author

Dru Lavigne is a networking and security instructor in Ottawa, Canada with over a decade of experience with administration and teaching BSD, Checkpoint, Cisco, Linux, Microsoft, Netware, SCO, and Solaris systems. She is the maintainer of the ISECOM's Open Protocol Database Resource. And Dru is the chair of the BSD Certification Group, Inc. She has been documenting her experiences with FreeBSD administration for ten years and has written hundreds of articles about FreeBSD and system administration. Her previous book, BSD Hacks, received excellent reviews and continues to be a great seller. While updating the FreeBSD Basics articles for the book, Dru said it was fascinating to see what has and has not changed over the past seven years. Her hobbies include hiking, bicycling, kayaking, and reading Stephen King. Dru's blog is at http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/unix/bsd.

Testimonials

The Best of FreeBSD Basics book is an updated collection of Dru's FreeBSD Basics column. The following are past quotes about her writing.

  • "Dru, love your work especially on FreeBSD Basics." »
  • "Whether judged by pedagogic, technical or literary standards, Dru's articles are works of high perfection." »
  • "I have found the FreeBSD Basics articles ... to be invaluable." »
  • "Let me recommend, if you haven't found them, Dru Lavigne's articles ... entitled FreeBSD Basics." »
  • "I would also suggest that you read Dru Lavigne's excellent online tutorials on FreeBSD: FreeBSD Basics" »
  • "There is an excellent tutorial ... from Dru Lavigne ... She has lots of great articles in her FreeBSD Basics series" »
  • "If you're unfamiliar with UNIX and need some tutorials to help you find your way around, Dru Lavigne's articles ... are a great way to get to know FreeBSD and UNIX in general." »
  • "I've been getting such good use from these Dru Lavigne articles that I feel obliged posting a link for you" »
  • "... there are a number of informative articles by Dru Lavigne" »
  • "Dru Lavigne provides practical advice for completing common tasks under FreeBSD." »
  • "The quality of the columns are probably a good guide to the quality of the book." »

Reviews

  • Amazon Customer Review: "... simply the best FreeBSD how-to book out there."
  • Review by Richard Bejtlich: "I recommend all beginner and intermediate FreeBSD users read the book."
  • Review by Ivan "Rambius" Ivanov in Bulgarian. Translated in English: "... the book is valuable companion for FreeBSD users and administrators alike who want to sharpen their FreeBSD skills."
  • Review by Peter Hummers: "... this book is sure to find a treasured spot on the FreeBSD user's bookshelf. Invaluable for newbies, it still contains something for everyone. I predict every FreeBSD user will find value in it."
  • Please let us know about any reviews of The Best of FreeBSD Basics book.

Feedback

The publisher welcomes feedback. If you have any suggestions or comments about the book or would like to report an error, please email us at info@reedmedia.net.

Purchase The Best of FreeBSD Basics from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite book store.