Instructor: Steve "Mor" Moritsugu

Santa Ana College

Why take CS 141 ?
Computer Science: UNIX/Linux Operating System

What is UNIX or Linux ?

 Check the following URL for a quick explanation of http://www.webhostingmall.com/help_qa_unix.asp

UNIX/Linux skills are much in demand!

 I checked one popular internet job site to see what skills were in most demand by employers. You can double check my results as follows: 
 http://www.dice.com
   Metro Search (on right)
    Los Angeles (on left) This includes Orange County
     Change only one setting: "Search using:" "Any of the words"
      Full text search: unix linux  (Then press ENTER)
       I found 802 jobs that mention these words (on Feb 11, 2008)
       I found 815 jobs that mention these words (on Aug 30, 2007)
       I found 782 jobs that mention these words (on Feb 6, 2007)
       I found 998 jobs that mention these words (on Aug 29, 2006)
       I found 909 jobs that mention these words (on Feb 6, 2006)
       I found 783 jobs that mention these words (on Aug 24, 2005)
       I found 712 jobs that mention these words (on July 6, 2005)
       I found 580 jobs that mention these words (on January 4, 2005)
       I found 594 jobs that mention these words (on November 30, 2004)
       I found 455 jobs that mention these words (on July 30, 2004)
       I found 308 jobs that mention these words (on January 9, 2004)
       I found 263 jobs that mention these words (on August 23, 2003)
       I found 259 jobs that mention these words (on August 22, 2003)
       I found 234 jobs that mention these words (on December 11, 2002)
Here are a list of other computer skills and how they compared with "unix and/or linux." Note that to change your key word, you must first click "Metro Search" then "Los Angeles" then enter the new key word or you will get a result that is too small because it will only search the previous jobs found for the new key word.

Feb 11 2008 Aug 30 2007 Feb 6 2007 Aug 29 2006 Feb 6 2006 Aug 24 2005 July 6 2005 Jan 4 2005 Nov 30 2004 July 30 2004 Jan 9 2004 Aug 23 2003 Aug 22 2003 Dec 11 2002
sql 1144 1211 1071 1558 1410 1197 1079 746 710 713 448 395 388 261
java 701 745 723 955 745 668 571 534 452 322 245 249 181
oracle 767 840 970 970 932 730 661 531 495 463 335 246 240 224
unix linux bsd freebsd 803 816 782 998 912 783 712 580 594 455 308 263    
unix linux 802 815 781 998 909 783 712 580 594 455 308 263 259 234
windows 735 703 675 958 885 833 664 515 567 479 281 230 220 211
.net 530 607 490 891 860 690 616 416 392 379 178 181 171 133
basic vb 650 710 589 860 752 668 551 406 415 411 260 266 260 218
access 785 852 575 648 743 536 416 390 298 288 166 204 186 122
unix 589 579 600 751 709 632 579 462 485 386 273 238    
xml 567 557 499 674 588 475 427 289 264 241 153 124 122 65
excel 548 602 474 563 535 414 395 331 281 249 136 110 109 91
html 489 513 403 565 532 444 374 299 270 221 153 133 126 123
linux 521 511 463 546 474 358 314 247 253 176 94 61    
c++ 321 376 403 552 460 453 404 330 348 300 160 154 158 123
bsd freebsd 12 13 16 20 5 14 7 11 7 4 1 2    

Note that in today's job market, it is very difficult to get an entry level job. Most of the jobs listed on www.dice.com (or any job site) require previous work experience and a combination of skills. Taking one class is only one step towards getting a better job. UNIX/Linux skills are valuable on your resume, even if you have limited experience, because these skills are so rare, but they are only valuable at companies that use UNIX or Linux. You might apply for a job not directly related to UNIX or Linux, and find UNIX/Linux classes to be a plus on your resume because then the company will have another person on staff who can do basic system operations when needed, e.g. type in commands as directed by a remote support technician.

Santa Ana College offers 4 advanced UNIX/Linux classes after CS 141 and a Certificate

Once you complete CS 141, there are four advanced UNIX/Linux classes that you can take at Santa Ana College. These classes are not offered every semester so check the catalog for the desired semester. Santa Ana College also offers a UNIX Certificate.

Here are other subjects that go well with UNIX/Linux on a resume:

CS 141 credit can transfer to any UC or CSU campus

 
UC transferability is documented here:
 http://www.sac.edu
  Students
  Student Services and Activities
   Counseling
     Articulation Agreements (on right)
      UC/CSU Transferable Courses (on left)
       Another window will open
        UC Transferable Courses
         for Department, select: Computer Science
          You will see that CMPR 141 is listed here as a transferable course.
           (Also listed is CMPR 243)

CSU transferability is documented here:
 http://www.sac.edu
  Students
  Student Services and Activities
   Counseling
     Articulation Agreements (on right)
      UC/CSU Transferable Courses (on left)
       Another window will open
        CSU Transferable Courses
         for Department, select: Computer Science
          You will see that CMPR 141 is listed here as a transferable course.
           (Also listed is CMPR 117,206,241,242,243)

CS 141 students will receive a version of Linux for home that runs from cdrom

 Installing Unix or Linux on a home computer can be difficult and there is a danger you will wipe out your existing programs and data if you do not repartition your system successfully. CS 141 students will receive a Knoppix cdrom that boots and runs entirely from cdrom, eliminating the need to do an installation (and its dangers). Linux runs more slowly from cdrom than from hard disk, but DemoLinux allows students to practice using all standard UNIX/Linux commands. It provides both the KDE and Gnome GUI, Netscape/Mozilla/Konqueror to browse the Internet, C/C++ compilers, Perl, and Java. It also allows you to run Open Office word processor, spread sheet, presentations, database, scheduler, etc. Students often ask me how they can continue to practice their UNIX/Linux skills after the semester is over. With this cdrom, you can boot up Linux and practice whenever you want.

CS 141 instructor is a UNIX expert, lecturer, and published author

 The instructor, Steve "Mor" Moritsugu, is a part-time instructor at Santa Ana College, who also works full time integrating and supporting UNIX, Linux, and Windows servers and their networks. He is a featured speaker and instructor at computer conferences. He has published two books on UNIX: 
Using UNIX, Second Edition (no longer in print)
   by Steve Moritsugu et al, 
   published by Que (a division of Macmillan) 1998
   (ISBN 0-7897-1632-1)

Practical UNIX (the current CS 141 textbook)
   by Steve Moritsugu et al., 
   published by Que (a division of Macmillan) 2000
   (ISBN 0-7897-2250-X)

Practical UNIX was cited in a paper presented at the IPSI-2006 Marbella 
Conferences: http://internetconferences.net/spain2006m/index.html
The authors of the paper (Dr Violeta Holmes and Terence McDonough;
School of Science and Technology; East Lancashire Institute of Higher 
Education Blackburn College; UK) emailed me this comment:
 
"we have implied the use of  books on operating system, and quoted your
book as an example.  In our experience, your book on Practical Unix, is 
an excellent reference book, and we have recommended the book to our students."

CS 141 combines Internet, on-line, and traditional classroom instruction

Prerequisites