Product Details
Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition

Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition
By Arnold Robbins, Robbins Arnold

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Product Description

As an open operating system, Unix can be improved on by anyone and everyone: individuals, companies, universities, and more. As a result, the very nature of Unix has been altered over the years by numerous extensions formulated in an assortment of versions. Today, Unix encompasses everything from Sun's Solaris to Apple's Mac OS X and more varieties of Linux than you can easily name.

The latest edition of this bestselling reference brings Unix into the 21st century. It's been reworked to keep current with the broader state of Unix in today's world and highlight the strengths of this operating system in all its various flavors.

Detailing all Unix commands and options, the informative guide provides generous descriptions and examples that put those commands in context. Here are some of the new features you'll find in Unix in a Nutshell, Fourth Edition:

  • Solaris 10, the latest version of the SVR4-based operating system, GNU/Linux, and Mac OS X
  • Bash shell (along with the 1988 and 1993 versions of ksh)
  • tsch shell (instead of the original Berkeley csh)
  • Package management programs, used for program installation on popular GNU/Linux systems, Solaris and Mac OS X
  • GNU Emacs Version 21
  • Introduction to source code management systems
  • Concurrent versions system
  • Subversion version control system
  • GDB debugger

As Unix has progressed, certain commands that were once critical have fallen into disuse. To that end, the book has also dropped material that is no longer relevant, keeping it taut and current.

If you're a Unix user or programmer, you'll recognize the value of this complete, up-to-date Unix reference. With chapter overviews, specific examples, and detailed command.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #25928 in Books
  • Published on: 2008-07-02
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 906 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Unix in a Nutshell is the standard desktop reference, without question. (Manpages come in a close second.) With a clean layout and superior command tables available at a glance, O'Reilly's third edition of Nutshell is an essential to own.

Like a dictionary, Unix in a Nutshell helps you find what you need, even if you're not exactly sure what you're looking for (or how to spell it!). With that in mind, this book is for intermediate to advanced users only--those new to the Unix operating system would be better off with Learning the Unix Operating System or Unix: Visual Quickstart Guide.

The last full revision of the book was in 1992, and the new edition covers Solaris 7 as well as newer versions of shells (ksh, in particular), RCS, and GNU emacs. Topping off at over 500 pages, Unix in a Nutshell contains--literally--everything you could want to know about the various commands, shells, and functions. Fifty new commands have been added to the already sizable lists, and even the most seasoned user is likely to find a discover a new timesaving command. --Jennifer Buckendorff

About the Author

Arnold Robbins, an Atlanta native, is a professional programmer and technical author. He has worked with Unix systems since 1980, when he was introduced to a PDP-11 running a version of Sixth Edition Unix. He has been a heavy AWK user since 1987, when he became involved with gawk, the GNU project's version of AWK. As a member of the POSIX 1003.2 balloting group, he helped shape the POSIX standard for AWK. He is currently the maintainer of gawk and its documentation. He is also coauthor of the sixth edition of O'Reilly's Learning the vi Editor. Since late 1997, he and his family have been living happily in Israel.

Customer Reviews

The best of its kind5
Unix in a Nutshell continues to be the best overall reference book on the Unix operating system. Organized so that all commands and options are easily found and understood, it is an indispensable tool for those who work in a Unix environment. But it is not just a guide to Unix commands and their options, it also contains a mass of useful information about the Unix Shell, shell scripting, text editing and formatting, and much more. Truely one of the most useful computer reference books I have ever purchased, and for the money it is the best bargain you will find in the Unix field. I highly recommend it for all those who work with (or are interested in) Unix and want just about all the information they could need in one neat package. A great buy.

Mikey likes it, he really really likes it!4
Excellent. What can I say? Well, since I have about 970 words to go, I can say a lot. Here goes. You will like this book. As "Nutshell" books go, this one is "chock-full" of informative tidbits and, the most important thing, EASY TO FIND. I'm glad I bought it. The third edition is very good. And now, the bad news (you didn't think I would let O'Reilly get away with this did you?) I have a huge bone to pick with the editor and possibility the author. The problem is, in SEVERAL places, the author states "Solaris Only" on quite a few commands (and parameters to the command). I'm here to tell you, folks, it ain't necessarily so. I use an AIX box at work and I can state for a fact that over 90% (estimated) of the commands that are stated as "Solaris Only" work great in AIX 4.3. Obviously, neither the editors nor the author tested these commands on an AIX machine. It is somewhat annoying but not unbearable. The bottom line is - try every command (and parms) on your machine before you take the author's word on it. Oh - I almost forgot. Mega-kudos to the proofreaders. In three weeks of using this book, I have yet to find a typo. Way to go, Proofers.

Useful reference4
Awesome technical reference manual, but doesn't provide very much background or overview information. Not for beginners.