UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I have been intrested in Unix for a while now. I have used Debian as hobby for couple years (so I understand basics of command line in *nix, but of course it isn't much) and I work in Windows Deskside support (yeah, yeah I know ). Years ago I had a unix course in university (OS was sun os 5 without graphics, and it wasn't really very helpful course, but it gave an overview about stuff). I know my way in Windows command line, but I guess it isn't helpful in Unix.. So basically I am almost-virgin with Unix.

I work for company with offers a lots of online courses (and other kind of courses) for IBM AIX. So from my employer I could get a whole lot knowledge about AIX, BUT of course I wouldn't get my own AIX at home to try and I couldn't use it at work either. Even if I could go to class room course to try it, it wouldn't be same than learning at home. So I was wondering that should I still go for AIX and use some free unix-distro (System V of course) at home (any suggestions?) or should I just focus on some free bsd all together and forget whole AIX and system V?

Thanks a million if somebody bothers to give an opinion about this dilemma :P

Well if you want to run a Sys V based system at home your only real option is Solaris (free to use), although there really is no such thing as a true Sys V anymore. All of the OSes that have grown up from SVR4 have extended in their own ways and diverged from the original.

There is nothing wrong with using a GNU/Linux system such as Debian for learning Unix, although I do think it is always good to learn within the limitiations of the more restricted commands of the 'traditional' Unixes such as Solaris, HP-UX, AIX and the various BSD OSes since it will make it easier for you to cross-over between them and also into Linux if you are not dependening on the various GNU extensions, even if you do later decide to use them.

Personally I like to be flexible with OSes, and try not to get too caught up in which one I am using unless it truely is a platform specific task. A dual boot Solaris/Linux or combination of virtual machines would be a pretty decent compromise.

Thank you for your answer I will look up Solaris. Although I have been thinking that maybe I will buy some old server with AIX from ebay or from work. They don't seem to cost that much really. Couple hundreds euros doesn't kill my budjet At the moment I have one spare PC for Unix so even dual boot is not needed. On this computer there is four OSs already so one more would be one too many.

I am not very happy with Debian so I might ditch it all together. It just doesn't feel right for me and I have no intrest for Gentoo or other Linux distros. I don't say that there is something seriously wrong with them, they just are not for me. There are a few very good linux-applications, but I can run them in Windows with GTK runtime environment so I won't lose them.

And thanks again, I am already downloading Solaris

Apina,

AIX / HP-UX are System V so its applicable to use linux as your base of learning. although some commands are missing or mostly not applicable to AIX / HPUX they both share concepts and fundamentals.

I think that using Linux isn't that good idea. First of all Unix and Linux are different OSs, similar but different. Second reason is that there are lots of similarities, but when you go deeper the differencies start to show up more and more. It's like somebody would like to learn Windows Vista and was trying to learn how to use Vista by using Windows 2000. They have similarities, but at some point the differencies will become a problem. Basic functions and structure is similar that doesn't help very long. Third reason is that there is a different main idea behind Unix and Linux. They are developed from different kind of interest.

So it's better to learn Unix by using Unix.

OK, but there isnt anymore one and only UNIX but a few flavors... and from a user point of vue it is transparent, things change drastically when it comes to administration and architecture.
So the most important question is more what for?
- being a good unix user knowing all unix commands and writing great shell scripts:
solaris is maybe the best deal for the reason given in the first reply...
- master system administration, then the same + follow your AIX admin courses, this will be of great help if you were to use AIX or HP or even unixware (but ok far less compared to the 2 others...) AIX has a great administraion interface alled smit/smitty, HP's equivalent is SAM, knowing on one system the correct way to administer a true UNIX is the most important, you will very easily adapt yourself on other platforms once you master one

I've heard this an awful lot but seldom have specific examples been given; other than dealing with the quirky ancient headers 'traditional' UNIX OSes tend use, what issues are there? And how is the 'main idea' different?