Linux+ Study Guide, Third Edition (XK0-002) [Paperback] by Smith, Roderick W

Any student preparing for the CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-002) certification exam should have a good study guide that covers all the exam objectives. This book by Roderick W. Smith does so nicely, with helpful hints, study software, practice exams and flashcards. All six domains of the XK0-002 exam (Installation, Management, Configuration, Security, Documentation and Hardware) are well-covered in this 558 page book. Note that this guide covers the most recent version of the exam, which was updated in 2005.

I purchased a used copy of the guide from Amazon.com for a total of $23.98 from the seller tbsbookstore. The price was $19.99 plus $3.99 shipping, with no sales tax. My book arrived nine days later via USPS standard media mail shipping in even better condition than 'very good', as it was described. Included with the guide is a CD containing the custom Sybex Test Engine, with chapter-by-chapter review questions from the book, and two bonus exams not found in the book. The CD also includes flashcards for PC, Pocket PC, or Palm devices. Besides all that, the CD actually includes the entire book in Adobe PDF format. The PDF version of the book, however, can only be accessed with the CD in the drive. If you try to save it for later viewing, you will get a prompt for a password. An interesting fact about the CD software, and one that I think is entirely stupid considering the subject of the book, is that except for the Sybex Test Engine, all the applications on the CD can only be run on a Windows platform.

According to the author, the Linux+ Study Guide, third Edition is written for anyone who wishes to pass the Linux+ exam. While basic knowledge of Linux and computing in general is helpful, the book is written in such a way that even someone with absolutely no knowledge of Linux can, upon reading the book and studying the accompanying software, successfully pass the CompTIA Linux+ (XK0-002) exam. The first chapter deals with the concept of the Linux kernel and how it works with assorted hardware. The basic computer hardware including CPU, RAM, hard drives, sound and video cards, monitors, and keyboards are presented with a short description of each component and how it works with the other components. Subsequent chapters deal with each of the domain objectives covering the Linux+ exam in its entirety, from choosing the right hardware to installing a distribution to maintaining, networking, and securing a Linux based workstation or server.

Though written for novices, the book is laid out in such a matter that skimming through is relatively easy, giving advanced readers a chance to catch a few things unknown or forgotten while quickly getting to the material that they may be unfamiliar with. The PDF form of the book is perfect for selective reading, as each chapter covers a single domain of the exam. Altogether, this is a good study guide for the Linux+ exam, and I would recommend it especially for newer Linux users. Even those just wanting a good introduction to Linux, but with no desire to gain certification, can still benefit greatly from this study guide.