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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How do y'all deal with programs not supported on Linux? (sh.itjust.works)

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

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I've been seeing all these posts about Linux lately, and looking at them, I can honestly see the appeal. I'd love having so much autonomy over the OS I use, and customize it however I like, even having so many options to choose from when it comes to distros. The only thing holding me back, however, is incompatibility issues. A lot of programs I work with very often are Windows-exclusive, and alternatives supporting Linux are rare. So I guess I'm stuck with Windows, since I deem those particular programs really important.

Any advice from Linux nerds here? All constructive replies are very appreciated.

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[–] AnUnusualRelic 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I switched to Linux from Windows 3.11 because Microsoft software didn't do what it was supposed to.

My method is that I don't even know what's available for Windows, so I don't miss it at all. The opposite isn't true though, and time spent in a Microsoft environment can quickly become painful.

My only regular contact with Windows is the Steam partition which hasn't been used for quite some time. I have a laptop that has a small win11 partition that I boot every now and then to see what they're up to these days.

However, in the end, the only real answer is that if you really need a piece of software, you just run whatever system that supports it. It's not a religion, you use whatever is convenient for you at a given time.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Ooh, Win 3.11? Which version of Linux did you switch to at the time?

I don't recall the kernel version, but my first was Red Hat 5.2 in the late 90s. I didn't switch to Linux permanently though, had it on dual-boot. But eventually it was SuSE that won me over, with their YaST tool and polished KDE implementation - seemed lightyears ahead of Win 9x and ME at the time.

[–] AnUnusualRelic 8 points 1 year ago

At the time, I installed slackware with a lot of floppies.

Now, after trying quite a few, I settled on OpenSuSE Tumbleweed. It has one of the best KDE desktops, and basically just works, whatever you do with it. It's comfortable and boring which I see as great qualities.