By Claude Cantin
This course is intended for people not familiar with the UNIX/linux operating system, but familiar with other computer systems such as MS Windows, DOS or VMS. It is meant as an introduction for beginners to help them understand concepts behind the UNIX/linux operating system. Intermediate users may find the course useful as a refresher.
Up to 2003, most of the command examples used throughout the text were performed using a Silicon Graphics O, running IRIX 6.5. But since September 2003, the hands-on portion of the course is done using the linux (SuSE 8.2, then 9.0) operating system, which means most commands are now done with linux. SGI systems running IRIX, Sun systems running Solaris, Hewlett-Packards running HP/UX, IBM RS/6000s running AIX and most PCs (and other architectures) running linux use most of the commands described in this manual. They use the same basic commands, although some of the options used may vary slightly between the different architectures.
In specific cases, the book uses commands based on linux. The distribution used was SuSE version 7.3 and newer.
Notes:
- This book refers to various UNIX derivatives running on ``workstations".
- The author's definition of ``workstation" includes systems such as the Sun Microsystems SPARCstation family, the Silicon Graphics Personal IRIS, Indigo, Indigo, Power Series, Challenge, Power Challenge, Onyx, Power Onyx, Indy, O, Octane, Origin and Altix families, the IBM RS/6000 series, the HP 9000 model 700 and 800 families, the Compaq AXP families (systems running True UNIX), and 500+ MHz PCs running one of the linux distributions.
- Although most sections refer to UNIX in general, some refer to a specific architecture. Others may refer to NRC-specific topics. Those sections are generally clearly indicated.
- This book also refers to various linux distributions, notably SuSE 7.x and 8.x, and Red Hat 7.x and 8.x.