"Absolute OpenBSD" from No Starch Press

For Immediate Release
May 29, 2003
To schedule an interview, or request a review copy or cover art, contact 
Janet del Mundo at janet@nostarch.com or 415.863.9900.

NO STARCH PRESS TO PUBLISH "ABSOLUTE OPENBSD": THE FIRST COMPLETE GUIDE TO 
OPENBSD
Independent publisher to release the ultimate guide to the world's most 
secure operating system

San Francisco, CA - OpenBSD users believe that without security, there is 
no freedom. For OpenBSD users and security conscious people everywhere, No 
Starch Press announces the publication of "Absolute OpenBSD" (by Michael W. 
Lucas, ISBN 1886411999, $39.95, 504 pages, July 2003), the first book 
dedicated to this powerful and famously secure operating system.

With the amount of hacking activity on the Internet at an all time high, 
security is fast becoming the primary concern for system administrators. 
OpenBSD is popular among the security conscious because it has fewer 
security holes than any variety of Linux or Windows. "OpenBSD is the most 
secure networked operating system in the world," says author Michael W. 
Lucas. "In many operating systems, security is either an afterthought or an 
add-on. OpenBSD has integrated a 'practical paranoia' into every layer of 
the operating system. While the operating system trusts nothing, it still 
allows you to do useful work."

Theo de Raadt, founder of OpenBSD says, "People have been clamoring for an 
OpenBSD-specific book for years. Michael has stepped up to provide one." 
Lucas, who also authored the critically-acclaimed "Absolute BSD" (No Starch 
Press), developed his new book with the support of the tightly-knit OpenBSD 
community. "I had extensive feedback and encouragement from the OpenBSD 
community, including the project lead. Dozens of OpenBSD developers and 
users reviewed the initial manuscript."

No Starch Press is no stranger to interaction with Open Source communities. 
Bill Pollock, founder and president of No Starch Press, notes the 
communities role: "This book would not have happened without the continued 
dedication of the OpenBSD community. Our previous experience with other 
Open Source communities definitely helped speed the process along."

"Absolute OpenBSD" gives both novice and intermediate OpenBSD users 
unfettered access to this highly-secure operating system. It includes 
friendly explanations, background information, troubleshooting suggestions, 
and copious examples throughout. Readers will learn how to:

* Install and configure OpenBSD, in both dedicated and multi-boot installs
* Implement security features found only in OpenBSD, such as Systrace, a 
system call access manager
* Construct firewalls with "pf," the innovative OpenBSD packet filter
* Make software management quick and effective using the ports and packages 
system
* Encrypt filesystems and disk swap for better system security

For experienced UNIX users who want to add OpenBSD to their repertoire, 
there is now an ultimate guide: "Absolute OpenBSD."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael W. Lucas, author of the critically-acclaimed "Absolute BSD" (No 
Starch Press), has been working with BSD-based operating systems since the 
late 1980s. His column, "Big Scary Daemons," for the O'Reilly Report is in 
its third year. He has worked for several years as a consultant 
specializing in security, intrusion response, and network management.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Table of contents: http://www.nostarch.com/frameset.php?startat=openbsd_toc
Sample chapter:  http://www.nostarch.com/openbsd_ch6.pdf

ABSOLUTE OPENBSD
Michael W. Lucas
ISBN 1886411999
504 pp., $39.95, $59.95 (Cdn)
July 2003

To order from No Starch Press-email: orders@nostarch.com or call: 
800.420.7240 or + 1 415.863.9900

ABOUT NO STARCH PRESS
Since 1994, No Starch Press has published unique books on computing, with a 
focus on Open Source, security, hacking, web development, programming, 
gaming, and alternative operating systems. Our titles have personality, our 
authors are passionate, and our goal is to make computing accessible to 
everyone.

Contact: Janet del Mundo, janet@nostarch.com or +1 415.863.9900.

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