| The Red Hat Linux and Fedora distributions have become one of the major Linux distributions, bringing to the PC all the power and flexibility of a Unix workstation as well as a complete set of Internet applications and a fully functional desktop interface. This book is designed not only to be a complete reference on Linux, but also to provide clear and detailed explanations of Linux features. No prior knowledge of Unix is assumed; Linux is an operating system anyone can use.
Red Hat has split its Linux development into two lines: Red Hat Enterprise Linux and the Fedora Project. The Red Hat Enterprise Linux product line consists of Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS (workstation), Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (entry/mid server), and the Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (advanced server). As a result, the enterprise family products are controlled releases from Red Hat for commercial deployments with new releases issued every two years or so. The second development line falls within the Fedora Project, an Open Source initiative supported by Red Hat. The Fedora releases will be issued every six months on average, incorporating the most recent development in the Linux kernel, as well as supported applications.
The Fedora release consists entirely of Open Source software. Developers from around the globe can contribute to the project following Open Source processes giving them freedom in promoting enhancements, new features, and new applications, while maintaining fast pace releases with the course of rapid online development. Unlike Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the Fedora version of Linux is entirely free and it is not a supported Red Hat product. You can download the most current version, including test betas, from fedoraproject.org. The Fedora Project release will replace the original standard Red Hat Linux distribution.
The Red Hat Enterprise line of products is designed for corporate, research, and business applications. These products focus on reliability, stability, and performance, in addition to supporting multiple processor architectures. They are released on a much more controlled schedule than the Fedora Project versions.
This book covers the current Fedora release, while maintaining compatibility with Red Hat Enterprise Linux. This book identifies seven major Linux topics: Basic setup, environments, applications, security, servers, administration, and network administration. Whereas the book details the latest Red Hat tools, desktops, and kernel features in the Fedora project, it also covers in depth the network servers, administrative tasks, and applications featured in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. |
