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Against Intellectual Monopoly - Online Book - This book demonstrates why "Intellectual Property", otherwise known as Intellectual Monopoly, does not foster and protect innovation like the IP pundits claim. PDF format only. (2007)
Asterisk Documentation Project - Asterisk: The Future of Telephony--Online Book - This detailed guide to Asterisk covers installation, configuration, and integration of Asterisk with existing phone systems, without the need for additional hardware. Available for download in PDF format. Published by O'Reilly, 2nd edition, 2007.
Beginning Perl by Simon Cozens - Online Book - Wrox Press, 2000; PDF format.
Beyond Linux From Scratch (BLFS) Book -- Online Book - This book continues the Linux From Scratch book; includes information on networking, X support, sound support and printer and scanner support; also available in French, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. (2007)
Byte of Python - Python Book / Python Tutorial - A tutorial and guide to Python 2.0 and Python 3.0 for all levels of programmers. There are many translations available. Available online or downloadable PDF. (2008)
C++ GUI Programming with Qt 3 - Online Book - See download section for both a PDF version and the source document; Prentice-Hall Profession Technical Reference, 2004. N.B.: This link will be removed as soon as the "C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4" book is available online.
Command Prompt, Inc. - Practical PostgreSQL - Online Book - O'Reilly Books, 2002.
ConsortiumInfo.org - ODF vs. OOXML: War of the Words (an eBook) - Andy Updegrove, a well-known standards guru and blogger, is the author of this eBook project which documents the history and process of the ODF (Open Document Format) vs. OOXML (the Microsoft answer to ODF). This is a work in progress. He invites people to share their knowledge and insight on this subject by posting comments publicly on his blog or via email. An invaluable resource on this important topic. (2007-2008)
Creating XPCOM Components - Online Book - This online book by Doug Turner and Ian Oeschger is about Gecko and creating XPCOM components for Gecko-based applications. (2003)
Data Structures and Algorithms with Object-Oriented Design Patterns in Python - Online Book - Online book by Bruno R. Preiss. (2003)
Debian Developer's Reference - The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the recommended procedures and the available resources for Debian developers. Available for download in PDF format. This guide has been translated into French. Latest version of this guide: 2009-04-03.
Debian GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide - Online Book - A comprehensive book by Graham Williams that covers all the major applications in Debian; a work in progress with frequent updates and revisions.
Dive Into Greasemonkey - Online Book - A book about programming with Greasemonkey, a Firefox extension. (2005)
Dive Into Python - A book for the novice to the pro. For Python 2 only. Translated into several languages. (2004)
Dive Into Python 3 - This book covers Python 3 and its differences from Python 2. Available for download in HTML or PDF format. Translated into Iranian, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. (2009)
DocBook Homepage - The official home page for DocBook: The Definitive Guide.
DocBook XSL: The Complete Guide - Sagehill Publishing, 4th edition, 2007.
Documentation of the GNU Project: GNU Press -- Published Books and Documentation - A list of published books and documentation of the GNU project; also available in Spanish.
Embedding Perl in HTML with Mason (The Mason Book) - Online Book - O'Reilly, 2002.
Firestarter Linux Firewall - Easy to use graphical tools for setting up, administrating and monitoring firewalls for Linux machines. It supports the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels, and is translated into 38 languages. This is a GNOME application, but can be used on KDE and other desktop environments, servers and gateways. Latest stable release is 1.03, 2005-01-29. N.B.: There are still lots of daily downloads of this software at SourceForge.net.
Free Software Sticker Book - This book includes a set of stickers related to free software projects. Both volumes can be downloaded in PDF format. (2008)
GNU Autoconf, Automake and Libtool Book - An expert, nuts-and-bolts guide to using these utilities effectively; site has a browsable online version and related links. This book was published in 2000, but it is one of the best sources for information on these programming development tools. Parts of this book were updated in 2006.
GNU/Linux Advanced Administration - Online Book - This is an excellent Linux system administration book published by the Free Technology Academy, a "virtual university" with support from the European Commission. It covers topics such as networking, server and data administration, the kernel, security, clustering, configuration, tuning, optimization, migration and coexistence with non-Linux systems. Available as a PDF download (18.8 Mb). Also available in Catalan and Spanish. (2009)
GTK+ / Gnome Application Development - Online Book - This book is about Gnome from a developer's point of view; it describes how to write a Gnome application using the Gnome libraries and tools. Published by New Riders. An Italian translation is available.
Git Community Book - This book, written by Git users, is a detailed guide which helps new users to learn Git quickly and easily. Also available in PDF format.
Grokking the GIMP - Learning Advanced Image Editing Techniques - Online Book - New Riders, 2000. This book is now out-of-print, but the online version is still available. Although a little dated, it still contains useful information.
Groklaw - The Daemon, the GNU & the Penguin - Online Book - A comprehensive history of Free and Open Source by Dr. Peter Salus. (2005-2007)
How to Build Your Own PC - Save A Buck And Learn A Lot - Online Book - A great guide for building a PC from scratch; one of the book's strengths is the author's ability to write technical material in an easy-to-understand and enjoyable manner. (2005)
How to Participate in the Linux Community | Linux Developer Network -- Online Book - A guide to the kernel development process by Jon Corbet, Executive Editor of LWN. The purpose of this document is to help developers (and their managers) work with the development community with a minimum of frustration. (2008)
How to Think Like a (Python) Programmer--Online Book - The goal of this book is to teach you to think like a computer scientist within the context of learning the Python computer language. Green Tea Press 2007
IBM Redbooks - A wide variety of computer topics, including Linux; Redbooks, Redpapers, and Technotes; available in PDF format; paper copies can be ordered.
Inkscape: Guide to a Vector Drawing Program - Online Book - An Inkscape reference book, which documents Inkscape versions 0.46 and 0.47. Available online or in PDF format. Translated into French, Italian, and Spanish. (2009, 3rd edition).
Innovation Happens Elsewhere; Open Source as a Business Strategy - Online Book - Aimed primarily at business executives who need to understand the basic concepts of open source and how it will benefit their companies. This book is also useful for engineers who find themselves working in an open source work environment. (2005)
Introduction to Data Communications - Online Book - For Linux users; dated (2000), but basic information on networking and communications is still valid.
LWN: Linux Device Drivers - Online Book - Current as of the 2.6.10 kernel; available in PDF format; O'Reilly, 2005. See the LWN 2.6 API changes page (http://lwn.net/Articles/2.6-kernel-api) for information on subsequent changes.
Life with Qmail - A comprehensive guide to qmail. (2007)
Linux From Scratch - Online Book - Derived from the popular Linux-From-Scratch-HOWTO, this book describes the process of creating a Linux system from scratch from an already installed Linux distribution, using nothing but the sources of software that are needed. (2005)
Linux Installation and Getting Started - by Matt Welsh - Classic introductory Linux book which remains useful. (1998)
Linux Kernel in a Nutshell - Online Book - This book is a comprehensive overview of kernel configuration and building by Greg Kroah-Hartman, one of the leading Linux kernel developers. It is available for free download in either PDF or DocBook format for the entire book, or by the individual chapter from this site. (O'Reilly, 2006)
Linux Newbie Administrator Guide - A complete reference guide for new Linux users who wish to set up and administer their own Linux home computer, workstation or home network. Translated into many languages. A little dated (2004), but most of the information is still useful.
Linux Shell Scripting Tutorial - A Beginner's Handbook - Online Book - This book is for students and Linux system administrators. It provides the skills to read, write, and debug Linux shell scripts using the Bash shell. This is a work in progress. (2009)
Linux in the Workplace - Online Book - No Starch Press, 2002.
Linux-Books Online - Subject-organized database which points to Linux books available at Amazon.com.
Linux-Books.us - Free Linux Books - A selection of Linux books available for download. There are also links on this site to programming and database books.
Linuxtopia - On-line Linux and Open Source Technology Books and HOWTO Guides - Extensive online, technical resources for Linux users; includes guides and books on the Linux desktop, GUI toolkits, security, installation, development tools, books for beginners, HOWTOs, and books on programming and databases.
Maximum RPM; Taking the Red Hat Package Manager to the Limit - Online Book - The classic book on building RPMs. (Red Hat, 2000).
MozillaBook: A User's Guide for Mozilla - For the beginning and intermediate user.
O'Reilly Open Books Project - In partnership with Creative Commons and the Internet Archive, O'Reilly has made available a collection of programming, open source, and Linux-related books for download in PDF format. Most are in English, but there are some available in German and Polish. N.B.: Some of these books are older, but I applaud this initiative by O'Reilly, and hope newer books will be added to this collection.
Open Source Development with CVS - PDF format; 3rd edition, 2003. Translations available in German, Korean, and Japanese. Note: the 1st edition is available in a variety of formats, including online HTML.
PHP: PHP Manual - Complete online version available in several languages
PostgreSQL Book by Bruce Momjian -- Online Book - Addison-Wesley, 2000; contains updates and new chapters for an upcoming edition.
PowerDNS Manual - A detailed manual for PowerDNS, an advanced, high performance authoritative nameserver with a host of backends.
Practical mod_perl - Online Book - Available in HTML and PDF version, along with the source code; distributed under the CreativeCommons Attribution Share-Alike license. O'Reilly, 2003.
Pro Git - Online Book - This book is about all aspects of Git, the version control system developed by Linus Torvalds. On this site you can find the full, online content of the book, a blog with tips and updates about Git, the book, and open source projects related to Git or referenced in the book. Apress, 2009
Producing Open Source Software - This book looks at how to run a successful open source project, concentrating on the human (how to deal with people) rather than technical (infrastructure tools) side of things. The author's use of real world examples to illustrate his points make this book a "must read". Published by O'Reilly; also available online and in a variety of downloadable formats. Released under an open copyright that allows everyone to share and modify the book freely. Many translations available. (2005)
Programming in Emacs Lisp (Second Edition) - Online Book - - Free Software Foundation, 2002.
Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition - Online Book - An excellent book on system administration for popular Linux distributions by Paul Sheer. New users can use as a tutorial; advanced administrators as a reference book. (2002)
Secure Programming for Linux and Unix HOWTO--Creating Secure Software - Online Book - This book provides a set of design and implementation guidelines for writing secure programs for Linux and Unix systems. Also available in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. (2003)
Security Engineering ; A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems - Online Book - A comprehensive security guide to protecting information systems. Wiley, 2001. Ignore the publication date -- this is one of the best security books available. N.B.: Online version contains some updated sections and errata; available in PDF format only.
Slackware Linux Basics - Online Book - This book is an introduction to the Slackware distribution. It particularly targets people with little or no Linux experience. It covers installation, basic Linux commands, and the configuration of Slackware Linux. Available online or in PDF format for Slackware 10.2 and 12.0. (2008)
The Art Of Unix Programming - An online book by Eric Raymond with assistance from the Unix community. Prentice-Hall, 2003.
The Art of Community - Online Book - Jono Bacon, Community Manager for Ubuntu, is the author of this useful book, which discusses the expertise required to recruit members, motivate them, manage them, and make them happy to be part of your free and open source community. He also examines the information needed, ranging from software tools to conflict resolution skills. This is an important book for the Linux community. The PDF download can be found just above the Comments Section. It can also be purchased from O'Reilly. (2009)
The Big Book of Linux Ada Programming - Online Book - An invaluable resource for information on the Ada programming language for Linux. N.B.: some sections have not been written yet. Latest update is 2007.
The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual - Online Book - How the Internet will change business and our lives forever. A classic. (2001)
The Concepts of Free Software and Open Standards - Online Book - This is a comprehensive book on all aspects of free software and open standards published by the Free Technology Academy, a "virtual university" with support from the European Commission. It covers such topics as: the concept of software freedom, legal aspects, developers and their motivations, economic considerations, and history of free software. Available as a PDF download (3.2 Mb). Also available in Catalan and Spanish. (2009)
The GNU Privacy Handbook - A comprehensive guide to GnuPG.
The Hardware Book (HwB) - A free reference guide to electronics. It contains a huge collection of hardware specifications and information for connectors, computers, adapters, cables, and circuits.
The Linux Cookbook - Tips and Techniques for Everyday Use - No Starch Press, 2002.
The Linux System Administrators' Guide - An introduction to system administration of a Linux system for novices. (2003)
The Open Book Project - This project is aimed at the educational community and seeks to encourage and coordinate collaboration among students and teachers for the development of high quality, freely distributable textbooks and educational materials on a wide range of topics.
The Open Source Way - Online Book - The purpose of this guide is to help people understand how to and how not to engage with the open source community over projects such as software, content, marketing, art, infrastructure, and standards. It contains knowledge distilled from years of Red Hat experience. (2009)
The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind - Online Book - This book takes a coherent look at the development of intellectual monopolies in recent times, and how the ideas of open source can free the digital commons from these monopolies. Available for download in PDF format or online. (2009)
The Revised Slackware Book Project - A comprehensive guide to Slackware available in a variety of formats including HTML, DocBook source, PostScript, and PDF; translations of this book to non-English languages are well underway. (2005)
The TCP/IP Guide - Online Book - One of the best sources for information on the TCP/IP protocol available today; written in a clear, concise manner, and is suitable both for the expert as well as the beginner. (2005)
The Zope Book - The best documentation available for Zope. Links to the 2.5 and 2.6 editions can be found here. Available online and in PDF format.
The redhat.com Red Hat Documentation Page - One of the primary sites for Red Hat documentation. Includes manuals, books, and technical whitepapers. Available in HTML or PDF format.
Ubuntu Pocket Guide and Reference - Online Book - A compact (170 pages) yet comprehensive guide to everyday Ubuntu use. Downloadable in PDF format. (2008)
Using the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) - A manual on how to use the GNU compilers, their features and incompatibilities, and how to report bugs.
Version Control with SVK - Online Book - This is the online home of Version Control with SVK, a free book about SVK, a new version control system designed to supplant everything else out there. This book is a work-in-progress for version 1.04 of SVK. SVKA is Perl-based, decentralized revision control system which uses Subversion's underlying file system.
Version Control with Subversion -- Online Book - An online book about Subversion, a version control system. Available as an HTML or PDF version for online viewing or download. Latest versions available are: Subversion 1.4 2007 and Subversion 1.5, 2008.
VoIP-4D Primer - Online Book - This guide, geared to both technical and non-technical readers, deals with building voice infrastructure. The examples in this guide provide essential background for building low-cost telephony systems. Available for download [1.8 MB] in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish. (2006)
Why's (Poignant) Guide to Ruby - Online Book - A work-in-progress online Ruby book for beginning coders which reads like an illustrated novel.
Wireless Networking in the Developing World - Online Book - A practical guide to planning and building inexpensive telecommunications infrastructure; particularly suitable for people who have little or no Internet access. Available in PDF format only. Site has a wiki and mailing list. (2nd edition, 2007)