EDIT: As of 11/20/2024 - This post has been restored pretty much "as is" for now.
I'll be back with more updates soon.
Click here or on the book cover above to find it on amazon.
A Must Read If You Spend A Lot Of Time In Linux
Click here to see this review on amazon.com
This is the exact review I left on Amazon.com. I’m sharing it here because this is the foundation of an extended book review project that I intend to build upon over time. I hope you’ll join me on this journey and dive deeper with me to learn more about Linux.
And without further ado, I proudly present to you, the review…
The author, Muhammad Umer, is taking me from an intermediate Linux user to advanced by deep diving and describing the kernel level concepts in a way that is quite technical yet digestible. The C code samples he gave became readable instantly and I really appreciate that. As a developer in other languages I feel more confident that I could take a shot at writing some C code for custom Linux services now that I understand how the abstractions for the Virtual FileSystem (VFS) use interfaces with the kernel and userspace (applications) at a low level. He gently takes you to the depths of these concepts but makes sure you understand the supporting concepts before beginning that journey. You can also follow along (in your favorite distro) as he gave us the commands that work universally. I appreciate that.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I was compelled to continue reading upon completing the chapters because Muhammad introduced the following chapters almost like a teaser to wet your pallet for more information. I enjoyed his writing style as it kept me engaged, informed, entertained and looking for more. As a fellow technical writer (of blog articles currently) I really appreciated his uncomplicated explanations of complex concepts.
In conclusion, he is generous with references that are both technical and non-technical. For example when he is explaining how directory entries map inodes (serial numbers for files) to their corresponding filenames, he uses the ubiquitous Domain Name System (DNS) as an example reference. If that’s not enough he reinforced the point with a star maps reference from the Star Wars franchise. (see excerpt) Both references connected me to Muhammad through the tech culture and pop culture which not only helped me to understand the concept but also gave me a level of comfort to continue reading.
In conclusion… for now.
I will be extending this review soon because Muhammad goes much deeper. I just don’t have time right now to cover it, but I will. Hopefully you’ll check back in with me later to see the updates.
If you made it this far you’re the real MVP! 🏆
Thank you for reading, I hope you found value in my review. 🎁