Introduction

From SLGfG

This book is principally about the SuSE Linux distribution, but it also covers a lot issues of Linux systems in general. Linux distributions in general share most of their functionality with each other. There are only very few, very specialized distributions which have their own way of administration and may need more time to get used to then the vast majority. Usually the switch from one distribution to another is not very painful, most concepts are alike and only a few things differ. But to get the optimal performance out of your Linux box, its good to know about all little tricks the distribution maker build into the system.

I worked for SuSE for about five years and experienced the excitement around Linux from the early beginnings, up to the Linux boom we see happening at the moment. In this time I was part of several teams within the company. I helped developing the distribution, wrote chapters for the first versions of the SuSE manual, did support for newcomers and commercial users, and was responsible for SuSE's internal network and the public accessible servers.

During this time, I learned that documentation is a big problem. There are manuals and howtos for specific tasks. There are books available for special issues and in the last couple of years quite a lot of newcomer manuals have been published. The SuSE manual is intended to help the user installing the distribution itself and can also be sorted into the newcomer category.

What I was always missing is the intermediate level. Focused on the advanced user, who nows how to run a Linux system and who likes to understand all the little issues connected to the distribution he's using. And this is what this book tries to be, an advanced users manual. If you are looking for an introduction into SuSE Linux and you never used Linux before, this is the wrong book for you. There are a couple of other titles available, who will do you a better service. If you are looking for detailed descriptions of single services, this is also the wrong place to look, get one of the specialized titles and you'll probably find the information you are looking for. This book will give you a good understanding of SuSE Linux as a system. It talks about all the little differences, that set SuSE apart from the other distributions. It also talks about general issues like file systems, system boot, network services, security and development of RPM packages. But always focused on the SuSE distribution.

This book is for you, if you are using SuSE Linux for a little while and you like to dig deeper into the system. Or if you are a system administrator using SuSE Linux machines in a professional environment. This book is also helpful for software developers, who want to know how to make the best use of the SuSE Linux system.

When IDG books asked me if I'd like to write a book about SuSE Linux, it was very clear to me that it has to be the book that contains all the answers to the questions I heard so often while I was working for SuSE. I found Terrehon Bowden as an excellent editor. As I'm not a native English speaker, there was no way for me to write a book in English on my own. Terrehon did an excellent job filling this gap and translating my gengish into actual English language.

I hope you enjoy reading the book and you find the answers you are looking for.

Bodo Bauer, September 1999