Unix as demonology
Psych 290: Introduction to Unix
grep, sed, and awk
grep, sed, and awk are extraordinarily useful text processing tools. In general, I find it useful to think about Unix programming as a little bit like demonology. There is an element of ritual, a focus on knowing the names of strange beasts that perform arcane services for you, and the possibility that if you screw up all hell can break loose. To this end, we can consider a Unix machine to be nothing but a box of demons, to be summoned and put to work. The shell is our familiar, one who speaks the language of the abyss and interprets our commands. So let’s don dubious robes, drape ourselves in occult jewelery, light candles made of suspicious substances, and learn the proper names of some of these beasts…
