this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2024
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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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I think the bigger issue with the entirety of Linux as a whole is, getting everyone on the same page to make a distro that everyone can use and not be intimidated by. There's a distro for everyone, but there are still obstacles in some distros that people are going to run into, that'll make them turn back to Windows.
Whether it can't run a game they played, run a piece of software natively, driver support and maybe even features they thought were best suited on Windows than Linux.
I can agree with this. I've always said that the concept of Linux needs to be a centralized experience for most, and then diverging distros for those who want to seek them for others. Like when you install Linux for the first time, it's just called "Linux". That's the name of the distro. And it is a collection of all the other OS's most popular features. It is the default linux experience. If YOU want to change something, you can, but most won't. Windows 95 and later were actually pretty customizable, but how many people actually customized their window colors? I knew a few people who did. Most didn't.
And that's the thing about this kind of mass appeal that linux would experience. Terminal would still work, just as it does today, but it wouldn't be the default behavior for most. Terminal is the second biggest reason people don't use linux.
So for there to be a singular starting experience, it needs to basically be "This is linux. You've never used it, but you already know how. All your programs from mac and windows work here. Plus it's free, and more secure without ads or tracking."
That alone would be the driving force. Once they're into the ecosystem, they can play with terminal if they want. They can customize if they want. But I have a feeling that most would stay with whatever the default experience was for their entire time using the system.
And the part where "all your apps work" is part of what I'm talking about with everybody catching ReactOS to modern. It's not modern right now, but that's due to lack of development. I'm saying with a huge development increase, it could be a small part of what makes your vision of a popular linux a reality. One of many moving parts basically.
We have Android and ChromeOS for those "just want an appliance" users.
The rest of the distros are for those with varying needs. Arch, Gentoo, for the full control folk. Debian for stability folk. Ubuntu for cloud. ELs for data centers.
Etc etc etc