can you learn unix on windows?

Question

i'm trying to learn how to use unix but don't have access to a computer running the unix operating system. is there a way i can learn it via windows.
thanks

Answer 1

yes, you can read up on the commands and even get an emulator

Answer 2

There are several flavors of UNIX or Linux that run from the CD, you don't need to install anything or partition your HD to just play with it. The most popular is Knoppix, but there are others. Of course, it will run slower this way, but lets you try before installing.

Of go get a cheap 2nd HD and install on it - no need to pollute the first. Then when Windows gets throttled by the next worm, you can boot into Linux and still access the Windows data files.

Of go find a Mac. OS X is derivative of BSD UNIX. Has all the UNIX shells - BASH, CSH, etc.

Answer 3

Definitely, you can use online unix tutorials and install cygwin for you to be able to emulate unix on top of your windows OS. You can also do a dual boot system, meaning you can install both windows and unix (probably linux or solaris x86) on your pc.

Answer 4

You can try online tutorials for theory but u still need to practice what u learn..Try a software called Cygwin -- it has UNIX like interface and runs on top of Windows...see if that helps.

Also, u can install Linux (its like UNIX) on a partition of ur systems' hard-drive or attach install it on a totally separate HD and see if that works for you.

Hope this helps and good luck in ur endeavor!

Answer 5

You don't need a whole second computer.

My suggestion is that you buy another hard drive and install it in your computer as the "Master" drive.

Install Linux and use Linux boot manager "LILO", which will give you the option of whether to boot in to Linux or Windows when you first turn on your computer.

Since the first drive has Linux, it will not be assigned a drive letter, so as far as Windows is concerned, the slave drive that it is on is still the C:\, so everything will work as before when you boot in to Windows, even though it is technically the second drive in the chain.

If you are real confident in your ability to install Linux, you can actually have a Linux and Windows partitions on the same hard drive. But for a novice, I don't recommend that route.

(Do a web search using keywords 'linux' and 'LILO').

Answer 6

Another option, depending on what you're trying to learn is to just use cygwin -- it basically emulates the Unix file system on Windows.