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I have just installed the latest Ubuntu. Hence, I'd like to have a thick book on my desk for reference. Which one would you recommend.

A bit about me: Tall, 6.1, white, very well endowed .... kidding.... a C++ developer, familiar with unix OS (use it at work by force and NOT by choice!).

Thanks

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"use it at work by force and NOT by choice" why is that a bad thing? I'd love my workplace to force me to use Linux! unless you mean commercial Unix... – LiraNuna Oct 23 '09 at 0:14
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6 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

You can get the Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Refernce for free in pdf form.

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up vote 1 down vote

How about The Official Ubuntu Book?

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this one is outdated. I just ordered his most recent edition... sexy time – Andrei Chikatilo Oct 21 '09 at 22:03
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That's the problem with books on Ubuntu. By the time you get them, they're old. – Michael Todd Oct 21 '09 at 22:07
@Michael Todd: Yeah but you get minor improvements twice a year, which overtime can really improve the OS. – Lucas McCoy Oct 22 '09 at 5:32
If you ordered this book, you should probably mark this as the accepted answer. – Ryan Thompson Oct 22 '09 at 5:54
@Michael: that's the problem with books on most software. – Graeme Donaldson Oct 29 '09 at 20:03
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up vote 1 down vote

I haven't read this one yet (it's waiting at the library for pickup) but I have heard a podcast I respect that spoke highly of Beginning Ubuntu Linux / Thomas, Keir. The review said it went way beyond what the name would lead you to believe.

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up vote 0 down vote

I don't think you can get any better than with Ubuntu Linux Bible - specially in regards to detail and book thickness. (I've seen it, you could literally pommel someone with it ... wasn't able to lift it though :)

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up vote 0 down vote

Getting around a Linux GUI isn't something that a book can teach you, it's something you learn by trial and error (or being instructed by someone who knows how you think).

I feel that your best bet is to learn the command line. In other words, don't use a GUI interface at all! Once you're familiar with the command line (and by association how Linux and Ubuntu work) the machine as a whole will be easier to use.

The Ubuntu Wiki has an excellent article on getting to know sudo from a command line perspective; as well as a few examples of how other commands are used.

Honestly, a book probably isn't the best idea - since you can find results much faster with Google, Server Fault and SuperUser.

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Beginning Ubuntu Linux - From Novice To Professional [2006] Beginning Ubuntu LTS Server Administration From Novice to Professional 2nd Ed [2008] Linux Bible 2006 Edition (Boot Up to Fedora, KNOPPIX, Debian, SUSE, Ubuntu, and 7 Other Distributions) [2006] Ubuntu Hacks - Tips & Tools For Exploring, Using, And Tuning Linux [2006] Ubuntu Linux Secrets [2009]

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