Can anyone give a suggestion.

[seawarrior]

Hi,
This is my first post on this forum and I am getting started with Linux. Can anyone give me some advice on this online PDF book.
Its called: An introuduction to Linux, A hands on Guide and its written by Machtelt Garrels. Its Edition 1.27 and I need some advice. Any suggestions on other books would be good also.
Thanks,
Sam

[allwimb]

I don't think that you need a book to understand GNU/Linux. All you need is to use it all the time. And if you don't understand something or you don't find how to do something you can ask in forums, IRC or ask google. Believe me it's easy

And Welcome to the GNU/Linux world.

[elija]

The problem with books about major open source projects, even e-books, is that they can often be out of date by the time they are published. If you are used to closed source and proprietary software, the pace of change in the FOSS world can be a little disconcerting mostly though, it is a good thing as ideas are born, tried and evolve or die quite quickly.

That's not to say there will be no valuable information in them but changes in GUIs can lead to confusion. The most upto date information will be available through the communiies using the software through wikis, forums and such.

[hazel]

The problem with books about major open source projects, even e-books, is that they can often be out of date by the time they are published...
That's not to say there will be no valuable information in them but changes in GUIs can lead to confusion.

That's certainly true of books written at the "For Dummies" level - they may be good of their kind but they tend to focus on the most changeable part of Linux, i.e. the user interface. Some of the older books which focus more on the basic structure of Linux, file system, utilities and so on, don't go out of date. I always recommend Running Linux. It's the book I cut my teeth on.