Learning and Using UNIX

This paper presents an examination of how UNIX is learned by University students who initially have very little or no knowledge of the UNIX operating system and how it is used once the students develop some knowledge of the system. The results are based on a analysis of the accounting data that a UNIX system collects automatically. The data was collected over two years and involved over 600 students doing Computer Science subjects at first, second and third year levels. It was found that although all students in one group were doing the same assignments, the machine usage by the students showed a large variation. A small number of commands are used very frequently and as few as 25 most frequently used commands account for 90% of commands issued by the students. There is only a small set of commands that are used by all students. Five commands are used by more than 90% of students in each of the three groups and only about 20 commands are used by 70% or more students. Many commands are ..