Command-line-wise, almost none, although this has been changing (for better or worse). Linux
has a much larger market appeal and following than any commercial UNIX. GUI-wise there are
also no major differences--Linux, as most other UNICES, uses an X-Windowing system.
The major differences:
- Linux is free, while many UNICES (this is supposed to be plural of UNIX), cost A LOT. Same
about applications--many good applications are available on Linux free. Even the same
commercial application (if you wanted to buy one) typically costs much more for a commercial
UNIX than for Linux.
- Linux runs on many hardware platforms, the commodity Intel-x86/IBM-spec personal
computers being the most prominent. A typical UNIX is proprietary-hardware-bonded (and this
hardware tends to be much more expensive than normal PC).
- With Linux, you are in charge of your computer, whereas on most UNICES you are typically
confined to be an "l-user" (some administrators pronounce it "loser").
- Linux feels very much like DOS/Win in the 80s/early 90s, but is much sturdier and richer, while
a typical UNIX account feels like a mainframe from the 60s/70s.
- Some UNICES may be more mature in certain areas (for example, security, some engineering
applications, better support of cutting-edge hardware). Linux is more for an average Joe who
wants to run his own small server or engineering workstation.
