this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024

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413

Most successful open source operating system (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago

The most successful aquatic reptile of our time

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What you guys are referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX. Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called "Linux", and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project. There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called "Linux" distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Richard? Is that you?

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago

aren't we all

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago

I'd just like to interject for a moment.

What you're referring to as 'penguin' is in fact Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae, or as I've recently taken to calling it, the Southern Hemispherical aquatic flightless bird.

[–] AI_toothbrush 9 points 2 months ago

If you look at total usage its actually THE most successful os right now.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

🦊

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

Thank you for fixing it!

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

Since it underpins Android, you could argue it's the most successful OS in general.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

THAT'S JUST THE KERNEL

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

🤓

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 month ago

think why "who asked" and the nerd emoji are such great conversation enders are because you're not actually bringing up any points, thus making it impossible to reply
so, do you have a point?

(note: the preceding message is due to being provoked, in the form of a response that is seemingly rude and disagreeing with me)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago

you should really show a wildebeest

[+] [email protected] -8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Open source? Hmmm MacOs? Android?

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago (1 children)

How is macOS open source? It’s not just Darwin you know. Some might even argue it’s an abuse of the BSD licenses.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

macOS uses the lack of defense that BSD provides (for Darwin). That's what Open Source licences are.

There are more examples of Open Source project:

MINIX 3 -> Derives into one of the worst pieces of malware ever. The Intel Management Engine.

There is no such Open Source licence infringement. Open Source licences like BSD clause 3 are permissive in every aspect (well maybe not in TM part). They are so open that they allow restricting the freedom of the software.

Linus Torvalds already stated (LinuxCon 2016):

Over the years I've become convinced that the BSD license is great for code you don't care about. I'll use it myself. If there’s a library routine that I just want to say 'hey, this is useful to anybody and I’m not going to maintain this,' I’ll put it under the BSD license.

Referring to Free (libre) Software as Open Source is a disqualification of those projects and their philosophy.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Android is just boneless Linux, thus it's being the most successful open source operating system. I guess the number of Android devices outnumber all the Macs.

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

You realize that Linux is not Open Source. The open source parts of Android are mostly of the google ones (AOSP).

FreeBSD is an Open Source OS.

[–] rakeshmondal 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

You realize that Linux is not Open Source.

Huh?

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

Likely one of those "free software" nerds...

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Swapping concepts of projects that explicitly are Free Software and advertising them as Open Source is a quite disrespectful statement against the creators of those projects.

It's like confusing left from right. It completely negates the intentions they had when opting for a Free Software licence.

If you are not able to distinguish them at least refer them as FOSS as some kind of respectful attempt.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago

Putting GPL (copyleft) licences in the same bag as BSD-like (Open source and similar, permissive) licences is prejudicial for the FOSS environment.

While Open Source licencea are better than privative ones, they still do not defend the software freedom. Thus making them equivalent to GPL-like licences is misleading.

Users that do not have much knowledge about software freedom may think that Open Source projects are as free as GPL-like ones. This could mean that users end trusting this software as much as GPL-like one.

Open Source does not respect software freedom which in turn means that it also does not defend user freedom.

Putting Free software and Open Source as the same concept is dangerous. Companies prefer Open Source licences because they are able to not respect the software freedom.

If Free Software and Open Source is treated as equal, then those companies can disguise themselves as something they aren't.

In internet different people reads what you post. Talking with property is important in order to not fool possible new users.

You could for example know the difference between both licences but someone reading you could not.

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

I feel like you're getting pushback because your definitions. Do you think you could define, open source, free, libre?

Why does software licenced under the gpl not fall under open source? What problems do you have with the OSI's definition open source.

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

It's a way of explicitly remarking the free part. Before OSI's definition Open Source referred to permissive licences. In most cases it still refers to permissive licences, thus the clear distinction is relevant.

Unless people starts to refer to BSD, Apache and similar as open source permissive in order to differenciate with open source copyleft (or similar).

Otherwise I feel is completely relevant to refer to copyleft software as Free Software. It helps both to show that there's differences between both and also makes new people realize that there are different alternatives.