Unix or Linux

[Max Power]

For my home network I have 2-Win2Kpro machines and a Win98 networked and I would like to get a Unix machine, just to tinker around with. Somebody told me that I could load it on my old 486. I already have a Redhat Linux cd, is that pretty much the same?

[iisbob]

Linux is a " child " of the Unix OS, just like FreeBSD or Solaris; they art flavors of the Unix kernel.

The linux file system is different than true Unix setup, Solaris is closer to it. If you want a closer Unix feel i'd suggest going with Solaris-however using Linux will give the drift of How a standard Unix platform runs.

Of course, if you can find Unix, then by all means install it-but i'm not aware of any true Unix kernel that is free-only variants of it.




------------------
iisbob

There is no such thing as a stupid question; just an improper one.-my own belief

[Max Power]

From what I understand the Redhat can be run in a windows environment as well as command prompt. Is that the way Solaris and FreeBSD work too?

It doesnt have to be a true Unix. I just want to learn the nuts and bolts of connecting to the internet and my network. How hard is that to do with UNix or Linux?

Thanks

[mjc]

Yes, both Solaris and FreeBSD can have a GUI... I think that there are even GUIs available for the "true" Unixes. Once you get something to run in one, it can usually be ported over to another without too much difficulty (relatively speaking).


For the definitive answer on whether or not RH will get you the nuts and bolts of internet/networking, I'll leave that to iisbob or G_H, but I think there are enough similarities and enough common commands that yes, it will at least get you started.

I like to compare the Unix/Linux world to icecream...with the "true" Unixes beign plain (not necesarily even vanilla...just milk, cream and sugar), with Linux (vanilla), Solaris (strawberry), BSD (chocolate) etc being the basic flavors and the different varieties of them being even more flavors....(more flavors are built on the base of vanilla than the rest).

------------------
mjc
Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.