Mind my ignorance but, what is unix? I'm trying to find out what language I need to know to write programs for DOS or Windows.

UNIX is a term used to describe a type of operating system, basically. As far as languages for writing programs for DOS or Windows, C and C++ are pretty widely used for that purpose. Coincidentally, C and C++ can be (and are) used to write programs for UNIX. You can probably find some decent books and/or courses on C and/or C++ in your area.

Just thought I'd drop by to say 'hi'. This is (hopefully) my first successful shot at posting something to the Spring, though I've tried several times to post before, maybe this particular access route will work out OK. More later if I get some success.

Ahh, very nice, it's working well (or I'm working well with it, whichever). Anyway, I got some of my earliest UNIX experience trying to move around the WELL during the year-year and a half I had an account there. As a grad student at the Univ. of Rochester, I pushed to have grads given the same unix email shell account access that undergrads had been given. Then, our lab got a nice new Indy for use in processing and analyzing crystal X-ray diffraction data and I had a machine mostly to myself to 'play' on and learn unix. I've played around a bit with Linux, limited mostly to getting it to boot on various machines that have too little memory and disk space to run a full system on them. And over the last year, I've been administering another IRIX box used for various data analysis and molecular modelling applications. And so, it's appropriate that I've come full circle over the last several years, logging in via a shell account to the unix conference on a YAPP system.

If you know any other WELL alums, let them know that they are welcome here and I'll be happy to give out more shell accounts. Today I started a "buddhist" conference as a test of yapp's ability to tie in to email lists.

Thanks, Terry. I appreciate the shell account, though I'll be a bit rusty for awhile learning and relearning things.

We'll help you along. Let us know what you need. Glad you're joining us. What do you know about UNIX? What is your experience with online community and the web? Today we got a brand new version of Yapp, Dave Thaler's been at work.

I am a Network Integrator and have been looking for UNIX software to print MICR encoded checks originating from a UNIX accounting package. Web searches have turned up a few VERY expensive packages but nothing in the Shareware world. Do you know of anyone who might be able to help me? Thanks

I'm a Unix systems administrator. Not a guru, but maybe I can help with some of the more fundamental questions.

Would you like to be on our Spring UNIX team?

What would that entail? I usually enjoy being on any kind of team. :) And from what I've seen so far, youse guys are winners.

I think most of that will probably entail fixing my booboos...

It would involve helping keep the system running. The main sysad is Jeff Kramer jeff@spring.net x

hey terry, if you need any Unix help, you can count me in as well.

Well, I am happy to do whatever I can do. Tell Jeff to put me on the team. (I wonder if we get Team jerseys?) :)

Can they say, "The Spring's World Domination Tour"?

I'd be happy to help in an advisory capacity. Not that I've ever asked permission to give you advice on sysadminly matters in the past, Terry ;) e-mail me.

Well, I must admit...working on this team is the easiest gig I've ever had. :)

Thanks Bryan, and it will get harder when we bring the new machine online and start putting up lots of new dedicated websites!