The Korn shell is an interactive command and scripting language for
accessing Unix(R) and other computer systems. As a complete and
high-level programming language in itself, it's been a favorite since it
was developed in the mid 1980s by David G. Korn at AT&T Bell
Laboratories. Knowing how to use it is an essential skill for serious
Unix users. Learning the Korn Shell shows you how to use the Korn
shell as a user interface and as a programming environment.Writing
applications is often easier and quicker with Korn than with other
high-level languages. Because of this, the Korn shell is the most often
used shell in commercial environments and among inexperienced users.
There are two other widely used shells, the Bourne shell and the C
shell. The Korn shell, or ksh, has the best features of both, plus
many new features of its own. ksh can do much to enhance productivity
and the quality of a user's work, both in interacting with the system,
and in programming. The new version, ksh93, has the functionality of
other scripting languages such as awk, icon, Perl, rexx, and
tcl.Learning the Korn Shell is the key to gaining control of the Korn
shell and becoming adept at using it as an interactive command and
scripting language. Prior programming experience is not required in
order to understand the chapters on basic shell programming. Readers
will learn how to write many applications more easily and quickly than
with other high-level languages. In addition, readers will also learn
about Unix utilities and the way the Unix operating system works in
general. The authors maintain that you shouldn't have to be an internals
expert to use and program the shell effectively.The second edition
covers all the features of the current version of the Korn shell,
including many new features not in earlier versions of ksh93, making it
the most up-to-date reference available on the Korn shell. It compares
the current version of the Korn shell to several other Bourne-compatible
shells, including several Unix emulation environments for MS-DOS and
Windows. In addition, it describes how to download and build ksh93 from
source code.A solid offering for many years, this newly revised title
inherits a long tradition of trust among computer professionals who want
to learn or refine an essential skill.
