Pros & Cons of Unix

Unix has some good points and some problems.

UNIX is an open-source operating system. It is used by many engineering, research and design institutions. It is not very intuitive, but once learned it provides more control over your computer than some other operating systems.

UNIX Pros

"Open-source" means you may modify the code, so you may tailor your operating system to your particular needs. There is no GUI (graphical user interface) between the user and the computer, so you have more direct access to the computer. For example, you may address the hardware ports, which is impossible with Apple or Windows.

UNIX Cons

UNIX is a lot less intuitive than the point-and-click icon-based systems used on most PCs. Most UNIX systems have no mouse. UNIX is command-based, so you must learn a lot of commands before you may do anything.

Linux

Linux, a version of UNIX, works on PCs. In some businesses, the PCs run Linux because a Linux-based machine can do a lot more than a PC with a more-user friendly operating system. The Linux operating system is popular with techies who want complete access to the computer without having to buy an expensive workstation.

References

• Computer Hope: Unix, Linux, and variant history
• CiberCiti: Difference Between Linux and UNIX
• University of Surrey Department of Electronic Engineering: UNIX Tutorial for Beginners

Resources

• Garrels: Pros and Cons of Unix