WYNTK: UNIX System Admininistrator

Chapter 6. What you need to know about space and time

You share space and time with other users.

UNIX is a multiuser system. This means just what it sounds like: many different users might be working on the same UNIX computer at the same time.

Sharing with others

	Most of the time, I’m not even aware I’m sharing the system with others, except when it gets slow or I need to share files with someone else.
	--Carol Vogt

When you live alone, you can leave dishes in the sink, play the stereo all night, and take as long as you want in the shower. When you compute on a standalone system (like a single-user PC at home), you can leave applications running or have a Star Trek sound file play each time you log on. In both cases, the only person who will mind is you. If you have to wait to start the word processor because the Star Trek theme is playing, that’s fine: you’ve set your own priorities.

When you live with roommates in the same house, you need to be more aware of others. No one probably cares if you have a mess in your own closet, but if you routinely clutter up common areas, you’ll probably irritate others.

When you compute with others on the same system, you also have to be more aware. You could think of your UNIX system as a space that you share with all your coworkers. Instead of sharing a living room, bathroom, and kitchen, you’re sharing disk space, system memory, and processing time. ...