UNIX Programmer's Reference

Containing current commands, options and keywords, this text employs examples of when and why to use various syntax. The book is designed for both new and experienced programmers who need a reference for the existing commands and their options, as well as the differences and similarities among the different versions of UNIX, including AIX, SCO, SR V and Linux, amongst others. UNIX is a collection of user and system programs, called an operating system, that runs on equipment of essentially any size made by nearly all manufacturers. Although the UNIX operating system was initially developed at AT&T's Bell Laboratories, the code was licensed by the University of California at Berkeley, where significant development changes took place. Additionally, several UNIX system manufacturers added on new features or modified the operating system to meet particular needs. The result is that UNIX is not a single operating system, but rather is many slightly different flavours of the same general operating system. The various versions fall into two camps: those derived from AT&T's System V and versions that have their origin in Berkeley's BSD code.
To compound the complex issues arising from such division, the two camps often incorporated each other's code and ideas. In recent years, efforts to "unify" UNIX have been extensive, producing versions that have more consistency. From the user's perspective, nearly all commands work the same in the most recent versions of UNIX, however, what difference do exist can be annoying. The book is alphabeticized for quick access. Features include: references essential UNIX commands from all major platforms; example solutions; and facilitates access to appropriate commands through the "Command Reference Charts". John Muster is the author of "UNIX Made Easy".