Unix is a general-purpose, multi-user, interactive operating system for the larger Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11 and the Interdata 8/32 computers. It offers a number of features seldom found even in larger operating systems, including i A hierarchical file system incorporating demountable volumes, ii Compatible file, device, and inter-process I/O, iii The ability to initiate asynchronous processes, iv System command language selectable on a per-user basis, v Over 100 subsystems including a dozen languages, vi High degree of portability. This paper discusses the nature and implementation of the file system and of the user command interface. I.