The Debian System

The Debian System is a 2005 non-fiction book written by Martin Krafft which deals exclusively with Debian GNU/Linux, detailing its internal workings. The book is mostly for the experienced users seeking in-depth technical knowledge, rather than for beginners.

The Open Source Press book cover

The No Starch Press book cover

The author's native language is German but he decided to write it in Debian's de facto language which is English.

The book was written for publication by Open Source Press and later licensed for co-publication by No Starch Press. The English version is thus released under two different ISBNs:

• ISBN 978-3-937514-07-9, available only in central Europe.
• ISBN 978-1-59327-069-8, available worldwide, notable for its cover featuring a surfing cow.

Due to popular demand, the book was later translated to German, Japanese, and French. A Chinese translation is in the works, and other languages are planned:

• German edition, ISBN 978-3-937514-17-8, translated by Ute Hertzog and Martin Krafft
• Japanese edition, ISBN 978-4-8399-1897-2, translated by Kenshi Muto and Junichi Uekawa]
• French edition, ISBN 978-2-212-11904-6, translated by Raphaël Hertzog and Roland Mas