Linux

47233 readers

773 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS

nooter692@lemmy.ml

MarcellusDrum@lemmy.ml

cypherpunks@lemmy.ml

cyclohexane@lemmy.ml

d3Xt3r@lemmy.nz

140

Niche Distro Users: Why? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 4 weeks ago by BaumGeist@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

90 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I occasionally see love for niche small distros, instead of the major ones...

And it just seems to me like there's more hurdles than help when it comes to adopting an OS whose users number in the hundreds or dozens. I can understand trying one for fun in a VM, but I prefer sticking to the bigger distros for my daily drivers since the they'll support more software and not be reliant on upstream sources, and any bugs or other issues are more likely to be documented abd have workarounds/fixes.

So: What distro do you daily drive and why? What drove you to choose it?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] ssm@lemmy.sdf.org 18 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (5 children)

Because I'm a software luddite that believe we peaked in design at BSD/Plan9, and most of the "innovations" of enshittified corporate mainstream distros (redhat userland, atomic/immutable environments, "universal" (unless you're not on linux) package management, containerization of anything and everything) don't impress me, and more often than not turn me away. I'm not saying software can't improve, but when it comes to mainstream linux (especially redhat), innovation is always 0 steps forward 40 convoluted leaps back with bonus windows compatibility.

reliant on upstream sources

Not relevant to independent distributions, which I'd actually consider more of a problem with popular distros very often being forks (most often of debian).

[–] msage@programming.dev 4 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

So which distro do you use? Plan9 was never completed I think?

[–] bubstance@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (1 children)

Plan 9 is still actively developed in the form of 9front; updates and new features trickle down to 9legacy from there.

The "original" Plan 9—meaning stock 4th Edition—is more of a museum piece at this point, though, yes.

[–] msage@programming.dev 3 points 4 weeks ago

Oh boy, I know where I'm losing my next free weekend

load more comments (2 replies)