The author is not only technically proficient, and in detail; but his love for the subject matter is clearly evident. Debian is a treasure. Yes, it's can be frustrating to new users; but, the rewards far out-weigh any negatives. I love Debian!

As a professional system administrator who works with a variety of different linux distributions as well as a the full panopoly of different unix-like operating systems (Solaris, freebsd, linux, etc) I purchased this book to gain a greater insight into the debian specific ways and methods of linux administration. I found that the book does a very good job at describing the methods and motiviations of debianistas but it was, in my opinion, far too concerned with the intricacies of software packaging and distribution. This would be a great book for someone looking to contribute to debian's development process or software developers looking to target debian based distros directly by ensuring inclusion in the mainstream repositories. If however you want a book with a good insight into how to run/admin debian systems this is not the one...

If you use Debian you want this book. I believe I saw that a newer version may be coming out. Debian has pretty much settled on how they do things now and this book should be useful for many future releases.

I bought this book because I wanted a good understanding of the operating system I'll be working with well into the future. It book covers the Debian system in great depth, more than half of the book is about package management. Once you read it, you'll understand why Debian is so stable.

It starts out with a brief history of Debian, it's concepts and philosophy, then goes on to outline the developer hirearchy, archive structure and the process taken for package movement from sid to the final release. Then moves thru installing Debian and dealing with packages using dpkg, apt and other utilities. There is so much in this subject, I couldn't put the book down for a second. You'll learn how to upgrade your system and software from different sources, tells you what to back up and how to make scripts to 'copy' your installation to another computer and lots of other stuff. I found this section particularly well explained and documented.

The rest covers system log and config files, network interfaces, devices and security. Kernel packages, mixing releases, forums, bug tracker, manual packaging and maintaining your system

This book is not about Linux. It's about Debian with a strong accent on it's package management system. I've only read half of this book so far, but have gained a lot of knowledge, particularly the art of installing the 'latest' software packages and a good understanding on the use of apt-get and aptitude and maintaining a clean system.

I give this book 10 out of 10. If you use Debian, this book is a must-have, along with a good Linux book.

Have been utilizing Linux for +5 years- primarily main-line distros with an "RPM-based" flavor. My continued favorite and primary distro is Mandriva, which I've used solidly through multiple releases. In my quest for options/alternatives I have reviewed, installed and used: Fedora-Red Hat, Knoppix, OpenSuse-Suse, Libranet, Gentoo, and Debian (Sarge). Kept coming back to Mandriva.
However, of late have really committed to opening up and expanding my Linux capabilities and adopting an optional Linux Distro. After much thought and assessment- ideal choice was Debian and it's recent release of Etch. Next step was what "public" reference books were available and recommended. Obvious choice was Kraft's "Debian System".
After acquiring and reading- concurrent with an actual on-going install of Debian Etch my assessments are:

1. Good overall intro and background on Debian: philosophies, intents, goals, and charters.
2. OK background and data on the "Debian-specific" environment aspects. Although, some items are getting a bit dated, and some areas not covered as in-depth as they should be: wireless, consistent install methods, system configuration options, XOrg environments.
3. Kraft goes to great lengths to delve into the "Apt-get" areas of Debian with extensive study of dpkg features. However, little depth is given to the formally Debian-endorsed services of Aptitude (datedness of the book?).
4. Definitely more coverage and specifics on "Sources" management under Debian; with caveats and dangers of "mixed" environments (unstable, external resources..).
5. Much more depth and clarification of Init/start-up uniqueness of Debian; Performance options, and recommended Debian "sensitive" software options for consideration
6. Additional coverage should be given to Kernel aspects, unique module-assistant aspects of Debian, and multi-Kernel environments for those wishing to pursue advanced configuration options.

Overall, a comprehensive and multi-faceted tome on the Debian environnment; which definitely needs some updating, refocusing, and inclusion of new materials. Finally- Debian is now my official "optional" distro and a great choice! A distro which I intend to use and support for a great many years..