Personally I found it disappointing as it seemed to take the view that the only UNIX in existence since 1992 has been Linux. A better title would have been the Art of Linux Programming or the Art of Open Source Programming. Not in anyway a classic or essential reading.

'The Practice of Programming' and 'The UNIX Programming Environment' are much better introduction to programming and the tao of UNIX programming than the Raymond book.

> Personally I found it disappointing as it seemed to take the view that the only UNIX in existence since 1992 has been Linux.

Raymond had a significant financial interest in promoting linux vs other systems.

"and an absolute must for anyone starting out on a programming career"

How does a person starting out know which parts of this are relevant and which are not? For example Mac OS is addressed pre OSX. Ok so maybe that's obvious to anyone as outdated but what about other things that have changed since 2003?

> How does a person starting out know which parts of this are relevant and which are not?

I think this is why I think that a weathered mentor is a boon to learning -- they can pick out the learning resources that they've used that are actually good, which saves the mentoree(?) a lot of time.

(But then of course I'd say this, I recently became one by accident...)