What's a good project tailored to learning strengths of Unix / Linux

Question

I've been developing Microsoft Windows based applications (both desktop and web) for several years using C#, .net, & Visual Studio with a dash of C/C++ & WIN32. I want to broaden my horizons and try out developing in a *NIX environment e.g. using Vim & C++. I have limited UNIX experience from a few school projects.

I'm having trouble thinking of a good project to implement that might reveal some of UNIX's strengths and why some projects / fields prefer to use UNIX. I can think of several interesting things I'd like to build, but don't see compelling reasons to why implementing them in UNIX would be anything more than an exercise in using the UNIX environment.

What project / application could help a developer learn UNIX’s strengths?

Ideally, at some point while I"m coding this project, a light bulb will appear floating above my head, turn on by itself, and I will say "AHA!" when I realize some of the benefits of the UNIX environment compared to things I've done previously in Windows.

Just to be clear, I do not doubt that UNIX has its strengths, I'm just looking for an enticing starting point for Unix development.

Answer 1

In UNIX/Linux "everything" is files. What about writing a piece of software that reads the disk device, understands the partition tables and file system?

Another possibility is to write a linux kernel module that does "something". It will sure give you a better understanding on how the linux kernel works. As an added benefit it sounds more hardcore than it really is ;)

A good starting point would be Kernel Newbies.