Unix vs Linux

[sledge_hmr]

Can software written for Unix run on Linux? Can software written for Sun Solaris run on Linux?

[Shadoglare]

For the most part no, there's enough of a difference in the code of most programs to keep programs written for Solaris to run on Linux and vice-versa - there are several exceptions, such as programs that weren't specifically for either and will compile on either one, but for the most part they won't share.
Going the other way around though, Sun has a "translater" program you can run on Solaris that will allegedly allow it to run Linux programs.

[Keyser Soze]

It does a fair job, but it's like running anything in emulation, drags a bit.

[element-x]

To tell you the truth, anything I've ever seen written say...strictly for FreeBSD (As unix as I've gotten at home), has run just fine on my linux machine.

I can't say the same for the other way around.

[sledge_hmr]

what is kind of UNIX is HP-UX?

[sans-hubris]

Originally posted by Shadoglare:
<STRONG>For the most part no, there's enough of a difference in the code of most programs to keep programs written for Solaris to run on Linux and vice-versa - there are several exceptions, such as programs that weren't specifically for either and will compile on either one, but for the most part they won't share.
Going the other way around though, Sun has a "translater" program you can run on Solaris that will allegedly allow it to run Linux programs.</STRONG>
Your answer is a little truncated.

If you have the source code to the Unix software you want to use, then the answer to whether or not it will run under Linux is: maybe. Linux is largely POSIX complient, but I'm not sure that it's fully POSIX complient. If the source code sticks to POSIX standards, then it will likely compile and run. If it caters towards a certain UNIX, you'll have some work ahead of you to get it to run under Linux.

It's easier to port a program that was meant to run under UNIX to Linux than it is to port it to Windows.