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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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Asking for a Linux (or non-Windows) laptop during a job interview? (self.linux)

submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by flakpanzer to c/[email protected]

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I'm interviewing for a software dev job currently (it's in the initial stages). If things work out, I'd absolutely prefer a work laptop with Linux installed (I personally use PopOS but any distro will do), a Mac will be second choice, but I absolutely cannot tolerate Windows, I abhor it, I hate it... (If all computers left on earth have Windows I'd either quit this field or just quit Earth).

Sometimes it's possible to tell if they use Windows or not, for example, jobs with dotnet/C# are most likely using windows, but not in my case.

Anyways, is it too weird to ask what kind of laptop they provide to their employees? And to also specifically ask for a Linux (or anything but windows) work laptop?

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's not weird, you can ask the recruiter or even the developer doing the interview what is the work environment (i.e. at the end, "do you have any question for me"). It's a perfectly valid question.

You don't have to go into details and go into a flamewar about Windows, at most just mention that it's not your preference.

I think it's better to avoid talking about how you "absolutely cannot tolerate", "hate" a given platform because that in itself could be a red flag to some interviewers. If you feel this way about Windows, maybe you'll feel this way about frameworks/libraries that has already been picked and be a pain to work with.

[–] ilinamorato 6 points 8 months ago

This is the right answer, especially if you can't afford to not take the job.