Mac beginners can easily become power OS X users by using the Terminal to interact with the UNIX shell.

Why should you take this course?

Several decades since its inception, UNIX is still at the heart of the Internet and computing in general. In my view, a tool this powerful that has withstood such a rapid change in a fast-paced industry is something that needs to be learned and used regularly.

If you own a Mac and are a programmer, software engineer, web developer or designer, network or systems engineer, or simply interested in learning more about your system, you're really missing out if you don't learn the UNIX command line. It is simply one of the most powerful technical skills you can have available in your arsenal.

At the end of this course, students should possess the skills necessary to start using the UNIX operating system with greater proficiency, as well as the ability to learn more about the system on their own.