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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.

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What's the difference between package manager and why are there so many? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Are they so different that it's justified to have so many different distributions? So far I guess that different package manager are the reason that divides the linux community. One may be on KDE and one on GNOME but they can use each other's packages but usually you are bound to one manager

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah modern usage in general involves silo’d ABIs, be it Flatpak, Nix, Docker/Podman. Modern languages even try to move away from any ABI.

Of course there are upsides and downsides to the traditional approach.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Modern languages even try to move away from any ABI.

I wouldn't put it that way. In the case of Rust, it seems everyone wants to have a stable ABI for a number of reasons (e.g. making dynamic linking possible without FFI), but the core developers feel like the ABI is still too unstable to commit to anything.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

In my experience a lot of Rust developers love the lack of shared libraries and bundling everything, viewing it as a huge win. Maybe someday it will support it but I feel it will be less commonly relied on.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I've seen that sentiment but I think it's more a matter of people making excuses for Rust and not wanting to admit that it has any shortcomings compared to C++.

It's the same mentality that leads C++ developers to defend things like header files.