Mac OS X Panther Unleashed (3rd Edition)

With the release of Mac OS X, a fundamental shift has taken place in Macintosh operating systems. The shift is called Darwin, and it's a complete Unix environment underlying the ever-friendly Mac graphical user interface. This latest edition of Mac OS X Panther Unleashed is one of the few Mac OS books that understands the significance of Darwin and takes time to explain to readers--whom, mostly, are presumed to be unfamiliar with using Unix but reasonably competent with the Mac GUI--how to get the most out of it. The message is clear: Even if you're reluctant to commit to Linux or Free BSD, this book can help you use Unix as it exists in Mac OS X.

There's coverage of the graphical applications, as well as the Unix-style command line of Darwin, and you could do a lot worse than to rely on John and William Ray for guidance in getting the most from the iLife applications. Still, the main attraction of this book--the reason it's worth its cover price--is its introduction to Unix as implemented in Mac OS X. Trust this volume to hoist you up the steep Unix learning curve, then watch your overall productivity with your Mac soar. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to use Mac OS X, with emphasis on the Unix underpinnings of that operating system. Coverage fits someone who knows the Mac graphical user interface pretty well, but needs help with Unix.