From: Kremlin Vostok
To: ask_tim@oreilly.com
Subject: Cabling
Dear Tim,
Hello. My name is Robert Brott. I am an 18 year old University student at Monash University in Melbourne. I am studying the Bachelor of Computing, and will be taking a specialization stream in the Bachelor of Network Computing next year. I have been interested in computers since mid-1997, and have been a 'netizen' since that time.
As is exemplified in my choice of course, I am particularly interested in computer networks, including both it's hardware, cabling and software implementations. I have had little contact with Unix thus far, but have been aware of it's existence for around a year, and unable to pursue it's installation and use because of my final year studies at high school (which got me where I am now). Since that time, I have had my "summer of 69", and am now firmly back on the ground and pursuing a career in a network computing context. I have researched the various *NIX's available, and for the purposes of networking (which is really the only thing I would like to use a *NIX for at this stage anyway) FreeBSD seems to be it.
To this extent, I write to you not only on my behalf, but on the behalf of the FreeBSD community as a whole, in which I have already assumed an active role. I have already purchased several of your UNIX books, specifically TCP/IP Network Administration, DNS and BIND, and I hope to acquire many more - each book in the collection is, IMHO, brilliant. Unfortunately, however, there seems to be no book on FreeBSD. It would seem that this ommission is one which should be rectified, as FreeBSD is an extremely popular Internet/Intranet server solution, and it lacks adequate documentation. It might be an idea that the "Using Unix" book or the Essential System Administration book is divided into several books, with more specific information for Linux, FreeBSD, etc. I hope something can be done about this, as I believe such books would be infinately popular, especially if written in the manner the rest of your books are written in :)
Secondly, another disappointing ommision from your range (not to mention within the context of computing literature as a whole), is the absence of a book on cables, connectors, design issues, maintenance practises, the tools required for such work, how to use them - an all in one cabling book, covering copper, fiber optics etc. with perhaps a discussion on wireless technologies as an appendix. There is currently about 2 books out there on this topic, neither of which are any good. If a firm such as yours, with the best reputation for good books there is, was to publish such a book, there is no doubt in my mind that it would be an instant success.
Thank you so much for your time. It would be an honour if I could recieve a reply to this e-mail, to know whether to wait for the books or not :)
Many thanks again.
Robert Brott
kremlin@primus.com.au
Good questions, Robert. I wish I had good answers.
We really ought to have a book on FreeBSD. After all, it's the operating system underneath the world's largest website (Yahoo!) as well as countless other internet sites. It's a great operating system.
We foolishly turned down Greg Lehey's offer on his FreeBSD book some years back. (It was subsequently published by Walnut Creek CDROM, and is still available from them, or from any number of online booksellers.) It's quite a good book, I understand.
At the very least, we should do a FreeBSD in a Nutshell, to go with Linux in a Nutshell and UNIX in a Nutshell for Solaris and System V.
(In other words, we're open to proposals.)
As to cabling, I agree that this would be a great book to have. We actually had the fabulous Evi Nemeth under contract to write such a book once, but she didn't have time, and eventually she returned our advance check uncashed. I still dream of that book. Since Evi can't do it, we'd love someone else to send us in a proposal. We're also looking to hire an editor to focus specifically on networking, and if we find someone, we'll get that person working specifically to develop a book like this.
--Tim
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