UNIX
UNIX

UNIX is a multi-tasking, multi-user open-source operating system that is very stable, scalable, and complex. Not especially user-friendly, it is an especially powerful operating system that is available in many versions, including BSD UNIX, which is freeware developed at the University of California at Berkeley, and A/UX, a graphical version for Mac. But there are many other versions, not all are freeware.

Unix has been around for over 35 years and is still very popular with universities, corporations, and other large organizations. Sun Corporation provides high-powered servers that are Unix-based for such organizations. Oracle is also closely connected to the development and popularity of Unix.

Unix has been described as a worldwide business subculture with its own traditions, vocabulary, and standards.

A viable alternative to Unix is Linux. Linux is also stable and is often used as web servers. Linux is based on Unix, but is more user-friendly. While Linux is also open-source, some companies (like IBM) distribute Linux with Linux-compatible utilities.

See Linux.

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