# Posix and linux

**URL:** <https://community.unix.com/t/posix-and-linux/141003>\
**Category:** UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers\
**Created:** [January 22, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/posix-and-linux/141003 "2002-01-22T01:31:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![darbarilal](https://community.unix.com/letter_avatar/darbarilal/32/5_5575768a8748004e209b776fc1b2916d.png) [@darbarilal](https://community.unix.com/u/darbarilal)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/posix-and-linux/141003/1 "2002-01-22T01:31:25Z")

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What is posix? What is the relation between Posix, Unix and linux?

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**Author:** ![LivinFree](https://community.unix.com/user_avatar/community.unix.com/livinfree/32/20_2.png) [@LivinFree](https://community.unix.com/u/LivinFree)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://community.unix.com/t/posix-and-linux/141003/2 "2002-01-22T02:35:53Z")

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A very simple way to describe them is that POSIX is one major "Unix standard". There are others, like XPG and SVID.  
A quick search on Google pulled this up: [What is POSIX?](http://www.robelle.com/smugbook/posix.html)

"Unix" as it was now ceases to be. The true decendant of the AT&T Unix source code is now held by Caldera, who bought out SCO. Check out [http://unix.about.com](http://unix.about.com) for lots of Unix history and facts. Many companies and groups put out their own Unix-like operating systems, for example: HP-UX, Solaris, \*BSD, Caldera...

Linux was originally started as a Unix-like system that would run on checp PC hardware. Other alternatives include Hurd, Minix, the BSD family, and there's still other small ones running about.

Hope that answers a few questions...