packer@chrpuser.gsfc.nasa.gov (02/08/90)
I'd like to know what are the best tutorial and/or reference books on Unix for an experienced user of other systems, such as VMS. Thanks to those who replied to my remarks on Unix's tendency to create files whose names are repugnant to the rm command. Some of the e-mail contained food for thought for future discussion.
caulkins@cdp.UUCP (02/08/90)
I've always liked "The UNIX Programming Environment" by Kernighan + Pike. Kernighan is of course the K of K+R fame. Dave C
andy@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Andy Clews) (02/12/90)
From article <820@dftsrv.gsfc.nasa.gov>, by packer@chrpuser.gsfc.nasa.gov: > I'd like to know what are the best tutorial and/or reference > books on Unix for an experienced user of other systems, > such as VMS. > Digital Equipment Corporation publish a book called something like "UNIX for VMS Users" which sounds like just the thing you want. It probably costs an arm and a leg. I don't have full info to hand but I'm sure you can find out from your nearest DEC contact. -- Andy Clews, Computing Service, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QN, England JANET: andy@syma.sussex.ac.uk BITNET: andy%syma.sussex.ac.uk@uk.ac
andy@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Andy Clews) (02/13/90)
From article <2158@syma.sussex.ac.uk>, by andy@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Andy Clews): > Digital Equipment Corporation publish a book called something like "UNIX > for VMS Users" which sounds like just the thing you want. Further to this, I can now give more details and an overview of this book. Thanks to Lez Oxley for allowing me to quote him. [Start quote] Reference numbers printed on back of book are: Order number EY-C177E-DP DP ISBN 1-55558-034-3 PH ISBN 0-13-947433-1 Written by Philip E. Bourne, Published by Digital Press The book is intended to help people mold the interactive computing skills that they learned using VMS into the skills necessary for computing in the UNIX framework. It is not meant to be a UNIX user's manual, nor is it designed to teach UNIX from first principles. Contents 1 Introduction 2 Fundamentals 3 Getting started 4 Introductory File Management 5 Editing 6 Communication with other users 7 Monitoring & Utilizing System Resources 8 Devices, Queues & Background Processing 9 Advanced File Management 10 Programming 11 Shell Programming 12 Text Processing 13 Processor-to-Processor Communications Appendix A - shows a very useful command summaries: 1 VMS Commands with UNIX Equivalents 2 UNIX Commands with No VMS Equivalents There is also an appendix comparing the EDT editor with ex and vi. All in all we've found it to be a very useful and informative book and I would recommend it to anyone with liitle or no experience of unix comming from a background like ours. [End Quote] Hope this is useful. -- Andy Clews, Computing Service, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QN, England JANET: andy@syma.sussex.ac.uk BITNET: andy%syma.sussex.ac.uk@uk.ac
brad@SSD.CSD.HARRIS.COM (Brad Appleton) (02/14/90)
In article <143900003@cdp> caulkins@cdp.UUCP writes: > >I've always liked "The UNIX Programming Environment" by Kernighan >+ Pike. Kernighan is of course the K of K+R fame. > >Dave C I myself had great difficulty using the above text when I first started using UNIX. The problem that I and many others have with reading texts by Kernighan et. al. is that they are *great* texts if you already have a decent idea of what is going on but otherwise they are difficult for the novice to grasp. It would be good to specify what particular aspects (if not all), and which flavor of UNIX for which you are seeking texts. some books I would recommend are: (for a good all around Unix Intro): The UNIX System V Environment, Stephen R. Bourne, Addison-Wesley -- even though its is System V specific it is still valuable to beginning BSD users. (for Unix System Programming) Advanced Unix Programming, Marc J. Rochkind -- This assumes familiarity with some basic Unix, and with C but is an excellent intro to System Level Unix programming (Other) The Waite group has also published various Unix titles that range in content from beginning users to Gurus. Take a look at: UNIX Primer Plus UNIX Papers Advanced UNIX - A Programmers Guide The Waite group has a whole slew of texts besides these, just pick up any of their books and check out the "Related Titles" page. (The Waite group stuff is put out by Howard W. Sams & Co (Macmillan)). --- Brad Appleton "... and miles to go before I sleep." +-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+ | Harris Corporation | brad@ssd.csd.harris.com | | Computer Systems Division, M/S 161 | {uunet,novavax}!hcx1!brad | | 2101 West Cypress Creek Road | | | Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 USA | Phone: (305) 973-5007 | +-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-+
jamesd@techbook.UUCP (James Deibele) (02/20/90)
In article <2957@hcx1.SSD.CSD.HARRIS.COM> brad@SSD.CSD.HARRIS.COM (Brad Appleton) writes: >It would be good to specify what particular aspects (if not all), and >which flavor of UNIX for which you are seeking texts. [...] What we recommend are the following books: Reasonably serious, motivated person who wants to get up to speed on UNIX ASAP: _A Practical Guide to the UNIX System, 2nd Edition_ by Mark Sobell. (Benjamin Cummings, 0-8053-0243-3, 1989, 700pp, $27.95). Covers both BSD 4.3 and System V Release 3 and is divided into two sections: first part covers basic UNIX information (vi, cat, ls, rudimentary shell programming, etc.) while second part is an alphabetical command reference. Good glossary and table of contents lets you find key commands when you're a novice (OK, sure, you know you "cat" files <now>, but I bet you didn't when you first started). A thick book with no cutesy drawings and lots of text may intimidate someone who has to learn UNIX instead of wanting to use it. For the more easily intimidated, _UNIX Primer Plus_ by Mitchell Waite, Donald Martin, and Stephen Prata might be a better choice. (Howard W. Sams, 0-672- 22028-8, 1983, 400pp, $22.95). It's BSD-oriented and needs an update, but the fundamentals just haven't changed all that much. Clear outline of what which chapter intends to accomplish, review questions (with answers), and exercises to use at the terminal. Lots of white space and drawings, but that slows the pace down for neophytes. Good text for an intro class. For the petrified, or your completely non-technical relatives or boss, you would want to look at _Learning the UNIX Operating System_ by Grace Todino and John Strang. (O'Reilly & Associates, 0-937175-16-1, 1986-7, 75pp, $9.00) This is described on the back as telling you "just what you need to get started, and no more." It provides the basics of logging on, sending mail, and handling files. The list of things it doesn't provide is longer than the list of features, but it's sufficient to teach the basics in a couple of evenings or over a weekend to just about anyone. One last recommendation: _Learning the vi Editor_ by Linda Lamb. (O'Reilly & Associates, 0-937175-17-X, 1988, 150pp, $15). This is <the> book to learn more about vi. The latest shipment has a different binding than previous ones: instead of being stapled, the book is spiral-bound with a perfect (square) cover, so the book fits neatly into a bookcase, but lays flat while being used. Highly recommened for its clear explanations of how to use vi, especially global replacement. -- jamesd@techbook.UUCP ...!tektronix!nosun!techbook!jamesd - 8N1 +1 503 644-8135 TECHbooks: The Computer Book Specialists - Voice: +1 503 646-8257 12600 SW 1st - Beaverton, OR - 97005 - MCI Mail: TECHBOOKS Free freight on electronic orders
jsulliva@cvbnet.UUCP (Jeff Sullivan, x4096 MS 4-2) (03/08/90)
I would *highly* recommend:
"The Unix Programming Environment", Kernigan & Pike,
Prentice-Hall.
"Advanced Unix Programming", Marc Rothchild,
Prentice-Hall.
The titles say it all. Disclaimer: I have no affiliation
with Prentice-Hall, just a lot of their books.
Jeff Sullivan Computervision/Prime
CADDS R&D Bedford, MA 01730
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UUCP : {decvax|linus|sun}!cvbnet!jsulliva
Internet: jsulliva@cvbnet.prime.comdan@kfw.COM (Dan Mick) (03/11/90)
In article <80@cvbnetPrime.COM> jsulliva@cvbnet.UUCP (Jeff Sullivan, x4096 MS 4-2) writes: | | I would *highly* recommend: | "The Unix Programming Environment", Kernigan & Pike, | Prentice-Hall. | | "Advanced Unix Programming", Marc Rothchild, | Prentice-Hall. | | The titles say it all. Disclaimer: I have no affiliation | with Prentice-Hall, just a lot of their books. | | Jeff Sullivan Computervision/Prime | CADDS R&D Bedford, MA 01730 | -------------------------------------------- | UUCP : {decvax|linus|sun}!cvbnet!jsulliva | Internet: jsulliva@cvbnet.prime.com Ahem. That's 'Kernighan' and 'Rochkind', Mister Sullevein. ;-} They're Good Guys; they deserve to have their names spelled correctly. And besides, it makes it damned hard to find the book, even if you're *not* using a computer search.