this post was submitted on 28 Jun 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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[–] [email protected] 67 points 4 months ago (8 children)

If you have cutting edge hardware, this might be an issue. But most people don't and for them Mint will work just fine. If you want cutting edge, don't use Mint. But that's not their focus at all. Mint is for people who just want their computer to work with minimal hassle.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If you want cutting edge, don't use Mint. But that's not their focus at all. Mint is for people who just want their computer to work with minimal hassle.

These don't seem like competing needs. When I think "just work with minimal hassle", I don't think "I need to restrict myself to outdated hardware".

I'm perfectly happy running old packages in general. I'm still on Plasma 5, and it works just as well as it did last year. But that's a matter of features, not compatibility. Old is fine; broken is not.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I think Mint is mostly for the "I have a PC that’s a few years old and want something easy and reliable to replace Windows with" crowd. Because it works great for that. It’s the perfect beginner distro.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Yeah absolutely zero newbies are going to buy a new computer in order to test out Linux.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago

The machine I have running mint is a fifteen year old Core 2 Duo T6600 laptop. Works great!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I do want to add that new games can also require new packages, the way Alan Wake II did at launch. Even on Arch you had to compile the development version of Mesa for it to run.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

If you have cutting edge hardware, this might be an issue.

No, thanks to Valve's efforts for Steam Deck all RDNA2 hardware directly benefits for upstreamed improvements.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

people who just want their computer to work with minimal hassle.

Elementary OS. Hassle-free, elegant and polished, distraction-free.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I'd give it a shot if i was on the lookout for something new, but I see absolutely no reason to switch from Mint.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Yeah there’s no need to change if you’re content with what you’re using.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

If you have cutting edge hardware

If you have cutting edge hardware, you would probably need linux-next kernel. Otherwise you don't have cutting edge hardware.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The thing is that Linux has gone mainstream, with young adults and teens trying it out for Gaming and Streaming. The target people has changed so recommending Mint is not suitable anymore.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I wouldn't quite go so far as to say it's gone "mainstream" since you still have to be moderately nerdy to know about it. I get your point though. This is one of the reasons I am so happy the Steam Deck exists. Before Valve released the Steam Deck nobody wanted to make games for Linux, so Valve said "fuck it, we'll do it ourselves" and proved it was not only possible, but a better experience overall. While not all games work, having 78-80% of your game library work on Linux, with no Windows OS performance tax, is a great experience. Even with the Proton compatibility layer games generally run faster than on Windows.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

this video from last month has 600k views. Ive seen several recent linux videos with 150k+ views. Brodie, Horn and the Linux Experience constantly pull 50k to 200K views on some of their videos.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You don't have to run linux to watch a video about linux.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

It mean to say its not an obscure thing anymore, Id say its becoming mainstream.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Not even close to approaching mainstream!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

It'a close. Isn't it at 4% market share? That's higher than Firefox.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Any distro will "just work" if used correctly....

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (1 children)

If you have to tiptoe around to use it "correctly", it doesn't "just work"

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

I never said anything about "tiptoeing around", but what you said here is correct....