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Linux is cool, but it's not always well documented. There are tons of inconsistent HOWTO files, out of date FAQs, and programs scattered everywhere. Whenever you want to do anything with Linux, you usually have to read every piece of documentation out there, and basically reverse-engineer a solution.

Many Linux books for non-geeks are organized by major system, with a chapter on installation, one for video, one for sound, one for networking, and so on. But what if you want to write a book? Or record an album? Unless you can dig around on the web to find someone else doing the same thing, you are out of luck. Unless, that is, you have The Linux Cookbook.

Michael Stutz has used Linux exclusively for over a decade. He was the first to apply the "open source" methodology of Linux to non-software works, and was one of the first reporters to cover Linux and the free software movement in the mainstream press. His "Living Linux" column runs on the O'Reilly Network. His website is available here.