Press Release
November 18, 2004
"Knoppix Hacks": Use Knoppix to Its Full Potential
Sebastopol, CA--Knoppix fans are familiar with the story of its creation:
how Klaus Knopper created a bootable Linux CD distribution so he could
take his favorite open source tools with him wherever he went, rather than
opt for the expense of a laptop and the additional the worry of losing or
damaging it. With Knoppix, as he called his distribution, Klaus was able
to go from computer to computer and get right to work with an operating
system and environment that were familiar to him, without the need to
install software on every computer he encountered. Over the years, he
improved hardware support for Knoppix until it was able to recognize and
automatically configure much of the hardware it came in contact with.
"Many people only view Knoppix as a Linux demo disk, a job it does perform
quite well," notes Kyle Rankin, author of Knoppix Hacks (O'Reilly, US
$29.95), "but even from the beginning, Knoppix was used to get real work
done."
And people continue to use Knoppix to get real work done--at a rate that's
growing by thousands daily--but, as with many open source tools,
documentation is scarce. "Knoppix is a very flexible CD and is useful for
anyone from a beginner to an expert," says Rankin, "Knoppix Hacks
follows this idea by creating a range of hacks that the beginner trying
out Knoppix for the first time can learn from and the expert in his
day-to-day job can use to add to his knowledge."
Rankin's book shows readers how to use Knoppix to its full potential,
including the steps to use it as a desktop distribution, a rescue CD, and
more. "You'll find ways to use Knoppix that you may have never considered,
and you may even think of ways to use Knoppix beyond what this book
covers." Rankin claims that he started his work on the book as a Knoppix
fan but by the time he had finished writing down the number of things it
could do, he wound up a Knoppix zealot.
"I have used Knoppix and other CDs for rescue purposes for years and loved
the idea of putting together all of the different problems you might
encounter with a computer with the solutions to the problems all using the
same CD," says Rankin. "In Knoppix Hacks I wanted to create a book that
a sys admin would reach for first in a crisis because both the tools and
know-how to use those tools would be in a single place."
Knoppix Hacks includes everything new users need to get started,
including Knoppix on CD-ROM. The tips and tools in the book show readers
how to use the software on the CD to troubleshoot, repair, upgrade,
disinfect, and get work done on any computer with a CD drive. With
Knoppix, users can:
Test drive a Linux desktop without the need to install Linux
Troubleshoot and repair Linux and Windows systems
Create a thin client network with just one CD
Replace a web server or firewall in an emergency
Perform a security audit on your entire network
Virus scan a Windows computer from the safety of Linux
Customize Knoppix for personal or business use
From beginners to gurus, readers of Knoppix Hacks will discover
ingenious tips, clever customizations, and time- and resource-saving tips.
If you didn't carry a Knoppix CD around with you before reading this
book, odds are you'll find yourself carrying one when you're done, if not
passing out copies to your friends.
Early praise for Knoppix Hacks:
"One or two Knoppix books are out there...but what sets Knoppix Hacks
apart is not that it is one of the few available on the subject, but
rather Rankin's skill in exposing the underutilized potential in the
Knoppix tool set...This is one of the liveliest technical books I've read
in a long time. A few of the easier hacks can be found on Knoppix.net or
elsewhere but I think Rankin has managed to put the majority of Knoppix
related material in one book that could be subtitled the 'First Knoppix
Manual.' The admin hacks, in particular, will add a whole new arsenal of
Knoppix wonders to an admin's repertoire. Kudos to O'Reilly for publishing
such an outstanding volume, to Rankin for compiling some damn useful
material, and to MacGyver for inspiring many of us to look for simple
solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems."
Rating: 10/10
--Mary Norbury-Glaser, Slashdot.org, November 2004
"This is probably the first Hacks title that transcends the Hacks
philosophy and becomes a 'user manual' on Knoppix. There just isn't
anything out on the market like this book, and once you read the material
you quickly realize how much you've been missing by not having a Knoppix
CD in your CD case. This is an incredible book on an incredible tool that
is much more than what meets the eye. Highly recommended."
--Thomas "Duffbert" Duff, www.twduff.com, November 2004
"Many techies and hackers recognize that Knoppix is a great tool and have
added it to their toolset. Knoppix Hacks is a wonderful complement to
Knoppix. I recommend it to both experienced sysadmins and newbie hackers."
--James Pryor, NewsForge, November 2004
Additional Resources:
Knoppix Hacks
Kyle Rankin
ISBN: 0-596-00787-6, 336 pages, $29.95 US, $43.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
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