this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
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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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[–] radroot@lemmy.world 26 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Oh wow, that was my first Linux desktop

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Same but I didn't try it until it was already renamed to Linspire. First heard* about it when The Screen Savers discussed Microsoft suing them over the *indows part of the name on TechTV.

Miss that channel so much. I was pissed the fuck off when G4 came out of nowhere, bought out the channel and turned it into a Mountain Dew and Doritos network for edgy gamers. Attack of the Show was okay, though. But it was nowhere near is good as TSS was. *sigh*

[–] lars@lemmy.sdf.org 22 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I love how the skyline looks like a couple skylines of that era that don’t look that way now. What city is that?

[–] aport@programming.dev 20 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] lars@lemmy.sdf.org 20 points 6 months ago

Thanks!

Purportedly 2024.

[–] RichieRich@hessen.social 12 points 6 months ago (4 children)

@Sinclair-Speccy That's such a bad Operating System, really bad. Poor features,buggy as hell.

[–] tourist@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago (3 children)

Must really have been super shit if you remember how awful it was 20+ years later

Anything in particular that sent you over the edge?

[–] TimeSquirrel@kbin.melroy.org 17 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (3 children)

I'm not that person, but most smaller distros back that weren't the major ones (RedHat, Suse, Mandrake) had issues. Driver support from distro to distro was also very spotty, I remember having to hunt through three of them in 2002 to finally get one to recognize my Ethernet chipset. Yes, Ethernet, not Wifi, which would have been understandable.

[–] laurelraven@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 6 months ago

This is why Ubuntu was such a big deal when it came out, it was one of the few where things more or less "just worked" without having to chase proprietary or reverse engineered drivers down

[–] IsoKiero@sopuli.xyz 2 points 6 months ago

Yes, Ethernet, not Wifi, which would have been understandable.

Back in the day there was 'software NICs' on the market which required separate (driver-ish) software to do anything. Also there was RTL chips which required propietary parts from a driver and all the fun stuff. On wifi it's still a thing now and then, but everything works far better today, and it's at least partially because hardware is better too. Of course even in late 90's when ethernet started to gain traction you could just throw something like 3c509 or e100 to your box and call it a day, but standards were far less mature than they're today.

[–] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 months ago

I remember that even a graphical Installation was rare amongst distress which is why I briefly used Mandrake as one of my first.

[–] RichieRich@hessen.social 5 points 6 months ago

@tourist I tried it back in the time and it didn't really work well. It was just a pain. None of the hardware I owned worked well enough. Graphics card only VESA mode, lack of compatibility issues, Wine was crappy at the time, a better approach was SuSE Linux which was the start for me to dive into the Linux world. Since then I took the hard tour and enjoyed playing around with SuSE on a second partition. Nowadays I use Linux only, except for company's PC at the office, there I'm bound to Win.

[–] GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Its gimmick was that it was compatible with Windows apps, and an easy transition for Windows users. It didn't really live up to that promise. Wine was not nearly as mature then as it is today, and even today it would be pretty bold to present any Linux distro as being Windows-compatible.

[–] 30p87@feddit.de 6 points 6 months ago (2 children)
[–] MyNameIsRichard@lemmy.ml 9 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Microsoft sued Lindows because it was too similar to Windows (and lost)

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 3 points 6 months ago

I don't think that. Yes, only one letter is different. Yes, both are operating systems for PC. Yes the UI somewhat looks similar. But I think even the average joe would be baffled by your statement (because they think it is Windows).

[–] Shady_Shiroe@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago
[–] earmuff@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Wait, didn’t they have a super weird/catchy song about Lindows back then? Or am I confusing it with the Perpendicular song, when HDD manufacturers switched to this technology?

[–] metaphortune@lemmy.world 7 points 6 months ago (1 children)

To this day, I love to suggest my tech friend switch to Lindows as a joke. Still kills if they get it, otherwise I have to explain "so it's this old Linux distribution..."

[–] nexussapphire@lemm.ee 10 points 6 months ago

A distro used by Walmart because they were too cheap to pay for windows.

[–] faizalr@kbin.run 6 points 6 months ago

At one point this is so hyped that makes me want to try it.

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 6 points 6 months ago

The name Lindows sounds like someone made a joke what would happen if Microsoft released a Linux distribution. (just referring to the name)

[–] abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 6 months ago

Lindows is literally an insult in linux spaces.

[–] electricprism@lemmy.ml 5 points 6 months ago

I remember their "1 Click Install"