Unix
Bell Labs brainchild
Unix is the pioneering multi-user operating system developed at Bell Labs in the early 1970s.
It introduced concepts that shaped all subsequent computing: hierarchical file systems, text-based configuration, and the philosophy of small, composable tools.
Unix spawned an entire family of operating systems—Linux, BSD, macOS—collectively called Unix-like or *nix systems.
She learned to program on Unix. (Lowercase unix sometimes appears in casual or generic references to Unix-like systems.)
Storied telecommunications research institution
- AT&TTelecommunications conglomerate
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- time-sharingSequential resource allocation
- minicomputerMedium-scale computing machine
mainframe · Berkeley · workstation · open-source · GNU · distribution
Seed or essential core
- shellHard outer covering
- filesystemData storage organization scheme
- processesSeries of actions
- daemonsGuiding supernatural beings
pipes · signals · sockets · permissions · inodes · mount · fork · stdin
Text pattern search utility
Divisibility into independent units
- pipesCylindrical fluid carriers
- plaintextUnencoded readable information
- filtersSelective passage barriers
- scriptingWriting executable commands
portability · simplicity · transparency · automation · toolchain · interoperability · extensibility
Bell Labs
Storied telecommunications research institution
- AT&TTelecommunications conglomerate
- 1970sFourth decade, twentieth century
- time-sharingSequential resource allocation
minicomputer · mainframe · Berkeley · workstation · open-source · GNU · distribution
kernel
Seed or essential core
- shellHard outer covering
- filesystemData storage organization scheme
- processesSeries of actions
daemons · pipes · signals · sockets · permissions · inodes · mount · fork · stdin · stdout
grep
Text pattern search utility
modularity
Divisibility into independent units
- pipesCylindrical fluid carriers
- plaintextUnencoded readable information
- filtersSelective passage barriers
scripting · portability · simplicity · transparency · automation · toolchain · interoperability · extensibility
hacker
Unauthorized system accessor
Solaris
Sun's enterprise Unix variant
- text interfacescommand line, console, CLI, terminal, prompt
- computingcomputer, computers, software, hardware, code
- platformspodium, Windows, stage, platform, macOS
- Operating SystemsWindows, macOS, DOS, Debian, Solaris
- Unix/Linuxkernel, bash, GNU, Debian, Ubuntu
- Bell Labstransistor, C language, information theory, cellular network, Telstar
UnixWindows
Microsoft operating system
MS-DOS · Windows NT · DOS · macOS · Microsoft Windows
Unixclosed-source
Software with hidden code
proprietary software · walled garden · Windows · point-and-click · black box