COMP421
Unix Environment for Programmers
Lecture 01: History____________________________________________

Jeff Wiegley, Ph.D.
Computer Science
jeffw@csun.edu

08/29/2005

     

“...the number of UNIX installations has grown to 10, with more expected...”
–Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson, June 1972

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The beginning________________________________________

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Early capabilities:____________________________________

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Growth by extension:________________________________

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Commercialization:__________________________________

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Flavours:______________________________________________

Many different brands of “Unix” were created to address particular needs or support specific hardware.

Hardware issues aside, Dissagreement on politics motivated the branching of Unix into various flavors.

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Comparison with Windows:________________________



Unix Windows/DOS


Good Bad
Multi-user originally single user
Multiprocess DOS not multiprocess cable
Security features present at conceptionsecurity features tacked on
Windowing environment seperate Windowing (now) integrated
Shared Libraries (.so) dynamic link libraries (DLLs)
Networking features added early networking features tacked on late
Historically better design decisions 640K/2GB limits poorly chosen
Complex configuration streamlined configuration
Flexible/extensible Heavily proprietary
Poor desktop market penetration Deep, Wide spread penetration
multiarchitecture x86 specific (recently changing)
Course filesystem security granularity Fine filesystem security granularity
FREE (as in “beer” and “rights”) Costly and resistance is futile


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