Features and advantages of UNIX and Linux

Surely you are wondering what advantages UNIX can offer compared to modern systems today. After all it is a computer dinosaur with decades of history behind it.

Here are some of the features of UNIX that place you in an advantageous position against your rivals.

UNIX is a multiuser operating system and multitasking.

This means that it is prepared to be used by several users and that it can keep several processes running simultaneously.

For this reason, it is very appropriate for university environments, where there is usually a very powerful (and expensive) large system that is used simultaneously by several users.

This way you can get better results with a very powerful system shared by multiple users, than with several smaller teams. UNIX is specially prepared for it.

It is likely that someone told you that UNIX is a very complex and difficult to use system. The truth is that UNIX is easier to learn than other systems, but once you have become accustomed to using it, it will be easy to use. And it is that UNIX is very consistent.

For example: orders always have the same syntax and use the same options to indicate the same, it is always possible. Therefore, after getting used to handling a few UNIX commands, it will be easy for you to learn the rest.

UNIX, and above all Linux, have a multitude of extremely powerful applications. Framed in the GNU project are compilers, Web browsers, word processors, etc.

UNIX is very stable and robust. It is very well prepared to make independent the different programs in execution, so that the failure of one does not affect the others.

This robustness is what has favored the use of UNIX on servers whose data is critical, such as those of banks or NASA equipment.

UNIX is very well prepared for working with computer networks. Its development was parallel to that of the Internet network. The network tools are part of the basic utility package of any UNIX system.

Another very important feature is portability. By fulfilling some minimum requirements it is possible to transfer any program from one UNIX system to another.

For this, it is enough to recompile the source code in the new system. That is, UNIX systems are compatible with each other at the source code level.

Linux offers its own advantages. Among them stands out its great capacity to take advantage of available resources.

If you want to get the maximum performance in your system use UNIX. Without large memory requirements or processing capacity, Linux can offer spectacular results.

In addition, both UNIX in general and Linux have extensive documentation covering all aspects of the system. And it is completed by a vast community of users who can be consulted for free on the Internet through email, news services and the WWW.