this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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Linux

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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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[–] [email protected] 202 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Kinda weird that they're calling it an OS, but ig they're just trying to cater to the windows audience

[–] killerinstinct101 47 points 1 year ago (3 children)

KDE neon is what they're selling

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

Selling as in advertising, I might add. Neon is free

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

Neon is more of a testbed than a proper distro (they don't actually even use that word).

Is this "the KDE distro"?

Nope. KDE believes it is important to work with many distributions, as each brings unique value and expertise for their respective users. This is one project out of hundreds from KDE.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's a proper distro, that's just saying it's not THE official one

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Uhm

Is it a distro?

Not quite, it's a package archive with the latest KDE software on top of a stable base. While we have installable images, unlike full Linux distributions we're only interested in KDE software.

https://neon.kde.org/faq#is-it-a-distro

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Which is....still not an OS. It's a distribution. Specifically, it's a fork of Ubuntu. To reiterate what the OP was saying, they're catering to the Windows audience, who understand the concept of a "new Windows version," but who wouldn't understand the concept of a distribution.

[–] killerinstinct101 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What exactly is an OS to you? All distros are operating systems because they ship all the tools and utilities need for the system to function (on top of a package manager).

The fact that the KDE devs didn't write that code themselves doesn't disqualify it from being an OS.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

An OS is the interface layer between hardware and software. It's the first code that runs after the boot loader, and it exposes an API for syscalls that allow user processes to allocate typically restricted resources, while also tracking and maintaining those allocated resources, doing process scheduling, and a bunch of other critical tasks.

All distros are operating systems because they ship all the tools and utilities need for the system to function

All distros contain operating systems (or, more accurately, kernels), or, rather, are built on top of them. A distribution is a collection of curated software, along with an init system and, for linux, package manager, and, frequently, a particular desktop environment. These pieces of software are, on some level, superfluous. You can have an OS without them. They don't comprise the OS as a distinct conceptual layer of a computer system, of which there is the hardware, operating system, application, and user layers. The operating system is just Linux - because that is the interface layer between the hardware and software.

Saying "all distros are operating systems" is like saying "all cars are engines." It's just wrong. And I don't care what wikipedia has to say about it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's actually not even a distro, according to their own description at least

Is it a distro?

Not quite, it's a package archive with the latest KDE software on top of a stable base. While we have installable images, unlike full Linux distributions we're only interested in KDE software.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sounds like a distribution that they don't want to call a linux distribution.

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

They probably feel like the name distribution means more than just slapping a DE on it and basically a PPA. Then again, haven't stopped loads of distros from doing that hah.

Could be another way to discourage people using it as a beginner distro or something.

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

I mean, there's over a thousand linux distributions already and it feels like they just don't want it to be another drop of water in the ocean.

[–] FangedWyvern42 8 points 1 year ago

I feel like they intended to mention KDE neon (which is the official KDE distro).