Last updated 2/22/2004

Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther

Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther
Authors Dave taylor & Brian Jepson
Publisher O'Reilly 2004 fourth edition
181 pages ......... $19.95
ISBN 0-596-00617-9
Unlock the Power of Unix

Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther is designed to teach the basics of Unix to Macintosh users. It is a good introduction to Unix on Mac OS X Panther. People who already know Unix could find this book useful because it contains information unique to Mac OS X such as how to handle resource forks which do not exist in other Unix file systems.

Early in the book there is interesting information about customizing the shell environment. For a change, try a dark blue background, yellow cursor, light yellow text, light green bold text, and the selection dark green. You might find it easier on the eyes than black text on a white background.

Some examples of what Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther talks about early in the book are the syntax of Unix command lines, types of commands, navigating the file system, and file and directory wild cards. It explains how to edit files using the more common and powerful vi editor.

The book covers a number of Unix uses such as in printing, redirecting input and output, multitasking, and accessing the Internet. There is a chapter on XII and using the many Unix programs.

Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther helped me to get up the nerve to try to learn a little Unix.

It is a good companion book for Running Mac OS X Panther, also from O'Reilly because it provides more information about how Unix command lines work. Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther briefly mentions Pico as a simpler alternative to the vi text editor. Running Mac OS X Panther provides some information about the Pico text editor and briefly mentions vi.

With only a little study, I was able to use the vi editor working with Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther. But it was Running Mac OS X Panther that said the ^ caret symbol on the Pico stands for the Control key, so it was Control-X that I was supposed to use to exit the word processor.

If I had more time, this Unix stuff could really get interesting, and I would not have known that if it were not forLearning Unix for Mac OS X Panther.

For more information go to
http://www.oreilly/catalog/lunixpanther/