OpenBSD Journal

OpenBSD book round-up

Contributed by Dengue on from the read-more dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes : "A number of books covering the OpenBSD operating system have recenntly been announced or released.

Here is a round-up of books on OpenBSD:

"Absolute OpenBSD"
UNIX for the Practical Paranoid
by Michael W. Lucas
ISBN 1-886411-99-9
http://www.absoluteopenbsd.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1886411999/qid=1057831229

"OpenBSD: Implementing the Secure UNIX Platform"
by Brian Carter
ISBN: 0-7645-3933-7
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0764539337.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0764539337/qid=1057831450/

"Building Firewalls with OpenBSD and PF"
by Jacek Artymiak
ISBN: 83-916651-4-3
http://www.devguide.net/books/buildingfirewallswithopenbsdandpf/

"OpenBSD Firewalling"(German language)
by Jörg Kütemeier
ISBN: 3826609395
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3826609395/ "

(Comments are closed)

Comments

  1. By KryptoBSD () KryptoBSD@uncompiled.com on http://www.uncompiled.com

    Out of the list I'll have to stick with the guys at NSP, specifically Michael. I was dissapointed he didn't come to Rubi-Con this year, two years ago he came and gave out fliers/coupons to buy Absolute BSD.

    I must say the cover art on "OpenBSD : Implementing the Secure UNIX Platform" by Carter looks appealing and if I was searching through computer security and wasen't familiar with OBSD, I would probably wonder what that was all about. Wiley and Sons also have a great publishing history behind them as well.

    Anyone know about a 'History of *BSD' book? God knows theres enough of it.

    Comments

    1. By hacho () on

      ... the cover art on "OpenBSD : Implementing the Secure UNIX Platform" by Carter looks appealing...

      I'm not sure what that book covers, whereas with Jacek Artymiak's "Building Firewalls with OpenBSD and PF" I feel I know what I'm bargaining for. So, if there is no info from the author/publishers, I'll wait for some user reviews and go for Artymiak's instead.

      Comments

      1. By KryptoBSD () KryptoBSD@uncompiled.com on http://www.uncompiled.com

        Well I'm not sure if you read my entire sentence which went on to say:
        ...and if I was searching through computer security and wasen't familiar with OBSD, I would probably wonder what that was all about.

        But the point of it was to say that maybe the Linux user who is cruising down the aisles of Borders sees that interesting cover/color on a typically bland array of books and would possibly take a gander into what OpenBSD is.

        In your context I agree with you, but thats not how mine was intended to be perceived as.

        I think it's probably also important to note that Artymiaks book by name and name alone talks about OpenBSD and PF only, whereas Carters book would most likely give insight into firewalls, typical system security (removing suid bits off files which don't need them, in example), and probably a history/background into OpenBSDs efforts of security. Guess we will just have to find out. :)

        Comments

        1. By hacho () on

          My comment was not a critique to yours. My apologies if you percieved it that way.

          The title, "OpenBSD: Implementing the Secure UNIX Platform", is suggestive but does not unveil much. Not without at least a table of contents.

          On the web page's description, the only thing that might be somehow relevant to the book is:
          The first book available on OpenBSD security, filling the need for detailed documentation that is generally lacking in open source technology

          which is a poorly written comment imho:

          • It is NOT the first book available on OpenBSD security if we take into account Building Linux and OpenBSD Firewalls (which of course, wasn't written with OpenBSD only on mind).
          • There has always been a detailed documentation on OpenBSD, namely the MAN PAGES.

          If I have to press on the "Add to cart" link, at least I'd like to know a bit of what am I going to be buying.

          I find the cover appealing as an OpenBSD user, but then I find it more appealing the polo shirt with the blowfish or any tshirt in the same page.

          Comments

          1. By KryptoBSD () KryptoBSD@uncompiled.com on www.uncompiled.com

            I find the cover appealing as an OpenBSD user, but then I find it more appealing the polo shirt with the blowfish or any tshirt in the same page.

            :)

    2. By Eric Wayte () ewayte@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu on http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~ewayte

      Kirk McKusick's chapter in 'Open Sources' is the best I've seen on the history of BSD. He also offers a video on the history of Unix at Berkeley on his web page.

  2. By earx () on

    U forget openbsd gazeeter ;)

  3. By dawg () on

    Got my book in the mail yesterday for those who are waiting. So far, I would say it is for beginners but I have only read 70 pages so that may be unfair. I am no OBSD rocket scientist so it is okay with me!

    Comments

    1. By Michael W. Lucas () on www.absoluteopenbsd.com

      Yes, it's certainly for beginners.

      The goal of the book is to bring more people into OpenBSD, not to teach the hard-core users things about an OS they've probably already mastered. :-)

      Still, I was told by a few of the more experienced tech reviewers that they learned something from it, so you may well learn something as well.

      (And I *still* haven't seen my copy yet... sigh.)

      Comments

      1. By jm () johnmark@nostarch.com on http://www.nostarch.com/

        Michael,

        That's weird. You should be getting yours Real Soon Now. Let me know if you don't.

        -JM

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