[CentOS] Slightly OT: How to learn UNIX

Fri Mar 7 16:57:12 UTC 2008
Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com>

Christopher Chan wrote:
> 
>> I'm also interested into learning more about other system as well, my
>> question is what should I take a closer look in Solaris?
>> Things like why people choose Solaris over Linux.
> 
> Solaris admins also have a different mentality and approach to things. I 
> am afraid reasons why people choose Solaris over Linux can be quite 
> involved. There is quite a gulf between the mentality of Solaris admins 
> and Linux admins and there are few that have been both to a sufficient 
> degree to see beyond the status quo (I think :D).

These things are complex enough that few people understand both well 
enough to be sure that all the stuff that has evolved in their company 
over many years would port over easily to something different.  And they 
tend to have a vested interest in keeping that stuff working...

> I say choose the right tool for the job but that is dependent on the one 
> who will wield the tool.

If you have one server doing one job and you are starting from scratch 
you can think that way.  On windows, people have generally been forced 
to work like that because things break if you don't.  On unix, you'll 
find ad-hoc mixes of jobs that have evolved over decades all running 
happily on the same box.  In that scenario it is much harder to move to 
something that is not completely compatible.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com