Trying to implement Samba as a Domain server.
It took me a few hours to read all the related chapters.
And then followed the steps in the book and 2 Hours later my server was up and running.

Some minor parts are out of date. But it is still the most valuable book I looked at for Linux.

In particular, this book covers the following topics in more depth than the newer boom cited above:
- Fault tolerance and availability, both topics are covered in depth from hardware and software perspectives. This is unique for a book on transaction processing in that most books on the subject confine their scope to software and databases.

- A wide and complete survey of transaction models. True, some of this material is about models that are falling into disuse, but the value is the way the authors go deeply into the mechanics. I've always felt that this part of the book is the most valuable because the principles can be refactored into hybrid models. Moreover, comparing this material with the newer book by Weikum and Vossen shows that these principles are still employed in today's TP solutions.

Material about transaction processing monitors is obviously out of date, but, like the TP models, the principles still apply to contemporary systems. My recommendation is if you are going to buy a single book on the topic get the Weikum and Vossen I cited in the first paragraph. However, if your budget allows, I also highly recommend this book as well because of the depth in which fault tolerance and TP models are covered. If you want to just learn the basics of TP I recommend that you consider "Principles of Transaction Processing" by Philip A. Bernstein and Eric Newcomer because it is less daunting than this or the Weikum and Vossen book (both of which are 1100+ pages).

This is the second book by Elaine Morgan that I have had the pleasure of reading. The other one was "Scars of Evolution," and both books have been an enlightening experience.

Elaine Morgan is that rarity, a scientist who can write so that the layman can understand.

This book deals with the theory--she calls it merely an hypothesis--that early pre-hominids (our ancestors) went through an aquatic period, when they lived in shallow water, which accounts for our relatively hairless bodies, bipedal stance, subcutaneous layer of fat, eccrine sweat gland system, controllable breathing, downward pointing nostrils and other characteristics that make homo sapiens unique.

She discusses other theories put forward by paleoanthropologists and other scientists respectfully, while discussing their flaws, many of which they themselves acknowledge.

I first heard of the Aquatic Ape Theory (AAT) decades ago, when I first read Desmond Morris's book, "The Naked Ape," in which he mentioned the theory briefly. He apparently believed that our pre-human ancestors dropped out of the receding African arboreal environment, hit the savannah running, and shed their fur as they ran in order to cool off. Of course that does not account for the subcutaneous layer of fat which is more characteristic of aquatic animals like the whale, and which functions to provide both warmth and flotation. The AAT made more sense to me, and I have been on the lookout for this book ever since.

Elaine Morgan does not disappoint. Her careful reasoning is welcome and persuasive. I am delighted with both of her books and shall read her latest with interest.

Another valuable insight she shares in this book, which was of great benefit to me, was the diving reflex common to all diving mammals. She said that cold water splashed on the face reflexively causes the heart to slow down, and produces vasoconstriction. When a loved one recently experienced tachycardia, I had the opportunity to use that knowledge. A wet, cold washcloth dropped on her face instantly (within 5 seconds) reduced her 260 per minute heartbeat to a slow, steady, regular beat and saved us an ambulance trip to the hospital.

Thanks, Elaine.

Joseph Pierre

The book's first section lists and discusses equipment in detail, setting a teacherly--not bossy or condescending--tone that continues throughout its many delicious recipes, each of which is followed by tidbits such as when you might want to substitute one herb for another, what might make a good accompaniment, etc. The book is detailed and packed full of tips and suggestions, but it doesn't bury the information so that a beginning cook can't see the forrest for the trees. From scrambled eggs and omlet flipping techniques to stuffed pork chops, this cookbook covers all the basics while managing to treat its readers like the potential gourmands they are: even the scrambled egg recipe makes me feel like I'm sitting down to really appreciate a meal rather than taking baby steps or just "making do" for dinner that night. The authors anticipate common mistakes and questions, explain their terminology, give a range of preferred options for altering a recipe, and, best of all, have included all the information you need for each recipe with the recipe itself--not in an index or introductory section somewhere else in the book.

I love my Joy of Cooking, and I refer to it and the Silver Palate often, but this is the cookbook that I learned from and to which I regularly return. This is a great cookbook for beginners, well-conceived and well-executed, and very well designed.

While some of the recipes are traditional Southern cooking such as fried chicken and biscuits, that is by no means the extent of Cotton Country Cooking. The recipes reflect the diversity of cultures that make up America, and in paricular, the South. There is everything from Creole to German cuisine in Cotton Country Cooking. My personal favorites include Sweet and Sour Meatloaf, Banana Nut Bread, and Boiled Custard.

Are you tired of cooking the same thing over and over for your guests? Cotton Country Cooking is an excellent resource for when you entertain. If cooking is not what you enjoy, there are several easy and foolproof recipes for those times when you just can't get out of having to make something.

In this age of convenience and fast foods, why not treat yourself and your family and friends? Try the recipes in Cotton Country Cooking! They will taste the love.