Linux Administration Handbook 1.2

1.2 LINUX’SRELATIONSHIP TO UNIX

Linux 与 UNIX 的关系

Using the names Linux and UNIX together in one sentence is like stepping into a political minefield, or perhaps like blundering into a large patch of quicksand. Here is our short version of the facts, stated as clearly and objectively as we can make them. Linux is a reimplementation and elaboration of UNIX. It conforms to the POSIX standard, runs on several hardware platforms, and is compatible with most existing UNIX software. It differs from most other variants of UNIX in that it is free, open source, and cooperatively developed, with contributions having come from thousands of different individuals and organizations. Linux incorporates technical refinements that did not exist in the original versions of UNIX, so it is more than just a UNIX clone. It is also a legally distinct entity and cannot be properly being referred to as “UNIX.”

在一个句子里共同使用 Linux 和 UNIX ，如同跨入政治雷区，或者如同不小心进入了大片流沙区。这里我们简短描述，情况如我们能做的那样明确和客观。 Linux 是精心重实现的 UNIX 。其遵守 POSIX 标准，在一些硬件平台运行，并且与多数现有的 UNIX 软件兼容。其与其他大多 UNIX 变异体不同，它是免费的，开源的，共同开发的，其募捐来自上千个不同的组织及团体。 Linux 结合了在原始 UNIX 版本中没有的技术精华，它不仅是 UNIX 的克隆，更是合法的不同实体，不能简单的认为是 UNIX 。

It’s worth noting that Linux is not the only free UNIX-like operating system in the world. FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD, all offshoots of the Berkeley Software Distribution from UC Berkeley, have ardent followers of their own. These OSes are generally comparable to Linux in their features and reliability, although they enjoy somewhat less support from third-party software vendors.

Linux 并非唯一的类 UNIX 系统。 FreeBSD ， NetBSD ，及 OpenBSD ，都是 Berkeley 软件版本的旁支，来自 UCB ，各有热心的追随者。这些系统大体上特征及稳定性都可媲美 Linux ，虽然其来自第三方开发商的软件较少。

Linux software is UNIX software. Thanks largely to the GNU Project, most of the important software that gives UNIX systems their value has been developed under some form of open source model. The same code runs on Linux and non-Linux systems. The Apache web server, for example, doesn’t really care whether it’s running on Linux or HP-UX. From the standpoint of applications, Linux is simply one of the best-supported varieties of UNIX.

Linux 软件是 UNIX 软件。感谢大规模的 GNU 工程，大部分用于 UNIX 系统下的重要软件，都已开发出对应形式的开源版本。同样的代码运行于 Linux 和非 Linux 系统。以 Apache web server 为例，不关心其是运行于 Linux 还是 HP-UX 。从程序的观点看， Linux 仅是对 UNIX 种类支持对好的系统。

UNIX and Linux systems have been used in production environments for many years. This book, unlike most others on Linux administration, focuses on the effective use of Linux in a production environment―not just as a single-user desktop.

UNIX 和 Linux 系统已经用于生产环境好多年。本书，不同其他大部分 Linux 管理书，聚焦在 Linux 生产环境中的有效使用――不仅是单用户桌面。

A “production” environment is one that an organization relies on to accomplish real work (as opposed to testing, research, or development).

生产环境是一个机构依赖于完成真实工作。（相反的是测试，研究，开发环境）