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Title: Linux+ Study Guide: Exam XKO 001 (With CD-ROM) by Roderick W. Smith ISBN: 0-7821-2939-0 Publisher: Sybex Pub. Date: 15 September, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.38 (8 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: One of the best available
Comment: I've been a fan of certification books from Sybex for some time and this one is up to the usual standards of quality and content. One of the things that I like best about their books is that they are one of the few publishers who provide both the information needed to pass the exam and the information needed to actually work in the real world. Generally my experience has been that there are good books that provide practical knowledge and good books that provide the information to pass the certification exams. But there are very few that provide the information to do both.
All the common networking and administrative tasks are covered in detail including installation methods and problems, security, file services, and troubleshooting. The author does an excellent job of walking the reader through all the various processes step by step and explaining each item in detail including little quirks to be careful of. In addition each chapter ends with a chapter summary, as section on exam essentials that summarize exam critical items, a summary of commands covered in the chapter, a key terms list, and review questions and answers. The book even includes a CD with a test engine, two exam preparation exams, and flashcards. I've taught Linux at the college level both for certification and for practical application purposes and this is one of the best books available for the new or only minimally experienced Linux user who is seeking to pass the certification exam.
Although I do consider this one of the best certification exam books on the market I do have a few items that I did not like. First, the graphical installation instructions in the book are for the Mandrake distribution of Linux. This is not a problem for exam preparation and since that is the purpose of the book it is really not a problem. However, in the real world, at least here in Florida, RedHat is a much more common distribution and I would have preferred to see the screen shots reflect a RedHat distribution than Mandrake. The graphical installation method is the only place where this makes any difference of consequence and even the novice can figure it out with a little patience and thought. The second item is that the index is rather skimpy given the amount of material in the book and all the items covered. All the major items are in the index but many of the important minor items are not. For example, if you wanted to know what ipchains is about or iptables then you would not find them in the index at all. For purposes of the certification exam the main thing you need to know about them is that they are related to setting up a firewall. Well, there is an entry in the index for firewall but not for ipchains or iptables. If you knew to look up firewalls to know about ipchains then you would have gotten the question right and would not need the entry in the index. If you missed it and wanted to know what they are you are out of luck. Finally, it does not cover hardware well enough to pass the exam. While this is a shortcoming of this book, I have not found any other Linux+ study guides that do any better of a job, this is a problem with all of them.
Even with the small index shortcoming, the "Linux+ Study Guide" is still one of the best sources for learning what you need to know to pass the certification exam. Since all the guides are too shallow on hardware, the only factor that keeps this one from being the best of the best in this category is the skimpy index.
Rating: 4
Summary: Best Linux+ book if you've Hardware experience...
Comment: A few months ago, i've taken the Linux+ exam. I've passed the Exam just reading this book and some Troytech exam crams. But wait! don't go out running to buy this book, I'm a CompTIA A+ too. So, i've experience with Hardware details. The exam is 60% Linux and 40% Hardware. Just take this book and an A+ book and you'll be ready!
Good Luck!
Rating: 1
Summary: buy only if you have vast hardware troubleshooting experienc
Comment: I'm an MCSE, A+, and passed all of those with ease. This book lacks hardware troubleshooting, hardly talks about it at all except for a couple of questions on SCSI in the practice questions. On the CD, chaper 7 doesn't work, and the bonus exams cover material not even in the book. IMO this book was quickly put together with the demands of the publishing house, and/or the author wanting to go on vacation. It doesn't cover the objectives and the practice questions are easy and don't explain why every wrong answer is wrong, just why the right answer is right, very incomplete. I failed the test by 35 points out of 900, a real kick in the teeth for a guy who graduated CS Summa Cum Laude. There were many questions on the test which had no mention in the book, even a flavor of Linux not covered. The only value the book has to me now is as a decorative peice in my bookcase, a paperweight, or emergency toilet paper should a nuclear holocaust occur. The people who gave it 5 stars IMO probably liked it because it's casual in it's writing and easy to read, especially for an experienced Linux Admin, but without that experience you're unprepared. Just my 2 cents.
Ryan
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Title: Security+ Study Guide by Michael A. Pastore ISBN: 078214098X Publisher: Sybex Pub. Date: 21 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
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Title: Linux+ In Depth by Jason W. Eckert, M. John Schitka ISBN: 1592000622 Publisher: Premier Press Pub. Date: 11 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $39.99 |
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Title: Server+ Study Guide by Brad Hryhoruk, Diana Bartley, Quentin Docter ISBN: 0782140874 Publisher: Sybex Pub. Date: March, 2002 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
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Title: Linux+ Certification Bible (With CD-ROM) by Trevor Kay ISBN: 0764548816 Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub. Date: 15 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $59.99 |
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Title: Network+ Study Guide (3rd Edition) by David Groth ISBN: 0782140149 Publisher: Sybex Pub. Date: 10 December, 2001 List Price(USD): $49.99 |
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