Linux is often listed as parallel to OSes like macOS. But afaik Mac is also based off of Unix, so can I say Mac is a distro of unix? And then Mac would become parallel to linux distros like ubuntu and debian? Is a distro an OS of their own?
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How you group the operating system depends on the situation and it can be different. If you for example what to look at what OS people use on the desktop then grouping all Linux disturbing together makes sense because all are quite similar but differ in ways from Windows and Mac OS .
Mac OS might have a POSIX base on a UNIX/UNIX-like kernel but what is on top is a proprietary layer. So programs developed for Mac OS cant be installed on other POSIX-based OS.
If you look at Linux distros in general you can run the same software on all of them.
The grouping we human make are there because they have a practical purpose.
You could group OS based on their origins and have all that have their origin in something UNIX-like are UNIX. The problem is now that Apple us the XNU kernel in Mac OS but alos in iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch etc, Android use a modified LINUX kernel. So now you primary have two OS for a large amount of consumer produce UNIX and Windows. But this would be a quite impartial grouping because from a user point of view it is quite irrelevant that iOS and Android have a origin in UNIX, you can install the same apps on them and the OS feature are different.
So you can use any definition of OS you like the question to ask is when you do that what is the purpose and what are you trying to go get across. You should pick a definition that is appropriate for the situation.
If you teach a course in operating system design and what to show the how operating system are created and developed over the huge influence of UNIX then do it one way. If you on the other hand what to introduce people to a computer or to show that is commonly used on desktops another definition is appropriate.
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