IDG Books Worldwide, LinuxWorld Magazine Team Up To Produce Essential Linux OpenBook

Business Wire, August 10, 1999

FOSTER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 10, 1999--

Book to be written completely and collaboratively online by

worldwide contributors

IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDGB), leading technology publisher, and LinuxWorld magazine, leading online journal of the Linux community, are partnering to harness the strength and creativity of the Open Source movement in an innovative publishing venture. The two companies are launching Essential Linux(R) OpenBook(TM), to be written by the Linux community, for the Linux community. The venture was announced today at the LinuxWorld Expo in San Jose by IDGB Associate Publisher Joe Wikert.

"Essential Linux(R) OpenBook(TM) will draw almost exclusively from the combined wisdom and expertise of the Open Source community," said Wikert. "What IDGB and LinuxWorld magazine are doing is revolutionary. The book will be written completely and collaboratively online by contributors from all over the world."

Nicholas Petreley, editorial director of LinuxWorld, and Joe Barr, columnist for LinuxWorld, will be project leaders for the open source-generated book. Guided by Petreley and Barr's outline, OpenBook(TM) will be written using contributions supplied by the Linux community of developers and users. Contributors may receive compensation in the form of honoraria based on a formula detailed on the LinuxWorld Web site (www.linuxworld.com).

"Our readers demand vital technical information that is fresh and accessible. OpenBook(TM) strengthens the development process for dynamic content by fostering the vision and expertise of the Linux community with the mentorship of our editors," said Barbara McDonald, Director of Strategic Marketing, LinuxWorld.

The online version of the book will be published under IDGB's Open Content License (OCL), which allows ongoing modification and free downloads. Once the book is completed, a hard-copy version will be made available for sale as a traditional printed book, while the online version will continue to reside on the Web site. In the spirit of the Open Source movement, IDGB will donate a portion of book sales to a nonprofit organization that promotes Open Source software and its future development.

The book will offer detailed tips and tricks from both the client and server sides, and will provide readers a thorough review of such topics as:

-- How to dual boot both Linux/Windows or Total Linux -- Connecting to your ISP -- Configuring the Netscape browser -- Installing new applications, such as StarOffice 5.1 and

WordPerfect -- How to get the most out of your games -- Basic security --

Configuring an e-mail server

ABOUT THE PROJECT LEADERS

Nicholas Petreley is Editorial Director of LinuxWorld magazine (www.linuxworld.com) and Contributing Editor for InfoWorld. Nick ran a programming, training, and consulting firm in New Jersey for several years before joining InfoWorld full time in 1990. He says that decision was made for him due to a mission critical application. He applied to become a full time Christian missionary in Kenya but the mission was too critical of his application, so he joined InfoWorld instead. Nick is a member of the Linux International, Linux.com, and LinuxWorld Expo Board of Directors.

Joe Barr writes "Version Control," a popular weekly column for LinuxWorld. Joe has 25 years' experience as a software developer and has been a personal computing enthusiast since purchasing a TRS-80 Model 1 in 1980. Joe also has his own webzine called Papa Joe's Dweebspeak Primer, which began as a monthly column in Austin's Tech Connect magazine in 1994. Reprints of his columns have appeared in such diverse places as IBM Personal System's Magazine, the legendary underground ezine, phrack, and the Manchester/UK Guardian. Joe's software background includes 13 years with EDS. He has also written/maintained programs in RPG II, COBOL, 370/ALC, BASIC, TIBOL, VISION, PARADOX, CLARION, INFORMIX 4GL, PC FOCUS, C, and C , which have run on everything from Singer cash registers to Texas Instruments Silent 700 terminals to IBM mainframes to PCs.

ABOUT IDG BOOKS WORLDWIDE

IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. (IDGB), headquartered in Foster City, Calif., is a leading global knowledge company with a diverse portfolio of consumer and technology book brands, computer-based learning tools and Web sites. IDGB's best-selling brands include ...For Dummies(R), 3-D Visual(R), Bible(R), Cliffs Notes(TM), Frommer's(R) Travel Guides, Betty Crocker(R) cook books, Weight Watchers(R) dieting and cook books, and Webster's New World(R) dictionaries. The company has more than 4,000 active titles, plus translations in 36 languages around the world. More information about IDGB is available from the company's SEC filings or by visiting the company Web site at www.idgbooks.com. IDGB is a subsidiary of International Data Group, Inc., a leading global provider of information technology media, research, conferences and expositions.

ABOUT LINUXWORLD

LinuxWorld (www.linuxworld.com) is a Web-only magazine dedicated to the technical information demands of professional Linux users such as network administrators, corporate developers, Webmasters, and IS managers who need a basis for sound technical decision-making as they implement Linux and related open source technologies in their computing environments. In each issue of LinuxWorld, these leading enterprise technologists get in-depth editorial and analysis along with an open discussion forum that will accelerate their company's competitive edge.