Chapter 25: Making Use of Unix

In this Chapter, we move on past the basics of using Unix and start to explore some of the advantages of having a Unix-based system. Now that Apple is the world’s leading provider of Unix systems, Macintosh users can get in on the power and flexibility that had been only available to users of high-end workstations in the past.

Apple provides a wealth of applications with a default installation of Mac OS X. However, a plethora of additional software is available for Unix to meet all of your needs and wants. From more flexible network utilities and Internet clients to graphic applications and office suites, they are all available and easily installed. For a discussion of different types of software and licenses, review Chapter 21. We provide an overview of major free software available for Mac OS X and cover the installation of Unix-based software on Mac OS X in this Chapter.

More Than Surviving with Unix

The previous Chapter provided a rough survival guide for Unix. Now that you are familiar with the underpinnings of the system, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and see what you can do with this new Operating System.

When Apple looked for a foundation to build their next generation operating system on, they settled on Unix. Many users will never be aware of the Unix underpinnings of the new system. Aqua will be the interface for the majority of old and new Macintosh users. Aqua is quite powerful and can enable users to do almost anything they desire with their personal computer. However, for those users who want to customize their experience to a greater degree, or who want to tap into the vast software libraries available for Linux and other Unix-based systems, Mac OS X provides just the ticket. Apple has provided a flexible and powerful system where the user has the elegance of Aqua and the raw power of X-Windows and Terminal-based applications available in one place.

On first look, a computer running Mac OS X looks exactly like a traditional Macintosh. However, a quick look through the Applications and Utilities folders shows some unfamiliar programs. Chapter 21 introduces these programs; we go into further detail here.

The programs that are of the most interest as you explore the Unix side of Mac OS X are Terminal and X11. Terminal and X11 are found in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder. X11 may require a separate installation, depending on how Mac OS X was installed on your computer. (We discuss this later in the Chapter.)

What can I do with Unix?

The reason for all the excitement regarding these new applications is that they never were part of an Apple operating system before. Of course, telnet and other terminal emulation applications have been available for ages. However, these programs were used to connect to other computers. Also, X-Windows servers were available for pre–Mac OS X systems; however, these too were used to connect to clients on other computers. Terminal and X11 on Mac OS X focus internally. That is to say, that they connect to your own computer. For anyone who has had access to a Unix machine located elsewhere, for example, at their ISP or in a computer lab, having a full-fledged Unix machine on their own desk can be an exciting prospect.

Note

In the world of X-Windows, traditional concepts of client-server are turned upside down. The program that you use to connect to an application either on your own computer or on a host computer is called a server. The program that runs on a host computer listening for connections and allowing access to authenticated visitors is called a client. More information is available on this subject at www.x.org/X11_clientdesign.html.

With access to a Unix system, one can do all kinds of fun and useful things, from working on systems at work or in other locations to providing services to other users. Programs are available on Unix systems that are unavailable for other systems. If you manage other Unix systems, either at work or elsewhere, a home Unix system is indispensable. Most of the Internet is based on Unix systems in some shape or fashion. Having the same system at home opens a lot of doors for exploration and enables you to do a lot of things that you could never do before, either because you would not have administrative access to the system, or just never had it so close at hand.

Network services are transparent using Unix. Most popular Internet services were developed on Unix systems. The protocol TCP/IP, which is used for almost all Internet traffic, was developed on Unix systems. TCP/IP is the native language for Unix systems. Therefore, communicating with other systems is a simple matter. It’s easy to connect to other computers, either for Web surfing or for file transfer, or for anything else you may want to accomplish. Files can be copied and even edited in place with very simple commands. Where older operating systems required explicitly enabling networking, or installing additional software, networking is part of the core of Unix. This greatly simplifies networking issues.

More programming languages are compatible with Unix than with any other mainstream operating system. That makes Unix a great asset for anyone who is interested in learning how to program a computer. Programming languages other than AppleScript are out of the scope of this book, but you are using the right operating system, should you decide to pursue any type of programming.