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[OT] NT as a second language for native UNIX speakers




This is off-topic, strictly speaking, but I do want input from this
forum. Apologies all around.

Beyond any reasonable doubt many of you guys (and girls) have to
administer NT in addition to Linux and other unices. It looks like I
am to administer an NT machine - not by choice, believe me. Life
sucks.

I need a source - probably a book - that would kickstart me on NT
administration quickly and serve as a reference. I do not believe that
the bloody thing is self-evident. I do not believe I can do without
documentation. I have tried whatever online help comes with the
system, and it is not intuitive enough for me, I don't know of an easy
way to search it (there probably is, but I have not managed to figure
it out yet), the principles are not clear to me at this point, etc.

I am sure that any search, be it Amazon.com or Dionon, will result in
a long list of titles. I am a priori sure that most are lousy and some
are excellent.  This is where I count on your input to make a smart
choice (or a few smart choices).

Requirements:

1) It must cover administrative tasks and maintenance (as opposed to 
   programming etc). More like "Essential System Administration"
   rather than "Advanced Programming In the UNIX Environment", if you
   know what I mean, Pooh.

2) It should describe concepts clearly, and be comprehensive at the
   same time. I need a useful reference source for the future.

3) [Clinch!] It should be suitable for someone who is fluent in
   UNIX/Linux, but does not know the Microsoft grammar.  It shouldn't
   assume that the reader is a certified M$ engineer or anything like
   that, nor should it assume that the reader is a certified dummy.
   Put another way: it should assume that the obvious things are
   obvious, but nothing Microsoft-specific is. I don't need a lengthy
   explanation of the concept of files or directories, but I do need
   to know how the filesystem is organized (anything like FHS/FSSTND
   there?). I am sure you got the picture.

4) No problem if it is expensive

5) This is probably separate: interaction between Linux and NT. Yes,
   I know where the standard Linux documentation repositories live,
   still, maybe there is something less obvious, maybe there is a
   particularly good source you'd like to recommend?

In short, pretend you don't know anything about NT or 98 or 95, assume
you've never met a wizard or stroked a 2-button rodent, but without
detriment to any of your other qualifications. Which of the many NT
books that you've seen would you prefer to get started and keep on
your desk as a reference? Any useful URLs (not tidbits - I am
interested in comprehensive resources at this point)?

Sorry again for a partly off-topic question, and I don't mind personal
emails if you are concerned about the signal-to-noise level on the
list. Thanks in advance,

-- 
Oleg Goldshmidt | BLOOMBERG L.P. (BFM) | oleg@bfr.co.il
"... We work by wit, and not by witchcraft;
 And wit depends on dilatory time." - W. Shakespeare.

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