🚀 go-pugleaf

On 13 Mar 1997 08:41:41 GMT, Jason Stokes <j.stokes@bohm.anu.edu.au> wrote:
>On Thu, 13 Mar 1997 14:54:25 +1000, mostyn <mbramley@scu.edu.au> wrote:
>>How similar is linux to unix?  I want to get on or the other.  Which is
>>better?  If unix, which version is better?  How much does unix cost to
>>buy?  What about x windows?
>
>Hmm... if you are this clue^H^H^H^H untutored (be nice to the newbies,
>Jason, you were one once too (and stop talking to yourself!) ), are you
>*sure* you want a Unix system?

Hmmm.. I guess I'm being a little flippant.  Unix itself is actually a
family of operating systems all of which have a lot of things in common. 
Linux is a free implementation of Unix.  Other free implementations include
SCO and 3BSD, but linux is the most popular, for a variety of reasons
including that it is so gosh darn good.  A good CD-ROM distribution of Linux
costs $40, commercial implementations of Unix on the PC run into the
hundreds or thousands, so it's really no contest for most people.

Linux itself comes with a free implementation of X-windows, called XFree86. 
It also comes with a variety of free software, mostly written by the people
at the GNU project.  The GNU software is generally just reworkings of
"classic" Unix apps, including a truly excellent C compiler.  Outside the
sphere of "system" software, Linux is still a bit weak, but there are
commercial versions of many typical home/office apps, such word-processing,
database and spreadsheet, available at fairly reasonable prices.

I'm hesitant to recommend Linux to everyone though.  It *is* Unix, hence
it's.. ah.. selective about who it makes friends with.  It's great for
learning programming, Unix system administration and it's gained a serious
following in many Internetworking contexts, but if you want to do, say,
graphic design you'd be stupid not to buy a Mac.

Hey, go browse <http://www.linux.org> if you want to know more.

-- 

Jason Stokes: j.stokes@bohm.anu.edu.au
Ph: +61 (06) 291 93 84