@Eragor14
Linux is not an operating system as many believe. It’s just a kernel which is part of many operating systems known as Linux distributions, or distros for short. Linux is normally used with the GNU coreutils and other GNU code to complete the operating system known as GNU/Linux. All of the Linux distros are really GNU/Linux distros (except Alpine, that’s a Busybox/Linux distro).
TL;DR Linux is the kernel. GNU/Linux is the operating system.
@☬ ᏝᏆᏁᏨᎾᏝᏁᏰᏒᎬᎳᏕᎿᎬᏒᎱᎯᏁ ☬
It’s the response to the GNU/Linux interjection copypasta that frequently gets spammed on the internet. It begins with “I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux.” The rest of the copypasta you can find on the internet.
@☬ ᏝᏆᏁᏨᎾᏝᏁᏰᏒᎬᎳᏕᎿᎬᏒᎱᎯᏁ ☬
It’s the response to the GNU/Linux interjection copypasta that frequently gets spammed on the internet. It begins with “I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux.” The rest of the copypasta you can find on the internet.
Yeah I know that. I meant that Mint seems like a good distro because out-of-the-box it looks like Windows (so does Zorin, Q4OS, and countless other distros all of which suck).
I don’t disagree with you there. I use Xmonad on Arch now, but I’ve been using Linux for 8 years
I’ve been using GNU/Linux for years (not as long as you) and I’m actually using Arch right now despite it using systemd (I used to use Artix).
And that’s really what newbies and non-technical people want - something familiar and easy to use without copious technical knowledge required to customize or fix your system.
Yeah Mint is easy to use but you’re going to have to have some technical knowledge to use GNU/Linux. How else would you install a distro if you don’t even know what an ISO file is? And how are you going to fix your system when it breaks (because it will) if you don’t even know how to use a terminal? I don’t want to discourage people from using Linux since Windows sucks much worse, but everyone should know Linux isn’t Windows.
I would expect someone who learns how to use Linux on Mint to switch to a “better,” more technically advanced distro eventually, but I wouldn’t expect them to try and figure out something like Arch right out of the gate.
Considering that Arch now has an installer (albeit a text installer), it shouldn’t be hard for anyone to install it assuming they can follow directions.
I’m curious now though, what distro would you recommend for newbies?
Probably Devuan or Fedora (yeah I know, it uses systemd too). I prefer the former but it does require more work to setup including enabling nonfree repos and setting up unattended upgrades (which I never used since I always update manually), but the latter is much easier to install and use.
Not really. Distros for newbies usually preinstall a bunch of shit and use systemd.
I mean, Mint does that as well.
Mint seems like a good distro until you realize that desktop environments are a thing and that any distro can be made to look like Windows with the right desktop environment.
I don’t disagree with you there. I use Xmonad on Arch now, but I’ve been using Linux for 8 years and I started out using Mint because it was beginner-friendly and looked the most like Windows out of the box. And that’s really what newbies and non-technical people want - something familiar and easy to use without copious technical knowledge required to customize or fix your system. I would expect someone who learns how to use Linux on Mint to switch to a “better,” more technically advanced distro eventually, but I wouldn’t expect them to try and figure out something like Arch right out of the gate.
I’m curious now though, what distro would you recommend for newbies?
@CompoundFraxure
Not really. Distros for newbies usually preinstall a bunch of shit and use systemd. Mint seems like a good distro until you realize that desktop environments are a thing and that any distro can be made to look like Windows with the right desktop environment.
Linux is not an operating system as many believe. It’s just a kernel which is part of many operating systems known as Linux distributions, or distros for short. Linux is normally used with the GNU coreutils and other GNU code to complete the operating system known as GNU/Linux. All of the Linux distros are really GNU/Linux distros (except Alpine, that’s a Busybox/Linux distro).
What in the world is GNU/Linux? How does it differ from standard Linux? Is Linux Mint a part of GNU/Linux or is it standard Linux?
It’s the response to the GNU/Linux interjection copypasta that frequently gets spammed on the internet. It begins with “I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux.” The rest of the copypasta you can find on the internet.
Not really but I liked it :)
Edited
Do you understand what that is even supposed to mean, LBF?
Edited because: No Richard. It's Linux, not GNU/Linux.
Not really. Distros for newbies usually preinstall a bunch of shit and use systemd. Mint seems like a good distro until you realize that desktop environments are a thing and that any distro can be made to look like Windows with the right desktop environment.
Still is a great distro for newbies, though.