I'm not so sure about that. I know echo works in both.

In linux:
[myusername@cm-208-152-6-95 etc]$ echo "some stuff"
some stuff
[myusername@cm-208-152-6-95 etc]$

In dos:
Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-2000 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>echo some stuff
some stuff

C:\>

I do write the occasional windows script but I've never writen anything
interactive with the user so I don't know what the command is for read.