Linux 's Missing Manual Coming to a User's Group Near You
March 29th, 2007 by Tom Adelstein
Would you like to get your hands on "Linux System Administration" and have Bill Lubanovic or me show up to your local LUG or UNIX User group meeting? Then you should contact Marsee Henon at O'Reilly. Of course, if you would rather have another author and another book she can handle that too. Marsee works with various groups around the country to make sure they have books and speakers.
Publishers have handed out books for free for some time now. They only ask you to write a review. That seems easy. You pick up a $50 book and agree to write a review - nothing to it - right?
If there's nothing to it then how come so many people take the book and fail to write a review? Do you think it has something to do with the decline of morality in America? Does everyone want something for free and not want to do anything in return - and then gripe about it?
This is one of those "who knows" questions. It's one of the great mysteries of life. Solve this mystery and you get a Pulitzer and a Nobel prize.
I'm a little baffled by the attitudes of some users of Free Software. You have probably heard the famous turkey call:
"Hey, how come my Ubuntu doesn't do ......".
Of course you can fill in the blank. He or she gets the operating system and an incredible number of applications and takes issue with the guys that gave their time, effort and money to make Free Open Source Software available to them. Again, this is one of the great mysteries of life.
What has Linux done for me lately?
Back when UNIX owned the server market, you would have to pay around $20,000 for a Sun Workstation with Solaris 2.4. That's correct. Those Sparc 5 pizza boxes you can get for around $100 on eBay used to cost as much as a college education. Oh, and if you wanted to become a UNIX administrator, then you'd have to lay out a bunch of money for that too.
So, here comes Linus and the kernel team, the Free Software Foundation and the next thing we know, we have a UNIX type OS for free. Plenty of UNIX admins and programmers learned their stock and trade on Linux.
Now, in addition to the teams that brought your Linux, let's not forget Tim O'Reilly types. Many people I know and with whom I speak credit Tim with boosting Linux during infancy. I remember seeing those books with odd looking colophon covers like the one with the llama on the cover of "Learning Perl".
I always wondered about those animal books. Then I read this little snippet: "Our look is the result of reader comments, our own experimentation, and feedback from distribution channels. Distinctive covers complement our distinctive approach on technical topics, breathing personality and life into potentially dry subjects."
I can testify to the statement above. Someone has to breath personality and life into dry technical subjects. People need inspiration to keep going. Sometimes the only inspiration a free software developer gets is the satisfaction of doing a great job - finishing what he or she started - bring a dream into reality.
Who will do the decent thing and at least acknowledge the people who work for you for nothing? I believe they deserve our admiration instead of our stinking comments. Think of the contribution so many people have made to our lives.
Now, I hope you contact Marsee. If you wind up with one of her books, remember to pay for it by following through with your promise. Oh yes, one more thing. If you owe a review from earlier times, then how about writing it now to keep your honor? Or if you won't do a review, send money.
__________________________
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August 2008, #172
There's nuttin like a Cool Project to give you some relief from the summer heat, so get out your parka cuz we got a bunch of em. First up is the BUG, not a bug, The BUG. It's got a GPS, camera and more, in a hand-sized package that's user programmable. The BUG does everything. It's both a floor wax and a dessert topping. Get one now. Need a software version of a Swiss Army knife? Take a look at Billix, and don't leave home without it. Then, chew on this one, an X server on a Gumstix device driving an E-Ink display. Need more storage? How about 16 Terabytes? Can do.
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Just a review?
On June 2nd, 2008 NoBudgetFilmmaking (not verified) says:
I love Linux, and I don't know what I would do if it weren't free.
If me writing a review will keep the powers that be in a good mood, then sign me up! ;)
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On May 23rd, 2008 Dave King (not verified) says:
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On May 21st, 2008 Pen Linux (not verified) says:
Great read. thanks..Linux needs dummy proof manual so everybody can use it not just computer geeks.
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Words Count
On April 25th, 2008 Dave Rider (not verified) says:
Tom,
I agree with what you are stating. There is value in a work, whether it be artistic or technical in nature. Reviews can be just as valuable and a fair exchange, but only if the one receiving the product does the right thing and reciprocates value in return.
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Critique is neccassary
On April 17th, 2008 Blaze (not verified) says:
I understand that it seems a little pretentious to criticize something just for the sake of doing so, but anything worthwhile holds room for improvement which makes critique a necessary function. It may seem unfair for a reviewer to look down upon a product for a trivial flaw, but if these people said only good things about the product, what would there be to improve upon? Technology is about moving forward, and if we can't recognize minor flaws, how are we going to improve upon our efforts?
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Missing Manual
On April 12th, 2008 Catalonia Blog (not verified) says:
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On February 11th, 2008 Dae (not verified) says:
I think people have grown accustomed to the fact that commercial OS'es are developed by "for profit" companies, so they (the users) are "entitled" to their wants and wishes. 'Cause they paid for it. Unfortunately, the same attitude is sometimes automatically applied to opensource OS'es as well (it's just a habit or something).
I wouldn't be surprised if some people thought "Linux" is just another brand of Windows.
----
Dae | Flac to MP3
Very interesting
On February 2nd, 2008 Ray (not verified) says:
Very interesting article...Thank you!
Quote--- "Does everyone want
On February 2nd, 2008 gnarlmaster (not verified) says:
Quote--- "Does everyone want something for free and not want to do anything in return - and then gripe about it?"
This is an unfortunate truth :(
In the past I have given out many free materials for promises of online reviews or testimonials, and never got so much as a delayed thank you! Those of us in the information business need these reviews, worthwhile feedback and testimonies.
Everyone wants something for free on the internet, but they show little or n appreciation for the free things they get...
Quote--- "Sometimes the only inspiration a free software developer gets is the satisfaction of doing a great job - finishing what he or she started - bring a dream into reality. Who will do the decent thing and at least acknowledge the people who work for you for nothing?"
My hats off to the folks out there working to provide us with quality info at the cost of looking it up on Google...
Jim @ gnarlmaster's Self Defense blog
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On November 18th, 2007 Stephen L (not verified) says:
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Linux is an OS which is pretty widely used, most people turn to Linux when they get fed up of windows (bound to happen pretty fast)
I think that if Windows' common features get integrated in Linux, it'd be great.
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