IF -
I disagree - you can hide unix files the way you describe but stat - which is the definitive statement about file properties -- does not have any such thing as hidden in UNIX files. Windows filesystems support that property - as well as archive, etc.
I am not arguing "functionality" I'm arguing defined properties - what you did was to confuse the poor OP. IMO.
I guess shell scripting includes windows/DOS bat files. There isn't a stat shell command available from standard Windows XP distributions, so that leaves UNIX
Well, Linux stat....
Hence, the comment.