11. Your Environment

In This Chapter

• Local Variables

• Exported Variables

• PS1 and PS2

• HOME, James

• Your PATH

• Your Current Directory

• More on Subshells

• Your .profile File

• The TERM Variable

• The TZ Variable

• Exercises

When you log on to the system, you’re effectively given your own copy of the shell program. This shell maintains what’s known as your environment—an environment that is distinct from other users on the system. This environment is maintained from the moment you log on until the moment you log off. In this chapter you’ll learn about this environment in detail, and you’ll see how it relates to writing and running programs.

Local Variables

Type the following program called vartest into your computer:

$ cat vartest ...

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