Beginning Linux Programming Second Edition

by Richard Stones and Neil Matthew

Book Overview

If you've already got Linux up and running on your machine and you really want to exploit its capabilities, Beginning Linux Programming is packed full of useful information that will keep you busy for weeks. In spite of its title, Beginning Linux Programming isn't oriented toward novices. It assumes that you're a competent C programmer but are simply new to the specifics of Linux. Authors Neil Matthew and Richard Stones introduce a plethora of fundamental...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1861002971
• ISBN13: 9781861002976
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Wrox Press
• Length: 992 Pages
• Weight: 3.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.1" x 7.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

an Excellent Book & an Excellent Start

This is an excellent, large book. And as its title suggests it is for "begginers". It covers a wide range of topics, starting from shell programming and ending with device drivers. - Most likely, as in my case, you will read a large subset of the chapters in this book, but not everything. - This book covers a lot of the old APIs as well, thus, you will learn to write portable code which will run under different Linux distributions (and under UNIX too). - This book is a *MUST* for anyone starting in the Linux development world. - One problem though, in my opinon, it should cover a little less of the "OLD" stuff and it should include MORE about the "NEW" stuff, especially about the LATEST/GREATEST 2.6.x kernel. - I really liked the fact that it covers few basics about Linux kernel programming and device drivers in chapter 18. - For more info about specific topics (in addition to this title), I suggest the following: A) Linux Networking -> "The definitive guide to Linux Network Programming" <br />B) Linux Kernel Programming -> "Linux Kernel Development (2nd Edition - by Robert Love)" <br />C) Device Drivers -> "Linux Device Drivers, 3rd Edition" <br />D) Another excellent book addressing the same topics -> "GNU/Linux Application Programming, by M. Tim Jones"

Everything You've Been Looking For

If you are a sysadmin or want to learn programming on UNIX/LINUX you must have this book. I have several books on C and several on other languages I would trade them all for this. It covers the basics (essentials) that other books written exclusively for one language don't even touch on. I explains how all of the languages covered interplay with UNIX/LINUX. The first chapter covers programs, the C compiler, header files, staic libraries, and shared libraries. It explains they all come together to make a program in a way that it can be understoodThe second chapter covers UNIX shell scripts at length. I have good book on shell scripts, and this chapter alone is just as good as that book. The third chapter covers working with UNIX files, system calls, library functions etc... The sample programs all work as they are supposed to. Everything is clearly explained and easily understood. The 4th chapter covers passing arguments to C programs, envorment variables, temporary files, configuring logs, and system resources. I have not read any further, because I've only had this book a week. I've been looking for a book like this for a few years. It talks about how C and other languages interface with LINUX/UNIX rather than just giving you the pure language and leaving you to fend for yourself. Other chapters include:5) Terminals6) Curses7) Data Management8) Development Tools9) Debugging10) Processes and Signals11) POSIX Threads12) Inter-process Communication: Pipes13) Semaphores, Mesage Queues, and Shared Memory,14) Socets15) TCL: Tool Command Language16) Programming for X17) Programming for GNOME using GTK+18) The Perl Programming Language19) Programming for the Internet: HTML20) Internet Programming 2: CGI21) Device DriversAppendex A) PortabilityAppendex B) FSF and the GNU ProjectAppendex C) Internet ResourcesAppendex D) BibliographyIf you are only get one book on programming, this is the one you need. I have at least 8 other books on various programming languages, and this one is better than all of them combined. This book is 900 pages packed full information, and it's easily understood. The sample programs all work and are well documented.I write this review after reading only four chapters, because the information I have gotten out of them is worth way more than the price of this book. This book gives you all the pieces to the puzzles and tells you how to put it together. This book can be used by advanced programmers as well to fill in any knowlege gaps they may have. This book gets my highest recommendation, as it will be by my side for years to come.

Not for beginners, but definitely recommended

I just finished this book after about 4 months of off and on reading and working (most of) the examples. I've already been able to put the knowledge I gained from it to work at my job at Travelocity.com - my biggest frustration was that I had to wait until I came home to continue reading it. This book will play a prominent part in my work bookshelf.One caveat - it says it's for beginners, but almost all of the examples are in C, using some pretty advanced constructs. If you're still rusty with pointer syntax (for example), brush up on your C programming first. Also, like most Linux source, the examples are in straight-C rather than C++, but this is probably a Good Thing.Also, there's a chapter at the end on writing device drivers - I couldn't get any of the examples to compile on my Redhat system running kernel version 2.4.9; I guess they're due for another edition of this book.All in all, one of the best computer books I've ever read!

The Title Tells It All!

This book as written on the title, is for beginner who wants learn Linux programming. However, you should have some basic of C programming language before reading this book (if you know what is pointer, and how to use pointer to pointer, that is enough). Mostly of the code (80%) in this book is written in C. This book explains very well what do you need to be a Linux programmer. Like, how to make the Makefile, how to use CVS for group development, how to program for X, etc. With 945 pages, and 21 Chapters + Appendixes, I think they did their jobs by keeping the explanation about each aspect of Linux programming in the right portion on each chapter.

An Excellent Primer for Linux Programming

This is a really cool book, not only technically, but a decent read also. It covers all the major Linux languages: C, TCL/TK, Perl, Shell programming, etc. It's not just a cornucopia of different dialects, though, it's clear the authors are true bilinguals: all the examples are well coded, commented and generally do things in the way I would!.Anyone who finishes this book to be able to write pretty much anything they please. It shows you stuff from small utilities for the command line to full GUI-driven database apps. There is a section on writing device drivers and kernel hacking, there's also another section on writing HTML. It really is that broad and encompassing, I refer to it time and time again.Although this book is called 'Beginning Linux Programming', it's clear that a lot of the skills you'll gain from this book are transferable to other platforms, thanks to POSIX, X/Open, et al. One possible criticism is that KDE programming is not covered (except, the TCL/TK programs will obviously work under KDE, as will the GNOME programs if you have the correct libraries installed). However, the book had to end somewhere, and for the bang-per-buck (this is a big book) the value-for-money is quite amazing.And, to top it all off, it has a foreword by Alan Cox, Linux demi-god uber-geek. If that's not a recommendation, nothing is!