Product Description

The Debian GNU/Linux operating system approaches Linux system administration differently than other popular Linux distributions, favoring text-based configuration mechanisms over graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Debian may appear simplistic and even slightly outdated, but it is actually very robust, scalable, and secure. Debian's open development cycle and strict quality control by the developers help Debian to constantly gain popularity, despite its reputation as an operating system just for professionals and hardcore computer hobbyists. "The Debian System" introduces the concepts and techniques of the Debian operating system, explaining their usage and pitfalls, and illustrating the thinking behind each of the approaches. The book's goal is to give the reader enough insight into the workings of the Debian project and operating system so that they will understand the solutions that have evolved as part of the Debian system over the past decade. While targeted at the well-versed UNIX/Linux administrator, the book can also serve as an excellent resource alongside a standard Linux reference to quickly orient the reader to Debian's unique philosophy and structure. Co-published with Open Source Press, an independent publisher based in Munich that specializes in the field of free and open source software.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #379524 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: CD-ROM
• 605 pages

From the Author
Please see debiansystem.info for more information about this title.

About the Author
Martin Krafft has been a faithful supporter of Debian since 1997, working as a developer and a PR person, and fielding user questions on mailing lists. He has experience administering mid-sized networks and providing user support, and is responsible for numerous university servers and a 40-node cluster of Debian machines. Krafft is currently working on his Ph.D. at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the University of Zurich.

Customer Reviews

I wish I'd bought this book a year ago.
If you have to administer a Debian GNU/Linux system then this is the book you need. It explains why things are the way they are, how they are, and how you should use the system.

Although English is not the native language of the author, the text is easy to follow, well written and things are well explained.

This is a book a really do wish I'd bought a year ago, rather than waiting until now. The book is based on the current Sarge release of Debian, but does make reference to the upcoming Etch relase. The web site that goes with the book also provides full errata and diffs to the Etch release.

If you use a debian Linux such as Ubuntu, Linspire, Mepis then this may also be well worth buying too.

Every purchase includes a donation to towards the Debian.

The Next Step for Debian and Ubuntu Administrators
Unusually, the audience for this book is not new users, but is specifically those developers and administrators that already work with Linux, and need to understand how to deploy and manage Debian (or Debian-based systems).

If you are such a person, this book is probably essential. Although Debian has a myriad of tools and conveniences to help administrators, they are unobtrusive, and many are only documented in the man pages and text files that accompany them. Unless you already understand the Debian way of doing things, you will miss a great deal. Long-time Debian users will have absorbed some of this knowledge, but, as far as I know, this is the only book that actually explains "the Debian way".

Although it was written for a previous release of Debian, the information remains valid, so you should not be put off on that account - it remains a unique and very valuable resource.

It is the Debian System
Debian is more than just distribution it a system of doing things. It maybe the "most free" of the GNU/Linux distributions but in order to understand and get the most out of it you must understand the rules, regulations and reasons behind that system. This book more than anything else I have read helps me to do that.