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When someone is saying "Unix" does it mean that it can be every POSIX-compatible system including linux distributives, solaris, freebsd etc?

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FWIW, Windows NT-series can be more POSIX-compliant than Linux... – grawity Aug 14 '11 at 10:57
I'm not tend to believe in that, any proof? – Sergey Aug 14 '11 at 11:02
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Interix, as far as I know, provides full POSIX compliance: technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb463212.aspx. It is now distributed as a part of Windows for Ultimate and Enterprise editions. However, Linux distributions are moslty POSIX-compliant, but not fully. So if you take Windows with Interix installed and some Linux distribution, suggestion by grawity will likely be true. – Malcolm Aug 14 '11 at 13:00
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UNIX is a trademark of the Open Group (formerly X/Open). You may only use the name Unix for a system that has been certified by the Open Group as meeting their "Single Unix Specification (SUS).

They say:

Please note:

  • It must not be used as a generic term.
  • It must not be used in connection with products, unless the product is licensed to use the mark.
  • There are detailed guidelines referring to the visual presentation, form and manner of use.
  • In editorial or articles, but not advertising the trade marks may be used without prior permission - provided that the rules in our Trademark Usage Guide are followed.

So far as I know, no Linux vendor has paid to have their distribution certified - presumably none of them feel it is commercially necessary.

Like others, I prefer to write "Unix/Linux" or "*nix" to be clearer (arguably).

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up vote 2 down vote

Today? Yes, usually but you can't be sure.

Where I work we still have production servers running Solaris, AIX and HP-UX.
So if there is any doubt, ask!

I prefer to use the term *nix when I talk/write about something that works/should work on all linux/unix/bsd type systems.

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up vote 0 down vote

Generally speaking, POSIX compliance means meeting the POSIX specification standard through verification testing.

See the Wikipedia POSIX webpage for detailed information about the relationship of which OSes are fully compliant, mostly compliant and otherwise adhere to compatibility via other means to meet POSIX compliance at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POSIX

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