BILL ROSENBLATT

The first thing users of the Linux operating system come face to face with is the shell. "Shell" is the UNIX term for a user interface tothe system -- something that lets you communicate with the computer viathe keyboard and display. Bash, the Free Software Foundation's"Bourne Again Shell," is the default shell for Linux, the popular freeUNIX-like operating system. It's also a replacement for the standardUNIX Bourne shell, which serves both as a user interface and as aprogramming language. Like the FSF's other tools, bash is morethan a mere replacement: it extends the Bourne shell in many ways. Features include command line editing, key bindings, integratedprogramming features, command completion, control structures(especially the select construct, which enables you to create menuseasily), and new ways to customize your environment. Whether you want to use bash for its user interface or itsprogramming features you will find Learning the bash Shell avaluable guide. The book covers all of bash's features, bothfor interactive use and programming. If you are new to shellprogramming, Learning the bash Shell provides an excellentintroduction, covering everything from the most basic to the mostadvanced features, like signal handling and command line processing.If you've been writing shell scripts for years, it offers a great wayto find out what the new shell offers. The book is full of examplesof shell commands and programs that are designed to be useful in youreveryday life as a user, not just to illustrate the feature beingexplained. All of these examples are freely available to you onlineon the Internet. This second editioncovers all of the features of bash Version 2.0, while still applying to bash Version 1.x. New features include the addition of one-dimensional arrays, parameter expansion, and more pattern-matching operations. bash 2.0 provides even more conformity with POSIX.2 standards, and in POSIX.2 mode is completely POSIX.2 conformant. Thissecond edition covers several new commands, security improvements, additions to ReadLine, improved configuration and installation, and an additional programming aid, the bash shell debugger. With this book you'll learn: How to install bash as your login shell The basics of interactive shell use, including UNIX file anddirectory structures, standard I/O, and background jobs Command line editing, history substitution, and key bindings H