As time has passed, personal computers have evolved to the point that they now can run Unix themselves, rather than just logging in to a remote Unix server. Thus, Unix wasn’t designed to run on personal computers at allit was designed to run on expensive servers, with users logging in remotely from terminals or low-powered computers. Unix has been evolving since the early 1970s, long before the dawn of personal computers. Software giant Corel is even working on a Linux version of its WordPerfect Office suite in an attempt to break Microsoft’s dominance in both the operating-system and office-suite markets.
Linux is a free version that is developed by a group of volunteer programmers on the Internet and has taken the software world by stormmostly because it’s free, it’s stable, it isn’t controlled by any single monolithic corporation, and it doesn’t come from Microsoft. It’s more of a specification for an operating systemin addition to the official Unix versions there are countless clones and variants, including one of the most popular ones around, Linux (
The first thing to understand about Unix is that it’s not one single product from one developer, like the Mac OS or Windows. That’s why, even if you’ve made the solemn vow never to type on a command line, knowing about Unix will help bring the future of the Mac (and perhaps the entire computer industry) into focus for you. Apple is also hard at work on the upcoming Mac OS X, making the power of Unix more friendly and appealing to the average Mac user. New versions of Unix that run on Mac hardware are giving slow Power Macs new life by turning them into screaming-fast Internet servers. And that reputation is somewhat deservedbut that’s not the whole story. Unix has a reputation for being a scary, complicated system that’s the polar opposite of the friendly, easy-to-use Mac OS.
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