Linux
Slackware
Linux Unleashed
Acknowledgments
Obviously, I cannot forget to thank those individuals whose comments, flames, and
downright blunt remarks made me wonder why I wrote this book in the first place!
No, really, your comments helped us nail some problems with previous editions. Hopefully,
we were able to incorporate all the readers' comments into this edition. I am sure
that you folks will find more things to add, edit, delete, and tweak. Send us e-mail,
and we'll see what we can do.
As usual, my wife, Uzma, has been a tremendous help and has provided support and
time for this book. With twins to look after and a job of her own, she has given
up a lot to see this book come to completion. I must also thank my mom, Saleha Husain,
who got me started in this endeavor and kept me going to finish this book.
Special thanks are due to Grace Buechlein, Brian Proffitt, Dean Miller, and the
tech review staff for managing and editing all the revisions required in getting
this book out in such a short time. Also, the Sams development staff deserves much
praise for their patience and hard work in producing this text.
Finally, many thanks go to Tim, with whom working on this book was a pleasure
indeed!
Thank you, everyone, for your help and support.
--Kamran Husain
This third edition of Linux Unleashed is the result of the demand for Linux, and
for our books, for which we are grateful. Along with our Red Hat Linux Unleashed
and my Linux System Administrator's Survival Guide, we have managed to cover most
aspects of the Linux market with books aimed squarely at the reader.
As with the first two editions, we have had a lot of help from the fine editors
at Sams, and from technical reviewers from the Linux community. Thanks to Grace Buechlein
for her fine efforts to get this edition in on time and into production. Thanks to
Dean Miller and the rest of the editorial and production staff at Sams for whipping
it into shape. The result of all this effort is hopefully a book even better than
the previous edition, with more information aimed at you, our reader.
Personally, my thanks to Kamran for once again working well with me to produce
another book. If all my collaborations were as friendly and easy as this, I'd be
a happy writer indeed. To my parents, thanks for understanding the need to stay in
front of the computer and not make the trips to visit as often as I would have liked.
Thanks to Bill, Phyllis, Roy, Mark, and Guy for providing welcome diversions, companionship,
and support through the many long nights spent at the console. And finally, thanks
to Yvonne, who knows writing is important to me and lets me get on with the job.
--Tim Parker About the Authors
Kamran Husain is a consultant with experience in Windows NT and UNIX programming.
He has dabbled in all sorts of software for real-time systems, telecommunications,
and seismic applications. Kamran offers consulting services and training classes
through MPS Inc., in Texas. You can reach Kamran through Sams Publishing, on the
Web at http://www.ikra.com, or via e-mail at khusain@ikra.com.
Tim Parker is a consultant and technical writer based in Ottawa, Canada. He is
a technical editor for SCO World Magazine, and contributing editor for UNIX Review,
Advanced Systems Magazine, and Canadian Computer Reseller. He has written more than
800 feature articles and two dozen books. When not writing, Tim is a private pilot,
scuba diver, white-water kayaker, and general adrenaline junkie.
Uzma Husain is an alumna of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where she
received her master's degree in computer science. Her work experience is in the financial
software and MIS arena.
Peter MacKinnon is a software developer in Boston. He has a degree in mathematics
from Dalhousie University and a computer science degree from the Technical University
of Nova Scotia.
Rick McMullin is a computer consultant with BitHeads in Ottawa, Canada. He specializes
in object-oriented systems development and computer security. Rick has been teaching
UNIX courses for several years and has been a strong enthusiast and supporter of
Linux since its early releases.
David Till is a technical writer working in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He holds
a master's degree in computer science from the University of Waterloo; programming
languages were his major field of study. He has also worked in compiler development
and on version-control software. He lists his hobbies as "writing, comedy, walking,
duplicate bridge, and fanatical support of the Toronto Blue Jays." He can be
reached via e-mail at am671@freenet.toronto.on.ca or davet@interlog.com,
or on the Web at http://www.interlog.com/~davet/.
Ed Treijs is a technical writer and consultant based in Toronto, Canada. When
not writing technical manuals, Ed tinkers with his Firebirds and Trans Ams.
Rob Pfister is a software engineer specializing in very large database applications.
He holds a degree in computer science from the University of Maine. Rob has been
a Linux enthusiast since he installed version 0.96 in early 1992.
As a reader, you are the most important critic and commentator of our books. We
value your opinion and want to know what we're doing right, what we could do better,
what areas you'd like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdom you're
willing to pass our way. You can help us make strong books that meet your needs and
give you the computer guidance you require.
Do you have access to CompuServe or the World Wide Web? Then check out our CompuServe
forum by typing GO SAMS at any prompt. If you prefer the World Wide Web, check out
our site at http://www.mcp.com.
-
NOTE: If you have a technical
question about this book, call the technical support line at 317-581-3833.
As the publishing manager of the group that created this book, I welcome your
comments. You can fax, e-mail, or write me directly to let me know what you did or
didn't like about this book--as well as what we can do to make our books stronger.
Here's the information:
Fax: 317/581-4669
E-mail: opsys_mgr@sams.mcp.com
Mail: Dean Miller Sams Publishing
201 W. 103rd Street Indianapolis, IN 46290
Introduction We never expected Linux Unleashed to make it to three editions so
quickly (four, if you count Red Hat Linux Unleashed). The popularity of Linux is
both amazing and gratifying: amazing that so many people want to see what an interesting
operating system Linux is, and gratifying because we always knew its strengths. The
world of UNIX has been opened to so many new users because of Linux, and that's always
a good thing.
This edition, Slackware Linux Unleashed, Third Edition, is accompanied by the
latest version of Slackware Linux, still the most widely used version available.
The content of the book itself has been modified too. Several chapters on newly available
software for Linux have been added, and the book has been reorganized for better
clarity. As always, we welcome your feedback on our efforts and suggestions for the
next edition. We are already planning the next edition, so get your suggestions to
us! The e-mail addresses for the principle authors are khusain@ikra.com
(Kamran Husain) and tparker@tpci.com (Tim Parker).
If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, UNIX should be proud indeed.
The Linux project began several years ago as a public-domain version of the popular
UNIX operating system--the most widely used operating system in the world. Linux
made it possible for everybody to obtain a full-featured version of UNIX for his
or her own pleasure and education, with a minimum of monetary outlay. (With commercial
versions of UNIX costing many hundreds of dollars, this was a very important aspect
of Linux's popularity.)
Although begun by a single programmer, Linux quickly blossomed into a project
organized by people around the world, each contributing ideas, code, and effort for
the good of the project, and with no recompense. The environment, in many ways, recalled
the excitement and dedication the nascent personal computer industry experienced
years ago.
This book was an interesting project from the start. It combined the expertise
of several veteran UNIX and Linux users with a complete Slackware distribution version
of Linux supplied on CD-ROM. This is, essentially, one-stop shopping for a Linux
system. The CD-ROM, coupled with the installation chapters of this book, helps you
install the complete Linux system software on your PC. Then you can read through
the subjects that interest you in the book, working through the book's examples on
your machine.
For those who have never used Linux (or UNIX) before, you will find the operating
system both engrossing and confusing. UNIX has a long and involved history, leading
inevitably to some idiosyncrasies with the operating system. On the other hand, UNIX
and Linux are a powerful multitasking operating system that can take your PC far
beyond the limitations of the DOS operating system.
The following typographic conventions are used in this book:
- Code lines, commands, statements, variables, and any text you type or see on-screen
appear in a computer typeface. When lines of input and output are shown
together, bold computer typeface is often used to show the user's input.
- Placeholders in syntax descriptions appear in an italic computer typeface. Replace
the placeholder with the actual filename, parameter, or whatever element it represents.
- Italics highlights technical terms when they first appear in the text and is
sometimes used to emphasize important points.
- Pseudocode, a way of explaining in English what a program does, also appears
in italics.
- A special icon  is used before a line of code that is really a continuation
of the preceding line. Sometimes a line of code is too long to fit as a single line
in the book, given the book's limited width. If you see the  before a line
of code, remember that you should interpret that line as part of the line immediately
before it.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy reading this book and that you find the information
useful, educational, and beneficial. The book covers many aspects of Linux, not all
of which you will care about. However, we set out to create the most complete introduction
to Linux that we could, and we think we've accomplished that task. Enjoy!
Contact
reference@developer.com with questions or comments.
Copyright 1998
EarthWeb Inc., All rights reserved.
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Copyright 1998 Macmillan Computer Publishing. All rights reserved.
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