What Is UNIX?

UNIX is a multi-user, multi-tasking Network Operating System.

UNIX was first developed in 1969 by AT&T for a DEC PDP platform and throughout the 80s was ported to many different hardware platforms, made possible through licenses to the source code. AT&T also made their source code available to some US universities, one of which was Berkeley University, and they developed their instances of UNIX.

By the mid 80s there were two main variants of UNIX source code available to computer manufacturers:

• System V Unix from AT&T

• BSD Unix from Berkeley University

All of today’s UNIX implementations are derived from one of these. Virtually identical to the user, but some key differences in the startup/shutdown architecture. 

Linux is not derived from the source code of UNIX, but is UNIX Look-a-like operating system, a complete code rewrite, and available as Open Source and often free software. The Linux Portfolio article describes Linux.

You might be interested in our blog article called Unix/Linux Ramblings.

PTR offers a range of generic and variant specific UNIX training courses:

Linux & Unix courses