The Mac OS X Command Line: Unix Under the Hood
The Mac OS X Command Line: Unix Under the Hood
Kirk McElhearn
438 pages. Sybex, 2004. $35
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Reviews: OMUG “The Mac OS X Command Line is the perfect book for teaching the OS X command line. If I were to teach a class in Mac OS X Unix, I would choose this book as the class textbook.”
- Master Unix for Mac OS X
- A Step-by-Step Tutorial on Using the Mac Command Line–No Experience Required
- Includes Tips, Shortcuts, and Advanced Coverage for Experienced Users
- New to the Command Line? No Problem
- Learn How the Command Line makes Managing Your Mac Easier
- Between-Chapter “Interludes” Provide Special Perspectives on a Wide Range of Command-Line Principles and Tasks
The Mac OS X command line offers a faster, easier way to accomplish many tasks. It’s also the only way to use many commands that aren’t accessible from the GUI. The Mac OS X Command Line: Unix Under the Hood is a clear, concise, tutorial-style introduction to all the major functionality provided by the command line. It’s also packed with information that experienced users need, including little-known shortcuts and several chapters devoted to advanced topics. This is a book to get you started, but also a book you won’t soon outgrow.Learn how to work under the hood of Mac OS X without breaking a sweat using this all-new addition to Sybex’s reputable suite of Mac titles. Employing a skill-level approach to the command line, this unique book works for all Mac users from beginner to experienced. First get familiar with the fundamental commands then tackle complex tasks, such as modifying users, groups, and permissions. Finish up with advanced system maintenance and management techniques.
A logical next step to Sybex’s best-selling Mastering Mac OS X, this book offers timesaving ways to work more efficiently. Includes a Foreword from Adam Engst, the publisher of TidBITS.
Coverage includes:
- Using Terminal, the gateway to the command line
- Making Terminal easier to use with shortcuts
- Configuring your shell: bash and tcsh
- Navigating your file system in Terminal
- Moving and copying files from the command line
- Accessing hidden files with Terminal
- Editing configuration files with command line text editors
- Finding any kind of file or content using simple commands
- Printing from the command line
- Archiving, compressing, and decompressing files
- Managing users, groups, and permissions
- Accessing network volumes and the Internet using simple commands
- Managing programs and processes
- Using system maintenance commands
Read more articles in this category: Mac OS X Command Line
Posted: 3/7/2006 by kirk | Filed under: Apple & Mac OS X | 7 Comments »
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Congrats on the publication, Kirk. Speaking from experience, the combination
of the Unix command line and the Aqua graphical interface makes Mac OS X a
pretty unbeatable combination. :-)
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You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers: Ask Dave Taylor!
Thanks, Dave, I certainly agree! I hope my book is as successful as yours!
Sorry for the Novel But.
This book might just have saved me alot of time and trouble. While waiting for My new Mac Mini with the Superdrive option and maxed out ram The ´less than 3 year old Travelstar harddrive in My more than 4 year old Powerbook Pismo decided to make a headcrash 2 days ago. Furtune would have it That I made a backup of my iPoto libary containing 5 CD last week. Even though I have all my Software CD´s and the Software i bought thrugh the web backup to my iDisk as well as alle my serial numbers on the iDisk I really hated the idea of having to Install it all from scratch. Reading the index of the book I discovered the how to backup your harddrive with ditto Interlude. I know I could do the same with Carbon Copy Cloner, but the idea of doing it from the command line really facinated me. Being a little lazy I disconnected my Airport Connection. Locked in as root made a script with the the things listed in the book. Reformatted my Firewire harddrive and unchecked the Ignor permissions (Which I wouldn´t have thought about if the book had not warned me) Right now the Computer is Sitting on the desk at home happily cloning its contents to the firewire harddrive. Thus far all my Applications has been moved to the new disk. When I left for Work it had moved alot of the Users to the new harddrive but it seems to have trouble with moving one of the files from my own User acount (Might be stored in the sector where the headcrash orcurred) I will know though then I return home;-)
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question My Computer just Crashed
answer Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
The book really did save my ass. I am writing this from the firewire harddrive
connected to my powerbook. All my programs works. All my Documents are
intact;-)
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question My Computer just Crashed
answer Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This the book, however, I am waiting for the new and updated Tiger version ;^) AND there is a new book, Mac OS X UNIX 101 Byte Sized PROJECTS nipping at its heels now. However your discussion on ftp beats it hands down.
I don’t remember reading why Apple shifted from the tcsh to bash in the first place, and from what I have been reading in the apple discussion the high wizards seem to be extolling the zsh (possible book there eh?)
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trav
It’s been a long while since I have had a chance to visit the book. Heck, it was hidden away out of sight for a very long time.
Now we are up to OS 10.5 and a new look for Terminal. So I was wondering if iTerm is still the hot app to use?
There are certainly other Terminal applications, but I use Terminal, because it’s there, and because I don’t see the need for other apps. With Leopard, they added tabbed windows, which was something that other apps offered, and which is very useful.