UNIX
From Hackers-IL
UNIX is a family of operating systems, that share many common features. UNIX Originated from AT&T Bell Labs in 1969, and has been enhanced in many places around the world until today. (during which it is still developing). Part of the reason that made UNIX survive through the various external developments was the fact that it was implemented almost entirely in a high-level programming language (ANSI C), and also shipped with the source code, that was in many cases Open Source.
UNIX is still very successful. While the most commonly used operating system for desktop computers, and to a smaller extent for servers is Microsoft Windows, almost every other non-embedded computer runs some sort of UNIX. And, as of 2004, UNIX is slowly eating the relative marketshare of Windows.
The various UNIXes include: Linux, the BSDs (including Mac OS X), Solaris, IRIX, HP/UX, Tru64 (formerly Digital UNIX and more formerly OSF/1), SCO Unix, and AIX. The various flavours of UNIX are relatively compatible among themselves (usage-wise and API-wise), but with many differences that the programmer that wishes to write portable code should be aware of. As of 2004, it seems that Linux has become the dominant UNIX, and all UNIXes will converge to it in time. Plus, most UNIXes can be made more similar to GNU/Linux by installing the GNU utilities there.
Some UNIXes, like Linux or NetBSD are portable to many architectures. Others are vendor-specific, and some originated from one architecture and eventually were ported to a different one. All UNIXes can be ported, because the lion's share of their code (including most of their kernels) is written in portable C.
As of 2004, UNIX is the operating system of choice of most computer hackers. Those hackers that still work on Windows are either quite clueless, or are "forced" to do so from some reason. It should also be noted that there are now more developers working on Linux alone than on Windows. (more if you take other UNIXes into account). The situation may not be as bright in Israel, but it is getting better.
