Linux

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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'd like to interject for a moment... (lemmy.ml)

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

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Taken from the CompTIA IT Fundamentals Exam Guide book (2nd edition, published 2021). I'm not sure if they fixed this in newer versions, if at all.

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[–] [email protected] 44 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Here's some more excerpts from the book that I found amusing:

As you learned in Chapter 1, Linux is an open source operating system, meaning that anyone can download and modify it. Open source operating systems can benefit from improvements contributed by thousands of programmers. Some people choose open source operating systems out of an anti-establishment spirit; others choose them as a practical matter because they are free.

"Anti-establishment" isn't the word I'd use, but I guess that fits.

One of the most popular distros for casual users, Ubuntu, comes with a DE called Unity (shown in Figure 5-16)

That hasn't been true since 2017.

Be suspicious of free apps. In the best-case scenario, the app does what it says but installs ads or other software. In the worst-case scenario, the free app is, or contains, malware that might steal personal information from your device, encrypt your data files and demand a ransom for decryption, or monitor your device usage. Installing an app sometimes asks for specific permissions that the app will use. Be selective in allowing app privileges to items such as contact lists, GPS location, e-mail messages, and so on.

Okay, I'll admit this is good advice if we're talking about "freeware", but there's also free/libre/open-source software, which has all of the benefits of freeware, and also gives you the freedom to read/mofify/share the source code, if you wish.

As for that "malware" you speak of, you might as well be describing Google Chrome.

No media player supports all formats, so it's important to find one that supports the formats of the clips you want to play.

Clearly, these people haven't heard of VLC.

Codec is short for "compressor-decompressor"

It actually stands for "coder/decoder".

And that's just one page...

[–] DryTomatoes 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Paid apps can also steal user data and also I'd be way way more concerned about 'free' mobile apps than open source programs.

Mobile apps can and will get a jarring amount of your data just for being installed.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

The "best-case scenario" is adware or malware. Someone didn't get hugged as a child.