Unix for Advanced Users

1. Introduction

1.2. Why Use Unix?

• Universally used for high-end number crunching applications
• Wide use in CAD/CAM arena
• Ideally suited for scientific visualization
• Preferred OS platform for running internet services such as WWW, DNS, DHCP, NetNews, Mail, etc. due to networking being in the kernel for a long time now.
• Easy access to the core of the OS (the kernel) via C, C++, perl, etc.
• Stability of the operating environment
• The availability of a network extensible window system (X11)
• The open systems philosophy

Unix was founded on what could be called a "small is good" philosophy. The idea is that each program is designed to do one job well. Because Unix was developed by different people with different needs it has grown to an operating system that is both flexible and easy to adapt for specific needs.

Unix was written in a machine independent language. So Unix and unix-like operating systems can run on a variety of hardware. These systems are available from many different sources, some of them at no cost. Because of this diversity and the ability to utilize the same "user-interface" on many different systems, Unix is said to be an open system.