Difference between Unix and Linux
Unix and Linux have presented themselves as alternative to the other commercially available operating systems. They do offer their own relative benefits, although they are a lot more common than you would think, and in fact share a number of characteristics, as well as a shared history. Let's take a closer look at both of them.
Definition
Unix is an operating system developed in 1969. The project of a team of AT&T employees working out of Bell Labs, Unix’s development team was comprised of Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna. The system today is divided into several different branches, some of which were developed by AT&T and other commercial and non-profit organizations.
Linux on the other hand is a group of operating systems that utilize the Linux kernel, and are quite similar to Unix. The operating system can is typically installed in a wide array of computer hardware including mobile phones, tablets and video game consoles. Linux is also often used in larger mainframes and supercomputers. The recent development of Linux variants such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and openSUSE have resulted in the increasing popularity of the operating system, and the development of netbooks and smartphones have played a role in its increased popularity as well.
Intent
Unix has gone through quite a lot of changes since its development in 1969, and there are now many different versions and environments in existence. Most of the current variants are in fact simply licensed versions of the original UNIX releases. Among these are Solaris, HP-UX, and AIX, all of which are simply variants of Unix developed for specific purposes.
Linux for its part was development as a free alternative to the commercially available Unix environments. Its main advantage over Unix is that it can be used with a wider variety of different platforms.
Development
The commercial versions of Unix have mainly been developed for specific users and platforms. Most such developers are pretty clear on what applications should be supported by those particular versions. In the pursuit of this goal, developers continually aim for consistency between the different variants of Unix, and have in fact published standards for their users.
Linux on the other hand tends to be a lot more diverse, with its developers typically having radically different backgrounds, with correspondingly different needs and goals. This is why Linux doesn't really have a standard set of tools, environments, and functionalities.
Similarities and Differences
Unix
- Developed in 1969
- Was the project of a team of At&T employees working out of Bell Labs
- Has gone through quite a lot of changes over the years
- Mainly developed for specific users and platforms
Linux
- A group of operating systems that utilize the Linux kernel
- Quite similar to Unix
- Installed in a wide array of computer hardware including mobile phones, tablets and video game consoles
