Running Linux, 5th Edition - Matthias Kalle Dalheimer [29]
The LDP manuals are available via the Web, as well as via mail order from several sources. O'Reilly has published the Linux Network Administrator's Guide from the LDP.
Aside from the growing number of Linux books, books about Unix still exist (though many have ceased publication). In general, these books are equally applicable to Linux. So far as using and programming the system is concerned, simpler Linux tasks don't differ greatly from original implementations of Unix in many respects. Armed with this book and some other Linux or Unix books on specialized topics, you should be able to tackle a majority of Linux tasks.
There are monthly magazines about Linux, notably Linux Journal and Linux Magazine. These are an excellent way to keep in touch with the many goings-on in the Linux community. Languages other than English have their own Linux print publications as well. (European, South American, and Asian publications have become commonplace in the last few years.)
Usenet Newsgroups
Usenet is a worldwide electronic news and discussion forum with a heavy contingent of so-called newsgroups , or discussion areas devoted to a particular topic. Much of the development of Linux has been done over the waves of the Internet and Usenet, and not surprisingly, a number of Usenet newsgroups are available for discussions about Linux.
There are far too many newsgroups devoted to Linux to list here. The ones dealing directly with Linux are under the comp.os.linux hierarchy, and you'll find others on related topics such as comp.windows.x.
Internet Mailing Lists
If you have access to Internet electronic mail, you can participate in a number of mailing lists devoted to Linux. These run the gamut from kernel hacking to basic user questions. Many of the popular Linux mailing lists have associated web sites with searchable archives, allowing you to easily find answers to common questions. We list some of these resources in the Appendix.
Getting Help
First, we should mention that Linux has a rich community of volunteers and participants who need help and offer help for free. A good example of such a community is Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntulinux.org). Supported by a commercial company, Canonical Ltd., that offers low-cost professional support, Ubuntu has a large and enthusiastic community ready to provide old-style Linux support. Ubuntu, a derivative of Debian, employs a number of paid developers who also help maintain the Debian project.
Distributions such as Red Hat, Novell's SUSE, and Mandriva have become quite adept at providing commercial support for their own distributions of Linux and for other open source projects. Following a concept originated by Bernard Golden called the Open Source Maturity Model, Linux companies have done an excellent job in demonstrating their ability to compete using the open source paradigm. They have demonstated the ability to provide:
Adequate support and maintenance
Continued innovation
Product road maps and commitments to adhere to them
Functionality and ease of use for IT managers, particularly across enterprise-size environments
Stable business models to fund new development and expand into new product areas
Structured and scalable partner ecosystems devoted to enabling customer success
Additionally, these Linux companies have established community projects to keep them from becoming stale.
Mature Linux companies also provide extended business offerings, including training, professional sales and support (24 × 7 × 365), indemnification, and quality documentation.
In addition to the companies already mentioned, you will find a channel full of their business partners who have considerable expertise in providing commercial Linux support. Their web sites contain ways to find a business partner that can assist Linux users in a variety of ways.
As you become more accustomed to running Linux, you will probably discover many facets that may