The Unix Dictionary of Commands, Terms, and Acronyms

Defines more than 4,500 UNIX terms, commands, and acronyms, including EMAC terms, and listing see references where appropriate

UNIX is a multiuser, multitasking operating system originally developed at AT & T Bell Laboratories in 1969 for use on minicomputers but it is now available for desktop workstations, too. In the world of designers, engineers, architects, computer animators, and others requiring high-end computers, UNIX workstations are preferred over larger computers because they facilitate team projects and cost much less to own and operate. UNIX has its own jargon. This dictionary defines more than 4,500 of these terms, commands, and acronyms. The compilers begin with definitions for symbols and then continue with a straightforward alphabetical arrangement. See references, where necessary, are used to refer from a common term (e.g., Point-to-Point-Protocol) to the proper computer term ( PPP). The terms range from the UNIX specific, such as getutid, OK, svc_unreg, ps, and uname, to general computer concepts such as print, reboot, UPS, and user interface. There are definitions for terms used in EMACS, the primary UNIX editor, and for most important UNIX commands. For example, svc_destroy refers to a library routine that destroys the RPC service transport handler. For those unsure about what RPC stands for, it is also defined. Since this is primarily a dictionary, there are no examples of where or in what context to use this command in a program. However, in some definitions (e.g., rn), there are comparisons between the use of the command and similar ones. Each definition is well written. The more complicated the term, the longer the definition.

In the past few years, most colleges have placed UNIX workstations throughout their campuses for use of faculty and students. Many academic librarians are being brought into the UNIX world through their use of e-mail or the Internet and because some new online catalogs run in the UNIX environment. How many times have you spoken to a systems administrator or programmer and not understood what was said? Although there are many online manuals and guides for UNIX, they are all written for people who have a solid understanding of this operating system. This dictionary is an excellent source to solve the problem of understanding the programmer, online manuals, or terms found in the literature.