this post was submitted on 18 Aug 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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I remember, I was 23yo and in a BSc Computer Science. At the time our teachers were more BSD, SVR4, Minix, and of course HP-UX, SunOS, AIX, IRIX, etc. They didn't like Linux, but us, students, would download kernel and gnu utilities on like 8 floppies, to install on 486, and then the 10 floppies for X11, what a nightmare it was, like Arch today :)
My first kernel install was v0.99. What a time :) I used Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, and now MX (still based on Debian) for a long time.
Disagree. Arch is smooth sailing in comparison. More like installing DOS in the early 90s.
I don't know, I installed Arch from the base archlinux-x86_64.iso followed the wiki and after boot I had a simple text login, I needed to configure ethernet network/systemd etc then install X and Xfce and all kind of stuff, like in the 90s :)
I installed DOS dozens of time, in the beginning it was two 5"1/4 floppies and super easy to install, but there was no GUI nor network
still, there's a lot less ./configure;make;make install involved than it was on mid-90s linux :D
You also had to manually cut your partitions, then to manually setup everything after install - himem, mouse, sound... It was mostly loading drivers and in Arch it's installing and configuring packages. Sure, it's more complex due to vastly more possibilities but the actual doing is pretty similar. And there was no wiki back then. ;)