I want UNIX...how do I get it ?

[roxytoxy]

I am currently learning about UNIX through a book and am indeed fascinated by what it can do. However, I would like to get some hands-on practical experience on it and try some of my scripts and programs to see the output. Is there a downloadable form of UNIX that can allow me to work on it ? Or is there a website that will allow me to log in and to run my scripts ? I am currently using Windows 98 as my operating system and would like to continue to do so. however, I still want to learn and practice my UNIX commands and view the output. Could somebody advise ? [sig][/sig]

 

[ElgisRamon]

Try some OS very UNIX-like and graphical and downloadable:
BeOS from

http://www.be.com/

QNX from

http://www.qnx.com/

Both can be installed inside a file in a Windows partition and inside its own partition too...

I hope it works... [sig][/sig]

 

[Royt]

Linux is available in some form or other on an least one computer magazine CD nearly every month and via the net.
It can also be run within a Windows partition. It has the added advantage of having lots of freebie addons.

You can also get SCO Openserver for the cost of the media and carriage. This can be ordered from

http://www.sco.com.

Regards

Roy Thomas
[sig][/sig]

 

[rycamor]

If you are looking for a workhorse/server Unix that is proven, stable, and open-source, I suggest FreeBSD (

http://www.freebsd.org).

You can even do a minimal install from FTP (requires a boot floppy). This is the open-source fork from the original BSD Unix, which is pretty much THE original Unix. Now, BSD is teaming up with FreeBSD to include even MORE support from the existing proprietary codebase. I believe this will make FreeBSD the best Unix, period. I mean even better than Sun Solaris, HP-UX, True64, you name it.

I, as many others, first became acquainted with Unix through Linux, and while I still greatly enjoy Linux for a workstation environment, and enjoy some of its innovations, I found FreeBSD have a certain "well-oiled machine" aspect to it that I have not seen on ANY other OS. It is just slightly more difficult to get a grasp on than Linux, but the rewards are worth it.

In your situation, I would recommend, rather than trying to run Unix and Win98 on the same computer, simply find an old Pentium 90 (or even a 486 with 8 MB RAM), and install FreeBSD. If you have an ethernet card, you will be surprised at how easily most cards are detected and installed (PCI is easier than ISA). Then you can run it as a local webserver/FTP server, and telnet into it from your Win98 machine to run commands and scripts. Initial installation and configuration uses a very easy terminal-mode GUI, that gives you choices as you go. [sig][/sig]

 

[Nostradamus]

if you just want to run scripts and "fool around" in the file-system you can sign up for a unix-account. Some ISP can give you a unix-account on their machines. in your home-directory you are often allowed to read/write mail, run scripts (ex. irc-bots) and so on.
many people pay a few bucks every month to own their own unix-account and that seems like a reasonable sollution if you just want to learn. A full unix OS can be very expensive (don´t freebsd and SCO of course).

visit a search engine and enter unix accounts and you should be on you way.

[sig]<p>Nostradamus<br><a href=mailto: > </a><br><a href= > </a><br> [/sig]

 

[bigscouse]

I believe Sun provide Solaris free for Intel platforms. [sig]<p>Ged Jones<br><a href=mailto:gedejones@hotmail.com>gedejones@hotmail.com</a><br><a href= > </a><br>Top man[/sig]