Understanding the Linux Kernel

Understanding the Linux Kernel, D. P. Bovet & M. Cesati

``In the spring semester of 1997, we taught a course on operating systems based on Linux 2.0. The idea was to encourage students to read the source code. To achieve this, we assigned term projects consisting of making changes to the kernel and performing tests on the modified version. We also wrote course notes for our students about a few critical features of Linux like task switching and task scheduling.

We continued along this line in the spring semester of 1998, but we moved on to the Linux 2.1 development version. Our course notes were becoming larger and larger. In July, 1998 we contacted O'Reilly & Associates, suggesting they publish a whole book on the Linux kernel. The real work started in the fall of 1998 and lasted about a year and a half. We read thousands of lines of code, trying to make sense of them. After all this work, we can say that it was worth the effort. We learned a lot of things you don't find in books, and we hope we have succeded in conveying some of this information in the following pages...''

D. P. Bovet, M. Cesati (from the Preface of the first edition)

``The success encountered by this book encouraged us to continue along this line, and in the fall of 2001 we started planning a second edition covering Linux 2.4... As a result, we had to rewrite from scratch two-thirds of the book, increasing its size by roughly 25 percent...''

D. P. Bovet, M. Cesati (from the Preface of the second edition)

We have collected here several bits of information about our books. The page is essentially a link container, thus don't expect too much from it. Be aware that the second edition of ULK is not just a slightly revised version of the first edition: rather, it is a whole new book, explaining the inner details of the Linux 2.4 stable version.

ULK, 2nd edition

Awards

International translations

Reviews

ULK, 1st edition

International translations

Reviews

Academic courses

The book was used (either as a textbook or as a suggested reading) in these academic courses:


O'Reilly & Associates (original) "Understanding the Linux kernel", 2nd edition, December 2002, ISBN: 0-596-00213-0, 766 pages, 49.95 US$. Contact: Andy Oram


O'Reilly Japan ([Japanese title], 2nd edition, June 2003, ISBN: 4-87311-133-1, 870 pages, 5900 ¥). Contact: Ryoko Akaike. Kudos to the Japanese translators!

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O'Reilly & Associates (original) "Understanding the Linux kernel", 1st edition, October 2000, ISBN: 0-596-00002-2, 684 pages, 39.95 US$. Contact: Andy Oram

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O'Reilly France ("Le noyau Linux", 1re édition, Juillet 2001, ISBN: 2-84177-141-5, 692 pages, 53 euros ou 347,66 F). Contact: Dominique Buraud

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O'Reilly Japan ([Japanese title], 1st edition, July 2001, ISBN: 4-87311-048-3, 790 pages, 5800 ¥). Contact: Shinji Nakao or Ryoko Akaike

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Wydawnictwo RM, Warszawa 2001 (Linux kernel, 1st edition, 2001, ISBN: 83-7243-176-0, 634 pages). Contact: Cindy Wetterlund

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Beijing China ([Chinese title], 1st edition, 2001, ISBN: 7-5083-0719-4, 719 pages, 79.00 ?; Contact: Douglas Wan