Fedora Core 3

Reviewed by Major Keary

For those who want to learn how to install and use Fedora Core 3 an excellent guide is available: Red Hat Fedora Linux 3 for Dummies. It comes with a companion DVD that contains the full 9-CD Fedora Core 3 distribution.

This title is not a complete reference, but if you are a Linux novice and want to install Fedora, this is the place to start. If you intend to be serious and get into the hair-shirt command-line stuff, then it will provide a sound foundation. The book is an excellent guide for getting started and runs through to building basic network services (including your own Apache server and how to build a streaming audio server).

It contains the best introductory-level description I have seen of using WINE. Also described are CrossOver and VMware. There are also good accounts of RPM, YUM, and SELinux.

The coverage of security issues is very good, with a detailed discussion of building an effective firewall with the tools provided in Fedora.

I am surprised by just how much information has been packed into this book without cutting the text down to terse notes. Good value. Don't be put off by the 'dummies' label.

Jon Hall and Paul Sery: Red Hat Fedora Linux 3 for Dummies
ISBN 0-7645-7940-1
Published by Wiley, 378 pp. + DVD, RRP $49.95 incl. GST