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Linux Programming By Example
There are plenty of books on this topic as any trip to the bookstore will show. Where this book excels compared with other Linux programming books is its consistent focus throughout. Other books tend to explain a multitude of concepts without relating them back to a real-world example. In Linux Programming By Example, the author introduces a concept, and explains it with an example. In the last chapter, the author integrates the knowledge he's presented, utilizing many of the book's concepts in building a simple CD-Database program. Of course, not all of the concepts relate to the final CD database (The chapters TCP/IP Programming, The Sound API and Using the Mouse are not referred to in the final program), but it's helpful for beginning programmers unsure how all of these pieces fit in the bigger picture of a working program.
Begin at the beginning
Linux Programming By Example begins with topics that don't get covered until the end of many books. The book starts by discussing how to use GCC and make on a Linux machine, and how to create a Makefile. It's always puzzled me why some books don't cover the compiler or the make process until the end of the book. What's the point in that? Granted, chapters in debugging and RCS are left to the end of the book, but presenting key concepts in the development process early in the book helps the reader to get a better feel for how all of these concepts interrelate in a Linux/UNIX environment.
Moving forward
From the basics of compilation and making programs, the book moves to the basics of a Linux system in Part II: System Programming. This is where the book truly shines. In the section on processes, Wall discusses the elements that make up a process, how to manipulate a process, and why you would want to do this anyway. The book assumes no prior UNIX knowledge, but doesn't plod along like most introductory texts. In the section on signals, the book defines what signals are, early signal APIs and their issues, POSIX and Linux signal APIs, and how to use signals and signal sets. In this chapter, the author not only lists the signals supported by the Linux system, but also other signals supported by POSIX and other UNIX systems. While this might sound confusing, the author takes time out to explain which signals are really important in a Linux environment. This is a key reason why this book retains its readability without losing depth. Each chapter in the System Programming portion of the book retains this format -- not only demonstrating what the topic is, but also where this fits in a Linux/UNIX system and why you would even bother to know this in the first place.
What's good?
Linux Programming By Example is clearly aimed at getting programmers up to speed on not only programming Linux systems, but also POSIX based systems. Wherever possible, the author makes a point of pointing out the POSIX way. This book could have been easily called POSIX Programming by Example. The author also makes no bones about implementation issues with Linux and the POSIX or System V way of implementation. The book clearly states where Linux falls short of the full POSIX standard, and where pitfalls with porting code from other systems may occur. It's a refreshing change from other beginner texts which assume the reader will discover these pitfalls on their own.
So what's in it for me?
If you're looking for a quick, effective way to get up to speed in Linux and UNIX programming without breaking the bank, Linux Programming by Example is the book to take you there. This book is designed for programmers who are familiar with programming on other systems but haven't dealt with Linux before.
You might have trouble locating this book, since QUE let it lapse for a while, but there should be another batch hitting stores soon. You won't be disappointed.
You can purchase Linux Programming By Example from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
I've been looking forward to a book like this - I hope it'll wean me off my years of windows programming and step up into the majors...
It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
Amazon: Used & New from $8.49 [referral]
B&N: Not Stocked [referral]
Bookpool: Not Stocked
Looks like the best bet is going to be half.com or a used bookstore - kind of an old text.
Discusses how LINUX works at the system level by learning how and when to manipulate processes, send and catch signals, and use calls, and how to manipulate and read pipes and FIFOs.
This book actually sounds really good, for advanced and beginner programmers that are new to linux/unix...
You can purchase Linux Programming By Example from bn.com
I started to purchase books from Amazon.com once I realized that BN doesn't post bad reviews. Maybe they do now though.
As much as Amazon may have patented a stupid thing, they don't seem to censor comments. Many books have many bad comments. And, that is why I am happy to buy from them.
Have you read my journal today?
If your getting modded down it's because you bring nothing to the table. Take for example your post here:
subject: who would want to program for linux?
you don't get paid..
First, that's a troll if we ever saw one. Because 1) there are millions upon millions who program for linux now. 2) they do it for fun, not money. 3) some do it for money too. 4) some do it just for the money. 5) who ever wrote a program they got rich off of? Careful here, remember that Bill Gates bought his first program to sell, and stole many others (or built on the work of others) after that. Microsoft makes money by SELLING software. Not writing it. There is a significant and subtle difference.
Moving on:
Welcome to America, land of capitalism..Is Microsoft hiring?
If I'm not mistaken, America is the land of the free, not the land of capitalism. Capitalism (in it's purest form) has nothing to do with money. A capitalist form of finance stops being capitalism as soon as any one person or company has the ability to create an artificial barrier to competition (and that's whether or not they do actually create the barrier - it just has to be possible). In short - Capitalism depends on a free market, which you don't have if there are barriers to competition in an industry. So much for America being the land of Capitalism. Indeed, you misunderstand capitalism entirely. Capitalism centers around the individual. The individual has the final say and right in _any_ situation - Microsoft on the other hand is anti-capitalist in that whatever the programmer makes belongs to the company he works for. This is a violation of the programmers right to do what they want their own ideas. For example, if you helped write Microsoft's media-player, and had an ingenious idea on how to do it better, you could not leave the company and create this new player based on the knowledge you gained at Microsoft. You'd get sued into oblivion, even if you didn't use Microsofts IP to do it.
The GPL on the other hand entitles the original author some degree of control over his work - if you wrote the original you (the individual) have the right to use the GPL or not (you can even re-licence _your own_ code to companies who don't want the restrictions of the GPL... just make sure it's ALL your code that your re-licencing), and entitles you (the individual) to place restrictions on how your work is used. Get it? Capitalism depends on the individual having rights that supercede the greater interest. Corporations supercede the right of the individual for the good of the company.
And finally, if Microsoft is hiring, what difference does that make to you? Even Microsoft has standards.
My cube. My friend. My solace. My prison.
I will never buy a QUE book. They publish a lot of "me too" crap, so they can jump on the bandwagon and make money off of whatever is the hot new thing. New Riders and Wrox, on the other hand, have a number of valuable titles on programming. I've bought a few, including: "Beginning Java" (WROX), "Beginning Linux Programming" (WROX), "Advanced Linux Programming" (New Riders), "VI Improved - VIM" (New Riders). These are all very high quality books (especially the VIM book - absolutely outstanding!!!). Well organized and easy to follow. I've noticed that QUE books have the appearance of containing a lot of information, but are disorganized when you sit down to read the material, and they just don't do a good thorough job of covering the topic.
Interestingly, you can read online the full versions of the New Riders books I mentioned here.
(If you have trouble with that link, go through the New Riders home page and search for the titles.)