Introducing Unix
Included on this page:- Why Should I Learn Unix?
- Conventions Used for Commands in This Document
- Logging In and Out
- Finding Unix Information
- Online Help
- Unix Books
Unix is the operating system of choice for thousands of government agencies, businesses, and universities, including the University of Washington. Its growing popularity stems from the fact that Unix combines many useful features:
- Unix is a multiuser environment that lets you simultaneously share the computer's resources with other users.
- Unix is a multitasking environment that lets you execute different programs simultaneously.
- Unix works well in networked computing, connecting you to the many computing and information services available on the network.
Why Should I Learn Unix?
Some people learn Unix as a class requirement, others learn Unix because it is the operating system on UW Technology computers, while others learn Unix to create and store files for World Wide Web pages. But most importantly, people learn Unix because it is a powerful tool.Conventions Used for Commands in This Document
| Italic | indicates a variable that you must supply |
| Bold | indicates exactly what you type |
Logging In and Out
Before you can use a Uniform Access computer, you must log in.To begin your session:
- Connect to Homer or another Uniform Access Unix computer.
- Enter your userid (UW NetID) at the login prompt.
- Enter your password at the password prompt. A system prompt appears, and you can begin your session.
To end your session, enter:
logout
Finding Unix Information
If you are like most users, you occasionally have questions. At the University of Washington, the first place to look for help is online. You can also find books on Unix in the library or local book stores.If you need additional help, you can get it by email or over the phone. See More Help.
Online Help
Online help is a quick and convenient way to find information. Via your Uniform Access computer you can find two types of online help: manual pages, and Web pages.Manual Pages
The Unix online manual pages or "man pages" provide a source of information. Man pages contain information about command usage, syntax, options, and bugs. Using the man command, you can display this information for almost every Unix command.To display the manual page for a command, at the system prompt, enter:
man command
This displays the manual page for the command you specify. Use <Spacebar> to scroll forward one page, <Return> to forward scroll one line, and q to quit.
To print a man page, enter:
man command | prt -q printer
This sends the man page for the command you specify to the UW Technology printer you specify.
Sometimes you do not know the name of the command you want. With the -k option, you can search for commands that relate to a keyword or topic.
To search for a command by keyword use the -k option, enter:
man -k keyword
This searches the man pages for the keyword you specify and displays the command names that contain more information about the keyword.
|
To search the manual pages for a command that
displays a calendar, enter:
man -k calendar This finds several commands that relate to the keyword "calendar" including the cal command, which displays a calendar. |
Web Pages
You can find Unix information under Computing and Networking on the UW home page http://www.washington.edu/computingThere is information about Unix services and commands at http://www.washington.edu/computing/unix/
and there are answers to frequently asked questions (some concerning Unix) at http://www.washington.edu/computing/faqs/index.html
Unix Books
You can find dozens of books about Unix at libraries and bookstores. These books cover hundreds of additional Unix commands and concepts that can make Unix more powerful and easier to use.
