OS X Mountain Lion For Dummies

Terminal

OS X is based on Unix. If you need proof — or if you actually want to operate your Mac as the Unix machine that it is — Terminal is the place to start.

Because Unix is a command-line-based operating system, you use Terminal to type your commands. You can issue commands that show a directory listing, copy and move files, search for filenames or contents, or establish or change passwords. In short, if you know what you’re doing, you can do everything on the command line that you can do in OS X. For most folks, that’s not a desirable alternative to the windows-and-icons of the Finder window. But take my word for it; true geeks who are also Mac lovers get all misty-eyed about the combination of a command line and a graphical user interface.

You can wreck havoc upon your poor operating system with Terminal. You can harm your Mountain Lion in many ways that just aren’t possible using mere windows and icons and clicks. So — before you type a single command in Terminal — think seriously about what I just said. And if you’re not 100 percent certain about the command you’ve just typed, don’t even think about pressing Return or Enter.