Why Unix?
Unix has a well-deserved reputation for being hard-to-use.
- Cryptic commands, error messages.
- Difficult to configure and administer.
Despite these limitations, Unix is an excellent choice for server construction.
- Multi-user design: many people can use the system simultaneously.
- Reliability: server has been down for only a few hours in the last several years (due to a hardware failure).
- Security: Web publishing privileges can be controlled; sophisticated auditing tools help detect misuse.
- Flexibility: automation of routine/tedious tasks.