Renowned for its friendliness, Mac OS® X has delighted many a loyal Mac® user with its combined ease use and underlying strength. By no means simplistic, its intelligently designed operating system and user interface boast of sophistication and power, while still offering accessibility to even the most inexperienced computer users. But Mac OS X has gone one step further: it's turned unsuspecting Mac users into Unix® users, too. Perhaps you're already familiar with Unix, just not on the Mac. Or perhaps you opened your Utilities folder, spotted the Terminal icon and double-clicked on it just to see what it does. Suddenly faced with a command line interface, you may have asked, "What does this mean?" followed by the most pressing question, "Why on earth would I ever want to venture into this seemingly user-unfriendly territory?" The new edition of Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther answers these questions and more. This compact book provides a user-friendly tour for the uninitiated of the Mac's Unix base. You can safely explore Terminal and familiarize yourself with the command line, learning as you go about the hundreds of Unix programs that come with your Mac. You'll begin to understand the power and flexibility of Unix. And if Unix isn't new to you, you'll discover how it translates into this latest Mac incarnation. Updated to cover Mac OS X Panther (Mac OS X 10.3), this book will keep you current with the latest features of your Mac. Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther begins with a quick but in-depth introduction to Terminal and the command line interface. All the common commands are simply explained with accompanying examples, exercises, and opportunities for experimentation. There are even problem checklists to help you along the way if you get stuck. You'll learn how to:

• Customize your shell environment

• Manage files and directories

• Successfully print from the Unix command line

• Edit and create files with the vi editor

• Perform remote logins

• Access Internet functions, and much more

Unix continues to thrive as an operating system because of its power, flexibility, and simplicity, and the vast community that supports it. Mac OS X Panther makes it possible for you to run Unix programs side-by-side with native Mac programs on your Mac desktop. Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther puts the power of these programs at your fingertips.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 6 Ratings

A (re)view from Alaska - 2004-05-13
Reviewer Rating:
As with many books, I often flip immediately to the back to look over why the publisher thinks that I should read have this book. In the case of Learning Unix for Mac OS X Panther, by Dave Taylor & Brian Jepson, the statement which caught my eye was that this "compact book provides a user-friendly tour of the Mac's Unix base for the uninitiated."

As for being new to the Anchorage Apple User's Group (AAUG), allow me to introduce you to my background. I have been a fan of Apple computer's since my first computer, an Apple IIc, twenty years ago. Since then, I have stayed with Macintosh, through the SE, SE/30, IIci, and my trustworthy beige G3. Since arriving in Anchorage in October, I upgraded to a Powerbook G4 and I've been in heaven ever since.

At the same time, I've worked (reluctantly) with Unisys proprietary systems, MS-DOS systems, Windows 95-present (and I even have XP operating on my Powerbook, by way of Virtual PC), and Sun's workstations. Through working on Sun's unix based operating system (Solaris), I began to know some basics of what unix is all about.

I had heard that Apple had made OS X revolutionary through its version of unix as a basis for this new operating system. And I had even read a little about some tricks and treats available to the "everyday" user of the Mac, but I was still reluctant and hesitant to do anything with something titled (so appropriately, I thought) as the "Terminal."

And one more note prior to discussing the book itself ... this book is for the uninitiated, but be warned, I believe you need to have a serious interest in learning the unix operating system. Gratefully, for those of you who love the Mac for what you can do, not what you "have" to do, you can remain blissfully unaware of any of the unix which runs so very well hidden, out of sight, and out of mind.

But, since you've stayed with this book review thus far, I assume you have some interest in what exactly is going on "underneath it all", on what makes Panther such a great operating system. So, I recommend you read book. It is an ideal starting point for the uninitiated. I highly recommend it both as a "how to" and a "reference" book.

Dave Taylor and Brian Jepson, the authors, start off by explaining "Why unix?" This first chapter helped me a good deal, even though I had already used a version of unix on another platform (the Sun workstation.) The overview and history of how unix grew as an operating system, and how it came to be on the Mac was very interesting. Additionally, the starting point (the Terminal application) was explained succinctly; similar to how a train station is known as a terminal, the authors helped me get on the path to successful learning of this unix stuff.

As the book progressed into the file system and file management, I found myself frequently switching between having the book in hand, and the Terminal up and running on screen with the computer in my lap. And doing exactly as the title described ... I was learning unix for Mac OS X Panther.

A part of the O'Reilly series, the authors follow in a familiar pattern with just enough instruction, including practice assignments, balanced by shared experience and cautious warnings. I found myself spending about one hour on each chapter, and going back and forth practicing some of my newly acquired talents and skills.

By no means do I consider this book to have made me very smart, but it allows me just enough confidence to continue and look into other parts of how unix works in the Mac world, including using this operating system to help make life better. I even find myself wanting to get into one of the related books in the series, Mac OS X for Unix Geeks.

What you need to get started in UNIX on a Mac - 2004-08-04
Reviewer Rating:
I was one of the people that winced when Mac made the leap from O9 to the unix based OSX. The "old" command line did nothing for me in the early 80's and I didn't truly fall in love with mac until the GUI interface and the mouse came along. Once I was forced to make the move to OSX I began to hear about all these powerful unix commands and things you could do beyond the scope of aqua from my IT friends. It intriqued me enough that I picked up Learning Unix for Mac OS Panther. It was a true eye opener. In no time at all I was using the terminal for ftp, I even had Pine (a unix email program) configured and was speedily browsing the web with Lynx (the unix text-based browser).

The book is clearly written, and a breeze to use. I usually buy about one software book a month, but this is one of the few that has become dog earred, filled with marginalia and rife with stickie notes. It is a great starting point for anyone who wantes to learn more about the unix underpinnings of Panther. It's like learning about a whole new, previously unseen, side of your mac.

ben bon, pour un nouveau adepte de Mac - 2004-11-19
Reviewer Rating:
Ce livre donne l'occasion au nouveau utilisateur de Mac OS X de comprendre les dessous de OS X qui sont sembleble au syst+áme Unix.
RecommandGÇÜ.

It makes very nice first OS X UNIX book - 2005-09-25
Reviewer Rating:
OS X UNIX is amazingly friendly and accessible. Some people who had never used it before type commands and work with the operating system directly as a "cool guys" in movies! This book is very helpful and well written and it is serves as a very nice reference. I have followed advice in someone's review and paired this book with that "UNIX Essentials" DVD I found here on Amazon and it is complete UNIX course recorded. This book and a video they contribute one another greatly. The book is very particular about the subjects that related to OS X and because there are some differences between OS X and other UNIXes it is nice to have a book that deals with it.

very nice OS X book, good way to get involved with UNIX. - 2005-09-23
Reviewer Rating:
This book deals with the most difficult stage of getting into UNIX: the beginning. If you at the beginning you may find this course to be helpful Linux and UNIX for a beginner training suite, 4DVDs + 2CDs includes 4 Unix Academy Certifications ed.2008
UNIX as probably any other operating system is a system: it means it is complex and not easy to comprehend. This book is very nicely, didactically organized and facilitates the transition from subject to subject.

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