Parts of the book, and Who They're For

This book is divided into two major sections. The first section is for anyone that needs to know how to use RPM on their system. Given the state of the Linux arena today, this could include just about anyone, including people that are new to Linux, or even UNIX. So those of you that think that

ls -FAl !*|less

is serious magic (or maybe even a typing error), relax — we'll explain everything you'll need to know in the first section.

In the book's second half, we'll be covering all there is to know about building packages using RPM. Since software engineering on Linux and UNIX systems requires in-depth knowledge of the operating system, available tools, and basic programming concepts, we're going to assume that the reader has sufficient background in these areas. Feel free to browse through the second half, but don't hesitate to seek additional sources of information if you find the going a bit tough.