There are quite a few systems that do that. Why is Linux "the best" of them?
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There are quite a few systems that do that. Why is Linux "the best" of them?
What other systems are available that are as customizable as Linux? If you're talking about mainstream ones, Mac OS is essentially a black box once you get to low level details of the system. Apple doesn't really let you tinker with things very much outside of what they allow you to do as a user. Windows is better, but Windows is also a closed source ecosystem in which there is a lot that is unknown under the hood. You can't just swap out major Windows components and still have a functional operating system. Neither hold a candle to Unix-like operating systems in this department.
Linux literally lets you build a system exactly like you want it. Don't like your kernel? Find an alternate one and compile it. Don't like your display driver? Switch to another one. Don't like your desktop environment? Swap it out and get an entirely new user interface/experience (literally, a completely new interface) in about 15 minutes. Don't like your package manager? Well, there are plenty of distributions with alternative ways to install packages as well (this, incidentally, is probably Linux's biggest "problem" from an adoption standpoint, as it's difficult to release software "just once")
No other mainstream operating system (or family of operating systems) gives the administrator anywhere near this level of total and complete control over their system. There are technically others out there (such as non-MacOS BSD derivatives like FreeBSD), but these have very slim levels of adoption on the desktop compared to Linux.
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OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, (…) illumos (ex-OpenSolaris)? (Could be continued.)
Linux has less than 3% on the desktop. We shouldn’t consider adoption rates when comparing the (technical) quality of desktop systems, at least not while Linux is a part of the discussion.
I see your point, but Linux's adoption rate at 3% is many orders of magnitude larger than, say, FreeBSD (or any of these other alternatives). It makes a very substantial difference for everyday users who install standard applications for work, school, etc. Heck, most of Steam's library works almost flawlessly on Linux now, so Linux certainly has been picking up.
Many of these applications aren't really readily available on every Unix-like OS, especially with the advent of Flatpaks that have encouraged a lot of commercial software companies to start releasing more of their software for Linux.
As macOS uses FreeBSD code and some PlayStations do as well, I’d like to question this number.
OpenBSD (which is a rare desktop OS) is quite superb in my opinion, better Wi-Fi than Linux in my tests. It’s not great for gaming though - but that’s where Windows still excels.
boo! no mention of IRIX
It's all the files of the whole park. It tells you everything.
I am using Sony laptop that is 15 years old, with Linux Mint 21 still going strong. Toshiba 1 year older same result.
Linux experience pays the bill then you can buy whatever/everything you want for personal use.
All top 10 of the world's supercomputers run Linux.
https://www.top500.org/lists/top500/2022/06/
All top 10 of the world's supercomputers run Linux.
https://www.top500.org/lists/top500/2022/06/
This is in no relation to Linux's quality though. Linux does not have a special mode that makes it run better on supercomputers than (e.g.) NetBSD.
I think you’ll have a hard time finding anything that doesn’t run Linux in some guise on the entire top500 list today.
The amount of developer resources available to Linux compared to the BSDs does make a tangible real world performance difference in practice though.
As you state, a BSD could’ve made this list - in a universe where the collective development effort had been focused differently - but that’s not what happened, and by now there’s not much of a chance for that happening as the mindshare of Linux is too great. The BSDs aren’t going anywhere as long as there are enthusiasts left and as long as proprietary solutions can benefit from their licensing over that of the Linux kernel, but realistically they won’t win back the bulk of the academic crowd that are the basis for super computer needs.
Extreme capability for parallel processing and I/O. Nothing magic, just a lot of continuous work to do well and to adapt to newer hardware.
"Sorry, I know you're cracking some extremely important equations to solve an existential crisis for our existence. But have you heard about Microsoft Edge?"
But do you actually use it? 😊
My gaming computer does run Linux - ironically a Fedora installation with very little in terms of customization - and as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the BSDs have a special place in my heart. Still, for daily use I mostly end up on my Mac anyway because the user experience is nicer - and of course because I’m locked into the iCloud ecosystem.
My primary computer is Linux.
I recently bought a refurb Dell Precision 3660, since my old desktop started having more issues than I wanted to deal with.My gaming laptop has Linux on it as well. Everyone thought I was crazy to do it, but so far I've only ever had one game that didn't run on it. I get better framerates on Linux than I did on Windows.
Is this a serious question?
You would have to be insane to prefer Linux over macOS for personal computing.
Linux is for those whose time has no value. I have been trying to like Linux for years (had it on Macbooks and even Chromebooks) but I always say meh and nuke it.
You would have to be insane to prefer Linux over macOS for personal computing.
Linux is for those whose time has no value. I have been trying to like Linux for years (had it on Macbooks and even Chromebooks) but I always say meh and nuke it.
I don't have any issues with using Linux. Maybe Linux isn't for you if you tried it for years and it isn't working out.
And that's fine. Calling others insane for using Linux, though, is a bit much.
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