Okay, here's a key phrase, "Operating System", or better known as OS. This
is crucial stuff if you want to sound computer-savvy. An operating system is a set of
programs that control your computer's hardware (like your printer, mouse, monitor) and software
(like this web browser or Microsoft Word). The most popular OSes today include Windows,
Macintosh, and UNIX. There also used to be this OS called DOS, but hardly anyone remembers that
anymore.
So, what's so cool about UNIX you ask? Here are some reasons:
- Programs for UNIX tends to be cheaper and sometimes even free so you can just get them off the web.
- Some people are giving away versions of UNIX, like Linux (the one with the cool penguin in the santa hat).
- A good deal of internet stuff is done on UNIX, so learning UNIX could help you with that.
- Unixruns on any hardware so you can pick your favorite PC or Mac (side note: I personally like PCs)
- Unix was built for scientific and professional users, so it's more powerful and flexible than most platforms.
- Multi-user system that gives each user a private view, but allows them to share data, programs, processing power, peripherals (like
printers), and security.
- Multi-tasking capabilities that runs one application in the foreground and others in the background
- Multi-programming that runs programs in a queue to allow them to share CPU time.
Now onto the history. UNIX was developed about 30 years ago. The inspiration for UNIX came from the programmers at MIT's Bell Labs, who
created MULTICS. They envisioned an operating system with remarkable data sharing skills, but alas, due to its physical
(hardware)limitations, this did not prove to be true. With similar hopes and dreams, the great computer programmers Ken Thompson and
Dennis Ritchie created their brain-child UNIX in assembly code, which had the ability to file share among individuals.
Thus the first version of Unix was born. In their generosity, Thompson and Ritchie shared UNIX with several companies, where it inspired
many subsequent versions. Among them is XENIX from Microsoft, which was known for its memory sharing, improved security, text
manipulation utilities and utilities for writing code. Another one came from Santa Cruz Operation called SCO-UNIX, which
featured new improvements including random password generation and sysadmsh which allowed an administrator to supervise UNIX. Another
noteworthy version is Berkeley Software Distribution, known by most computer geeks as BSD. BSD was created at UC Berkeley and
made significant contributions to UNIX's legacy, such as the test editor vi, a C shell, file names up to 256 characters long, and the ability
to store files on remote computers.
Alas, the differences amongst this varied group of talented programmers brought inevitable incompatibility between their UNIX
applications. Attempting to bridge the gaps, AT&T brought forth their own creation, UNIX System V Release 4. SVR4, its more
popular name, had the best qualities of its forefathers (Unix System V Release 3, BSD, and XENIX). Furthermore, it had improved its security
system to government standards and defined source code between UNIX and application. Further down the line came Advanced Interactive
Executive, AIX. It is known as an UNIX platform designed for Unix designed hardware. AIX also has a menu-styled maintenance system
called System Management Interface Tool (SMIT) and the InfoExplorer which provides all necessary Unix information online. The
most recent addition to this long line of UNIX systems is Linux, a smaller version of UNIX meant for PCs and laptops.
So the family history ends here with 'baby' Linux, but the future looks bright and promising. Who knows, maybe you'll get your name in
this history someday...meanwhile, keeping going through the rest of the pages.
[How the Organization Works]
[Navigating through UNIX]
[Transfering Information Through Middlemen]
[Exercising UNIX Influence at Home]
[Examples]
References]
© Tina Hsiu-man Young, Nov. 1999
