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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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Why everyone is switching to NixOS ? (sh.itjust.works)

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

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Hi everyone!

I saw that NixOS is getting popularity recently. I really have no idea why and how this OS works. Can you guys help me understanding all of this ?

Thanks !

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do you run the gnu guix distro or just use the package manager? Because iirc it uses only free software, even for drivers. So I imagine it is not that easy to find compatible hardware.

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

I run the complete system. It's true that the standard iso comes with the linux-libre kernel and the standard channel (think repo) contains only free software. However there is the nonguix channel which comes with the full linux kernel, and all the proprietary drivers you could ask for.

Nonguix offer an ISO with the full kernel too in case you have a proprietary wifi card and don't have ethernet for the initial setup. The nonguix README I think is pretty clear, but Systemcrafters also made an excellent guide for doing this.

My wifi card unfortunately requires proprietary drivers and I have personally never had an issue with guix + nonguix for all my software needs, proprietary and otherwise.

Hope that helps profligate!

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

Does it actually require proprietary drivers or just proprietary firmware? I don't know of any wifi cards that actually require proprietary drivers on Linux.

[–] rrobin 1 points 1 year ago

I run the GUIX system distribution in all my machines - other than the initial install being a bit harder it is great.

Firmware blobs yes. The default GUIX kernel patches out all proprietary blobs, but the nonguix kernel has them. I do have one machine where I also build the kernel package with my own config because the the wifi driver is not build by default in the linux kernel.

Did a quick search here, besides firmware, nonguix has packages for the nonfree nvidia drivers, brother printer driver, unrar.

In addition nonguix also packages software that GUIX does not, e.g. firefox, or third party binaries:

https://gitlab.com/nonguix/nonguix/-/tree/master/nongnu/packages