Unixisdistinguishedbyasimple,coherent,andelegantdesign—trulyremarkablefeaturesthathaveenabledthesystemtoinfluencetheworldformorethanaquarterofacentury.AndespeciallythankstothegrowingpresenceofLinux,theideaisstillpickingupmomentum,withnoendofthegrowthinsight.UnixandLinuxcarryacertainfascination,andthetwoquotationsabovehopefullycapturethespiritofthisattraction.ConsiderDennisRitchie’squote:IsthecoinventorofUnixatBellLabscompletelyrightinsayingthatonlyageniuscanappreciatethesimplicityofUnix?Luckilynot,becauseheputshimselfintoperspectiveimmediatelybyaddingthatprogrammersalsoqualifytovaluetheessenceofUnix.Understandingthemeagerlydocumented,demanding,andcomplexsourcesofUnixaswellasofLinuxisnotalwaysaneasytask.Butonceonehasstartedtoexperiencetherichinsightsthatcanbegainedfromthekernelsources,itishardtoescapethefascinationofLinux.Itseemsfairtowarnyouthatit’seasytogetaddictedtothejoyoftheoperatingsystemkerneloncestartingtodiveintoit.ThiswasalreadynotedbyBennyGoodheartandJamesCox,whoseprefacetotheirbookTheMagicGardenExplained(secondquotationabove)explainedtheinternalsofUnixSystemV.AndLinuxisdefinitelyalsocapableofhelpingyoutoloseyourmind!
1