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Book Report: UNIX: The Complete Reference February 26, 2001
What’s in it for Me? Since some of our peers invented it back in 1969, Unix has changed significantly. While many newer installations are running Linux, a significant number of installations are still running such versions as SVR4, Solaris and HP-UX. Based on the size of this book, the authors must have had a very difficult task addressing all of the unique issues for each major variant. Nevertheless, what the authors have attempted to do here is help readers distinguish those issues that are unique and common across all of the platforms. Another fact is that Unix users like myself want to know about what goes on behind the curtain (much like Windows users) and about how to use different features, depending on how heavily we use the system. As they do in a Windows environment, with interfaces such as CDE and KDE, Unix users need only know how to move around a desktop. However, system and network administrators need to understand more about utilities and the Unix kernel itself.What’s Good? Personally, this is one of the best Unix references around. It is very easy to read, and the book covers just about everything you can think of regarding the Unix environment. Out of my large library of technical manuals, this was one of my best investments. This book is arranged to cover a wide range of variants, from simple beginners to experienced Unix users. It's a thick book, but it needs to be to address all of the variants in any depth. The Web references for each chapter are especially helpful--readers at least have some other places to go to find answers if they can't find them in the text. I am using this book as one of several guides for research on a project, and it has a vast amount of information that is very useful. What’s Bad? There’s a very good reason why this book got a rating of 8 on a scale of 10 points: It’s poorly indexed and has no glossary. These are serious negatives in the review of any book. Too often, I’ve picked up books in bookstores only to find that I can’t "find" anything. As for the index, this book at least has one, but it’s very small in comparison with its overall size. The index should be three times the actual size. For example, the first 12 items I tried to look up were missing from the index and very difficult to find in the text. Additionally, in most cases, I didn't find the details I needed when I did locate the items: There was just a vague description of what I needed to do and either very few or no examples. It’s pretty tough to live in the Unix world without good examples, especially for beginners. Users need detailed examples to make sure everything works properly. I didn't find very many in this book, given its size. I guess the authors and the publisher thought that beginners had the same level of experience as advanced users. Unfortunately, this is a fallacy that most authors and publishers work under, especially those that publish technical manuals. You know who you are! So where’s the glossary? It’s online, at a Web site. This is not very useful for quick reference. It should be contained within the book itself. How can the authors and Osborne McGraw-Hill call this book a "complete reference" without a glossary? No book of this size should be without a glossary to define acronyms and terms. Hopefully, there will be a glossary in the next edition, if there is one. Also, even though the book is indeed comprehensive in scope, it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of providing the level of detail that a beginner would need to succeed. I picked it up hoping that it would be a good, all around reference so I could learn more about the various flavors of Unix. What I found was a fairly good reference for me, even though it has its weaknesses. But the book could be confusing for beginners because of a lack of good, solid examples. Conclusion Given the size and price ($39.99) of the book, it’s quite a bargain. Most books of this size go for $69.99. Even though this book has a few negatives, "UNIX: The Complete Reference" is a must-buy resource for all you need to know about Unix, whether you are new to Unix or an experienced user who wants to expand your expertise. It will help you find out how to: John Vacca is an information technology consultant and internationally known author based in Pomeroy, Ohio. Send your comments on this article to him at jvacca@hti.net.
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