this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2024
123 points (99.2% liked)

Linux

47341 readers
1380 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

Related Communities

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

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

For those veteran linux people, what was it like back in 90s? I did see and hear of Unix systems being available for use but I did not see much apart from old versions of Debian in use.

Were they prominent in education like universities? Was it mainly a hobbyist thing at the time compared to the business needs of 98, 95 and classic mac?

I ask this because I found out that some PC games I owned were apparently also on Linux even in CD format from a firm named Loki.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

windows-only ones. Modems

And, of course, they'd almost never actually SAY that on the box, so you had to see if you could look at what exact chip was on them and explain to a retail employee why you needed to look in the box, and that no, you certainly weren't doing something sketchy, you just use Linux instead of wait why are you calling security...

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"software" modems and soundcards. yeah.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Ah yes, the (in?)famous mWave cards come to mind here.

So shitty they not only didn't work in Linux, they ALSO never fucking worked right in Windows, either, and got IBM sued over what utter trash they were.