Why Linux Server Hacks, Volume Two?

The term hacking has a bad reputation in the press, where it used to refer to someone who breaks into systems or wreaks havoc, using computers as their weapon. Among people who write code, though, the term hack refers to a "quick-and-dirty" solution to a problem or a clever way to get something done. And the term hacker is taken very much as a compliment, referring to someone as being creative, having the technical chops to get things done. The Hacks series is an attempt to reclaim the word, document the good ways people are hacking, and pass the hacker ethic of creative participation on to the uninitiated. Seeing how others approach systems and problems is often the quickest way to learn about a new technology.

Linux Server Hacks, Volume Two came about because today's sysadmins need to deal with a vast number of situations, operating systems, software packages, and problemsand also because our original title, Son of Linux Server Hacks, was rejected. The original Linux Server Hacks is a great bookboth authors owned it before starting this projectbut there are many more hacks, cool tips, and ways of resolving problems that sysadmins face than can fit in a single volume (one that mere mortals can lift, that is). The power and flexibility of Linux means that there is an incredible amount of great Linux software out there, waiting to solve your sysadmin problemsif you know about it. Hence Linux Server Hacks, Volume Two. This book discusses some of our favorite software packages, how to use them to make your life as a sysadmin easier, how to best keep all the systems you're responsible for up and running smoothly, and how to keep your users happy (even if they may not know or appreciate just how wizardly you've been).