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Agreed. I don't think the language is right for newbies: "What is computing with Unix? Unix is a family of operating systems and environments that exploits th
by jsmcgd 15y ago
Agreed. I don't think the language is right for newbies:
"What is computing with Unix?
Unix is a family of operating systems and environments that exploits the power of linguistic abstraction and composition to orchestrate tasks."
That isn't a question a newbie would ask or an answer they'd understand. Instead, I think the following would have been (less accurate but) much more helpful:
"What is Unix?
Unix is just an operating system, like Microsoft Windows or Mac OS."
Know your audience!
- scott_s 15y agoHis audience are CS students: As a professor, I worry that the upcoming generation of programmers is missing out on the Unix experience, and with it, the power it grants. Your answer is too simple for them.
- bobds 15y agoI think you overestimate CS students.
- scott_s 15y agoI don't think I do. I've TAed many CS majors. That level of simplicity is borderline condescension.
- burgerbrain 15y agoI don't think so either, but I do think that leaving it just at "Unix is an operating system" is likely to generate a good more confusion along the lines of "wait, I just have linux, where can I get unix?", "what do you mean linux is unix-like?", and of course "I thought I could use OSX for this". It should be strongly mentioned that "unix" best describes a class of operating systems including "proper" unix systems like OSX and the "unix-like" systems like linux. It's also important to divorce the students from that layman perspective of "operating systems are all that graphical shit I see on my screen". In fact, I think that might be the most important part.
- hellrich 15y agoMac OS X is a kind of Unix.