Best UNIX intro text

[Ed Nather]

[...but I'm not hungry!]
	>For the moderately advanced person, I recommend the Bourne book "The
	>UNIX System". This is an excellence reference that I use every day.
	>
	>After mastering Bourne, try Kernighan and Pike's book "The UNIX
	>Programming Environment".

I'd put it the other way 'round -- read K&P first, *then* tackle Bourne.

K&P is *far* better written and easier to read than Bourne, and handles
much of the same material in a more digestible form.  Bourne is excellent
as a reference (about half the book is devoted to appendices) but his
excessive use of passive contructions and his unimaginative prose can put
even the most ardent hacker to sleep.

-- 

                                       Ed Nather
                                       ihnp4!{ut-sally,kpno}!utastro!nather
                                       Astronomy Dept., U. of Texas, Austin