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@AmenZwa@mathstodon.xyz

Post #3378655

2026-06-23 00:02 UTC

#UNIX is not just an OS; it is the ultimate #IDE for #programmers. Arguably the best written introductory book on UNIX programming is "The UNIX Programming Environment", Kernighan (1983). This book covers UNIX V7, but I used it with 4.2BSD. There is another jewel of a book of a similar kind, a free one to boot, by Prof. Ballesteros (King Juan Carlos University): "Introduction to Operating Systems Abstractions Using Plan 9 from Bell Labs" (2007). Prof. Ballesteros wrote this book to teach his CS students the fundamentals of good OS design. Although almost no one uses #Plan9 today, it is alive and kicking. It even runs on Raspberry Pi. Anyone interested in OSs and likes the philosophical underpinnings of UNIX should take a look at Plan 9. The other must-read book is his "Notes on the Plan 9 3ed Kernel Source" (2007). Prof. Ballesteros has many Plan 9 related publications in PDF format. https://lsub.org/books-papers/ PS—Those with a historical bent should also read Organick's "The Multics System: An Examination of Its Structure" (1980). Multix is the mother of UNIX, and Plan 9 is the grown-up UNIX.

Replies (1)

  • @AmenZwa@mathstodon.xyz agreed. part of The Unix Way, imo, was that any terminal provided a de facto IDE. you just have to learn the various CLI tools and shell patterns and common keystrokes etc. I think the more modern trend of ostensible IDEs made more sense in reaction to what MS Windows and early Mac gave a programmer out of the box. if you can already get what you need they appeal less

    Open ##3398040