What is and isn't UNIX

[ndogg]

I've been wondering why Linux, FreeBSD, etc. are only considered clones of UNIX and not UNIX itself.&nbsp;&nbsp;What's the difference?&nbsp;&nbsp;What is it that makes up a UNIX? <p>REH<br><a href=mailto:hawkdogg@crosswinds.net>hawkdogg@crosswinds.net</a><br><a href=

http://www.crosswinds.net/~hawkdogg>Powered

by Linux</a><br>Learn Linux and Leave out the Windows

 

[MikeLacey]

I think you'll find that Unix is a trademark - so you can't just call something &quot;Unix&quot; without paying someone some money.<br><br>Mike <p>Mike Lacey<br><a href=mailto:Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com>Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com</a><br><a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a><br>

 

[AndyBo]

(RANT) ;^)<br>Unix as a name/trademark is owned by The Open Group, IIRC.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a consortium of Unix vendors who collectively pay big bundles of cash to be members of the group and use the word Unix when marketing their products.<br><br>Because there's no-on in the Linux/FreeBSD world who wants to pay big stacks of cash to men in suits to have cliquey gatherings every now and again, Linux, FreeBSD et al are not able to use the word &quot;Unix&quot; when being described, hence you'll see the word &quot;clone&quot; bandied around a lot.<br><br>However, if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck!&nbsp;&nbsp;So, Linux is Unix in all but name &nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, it's probably the most widely used version of Unix in the world, so the suits will probably lose again <br><br>One interesting point to note is that these same big name vendors are starting to use Open Source products in their mainstream OS releases.&nbsp;&nbsp;Make of this what you will...<br><br>There is a silver lining on this murky cloud in that hints were dropped at last years Open Group AGM (or whatever they call it) that they would allow Linux to use the Unix name officially. &quot;...in the next 12 months...&quot; was the phrase used, I think.&nbsp;&nbsp;No more word o this since then, though.<br><br>(/RANT)<br><br>Hope this has cleared things up

 

[rycamor]

I don't know about all the official legal stuff, but FreeBSD is a direct descendant of Berkely Unix, and the FreeBSD home page says &quot;FreeBSD is an advanced BSD UNIX operating system for &quot;PC-compatible&quot; computers, developed and maintained by a large team of individuals.&quot;<br><br>Linux is based on the Unix standards, but was built from scratch, which has some advantages, and some disadvantages.<br><br>Advantages: support for more recent hardware, and more graphical interface software, with some nice performance tricks. (Framebuffer rules! I installed Slackware 7 on my laptop and didn't even have to worry about video drivers, and I get a 800X600 X-session AND an 800X600 terminal)<br><br>Disadvantages: seems just slightly less stable and robust than FreeBSD. I prefer FreeBSD for an enterprise server usually, but like Linux for a workstation.<br><br>I agree, though, about the duck theorem above. Who cares what it's called--does it do what you want? People who can use FreeBSD or Linux at work are the luckiest developers and IT people around. We get to use all these great tools for free, without any worry of licensing, or sneaking around trying to break installation keys so we can at least TEST something before we buy.

 

[Octalman]

And then there is the POSIX standard.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any distribution that can pass the certification can call itself Unix, I understand.  The POSIX standard is a little too loosely writen, it seems - Windows (NT, I suppose), has been certified to it.  Glorioski, Sandy!&nbsp;&nbsp;Windows is Unix?&nbsp;&nbsp;I don't think so.  One of the Linux distros (don't recall which one, but it's NOT Red Hat, Debain or SuSE) has supposedly been certified to POSIX. <p>Octalman<br><a href=mailto: > </a><br><a href= > </a><br>

 

[MikeLacey]

Hmmm -&nbsp;&nbsp;does that include the AS/400 and NT then? Both of which are POSIX compliant... <p>Mike<br><a href=mailto:Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com>Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com</a><br><a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a><br>Please don't send me email questions without posting them in Tek-Tips as well. Better yet -- Post the question in Tek-Tips and send me a note saying "Have a look at so-and-so in the thingy forum would you?"