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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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Gnu Hurd, The Linux Alternative (thekernalblog.github.io)

submitted 3 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (2 children)

What I don't understand is the aversion so many people have to Linux alternatives and the amount of infighting between fans of different kernels. This is FLOSS we're talking about, more variety is good for the ecosystem, and unlike proprietary software, different "competing" products can benefit each other at the development level!

Like, I use Linux because I think it suits my needs the most. But I'm in no way "loyal" to it and am willing to switch or use two at a time if something else pops up that is also a good fit for me.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 years ago

Most people are under some naieve assumption that devs could just all work on the same thing, instead of spreading efforts across many projects.

Sure we'd probably get further if we all joined hands and sang kumbayah, but it doesn't work well in the real world. Lack of understanding, unfamiliarity with certain systems, no interest or desire, thinking the current system is a lost cause, etc. Many reasons it doesn't work.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

Your position makes sense and is logical. But most people are "tribal", and love watching competition. It's human nature. Infighting and conflict will always be a problem in FLOSS, unfortunately.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 years ago (2 children)

Ah yeah, the Half Life 3 of OS Kernels.

I want it to come out someday, but I don't have too many hopes.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 years ago (1 children)

That's an amazing analogy.

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

There are part of a category of "Vaporware" but inside this, there are distinctions: Vaporware that is stuck in development hell, just like Hurd and the 0AD game, and the Vaporware that was promised, its not officially canceled, maybe can return somehow, but its not sure that it even exists anymore, like Half Life 3.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

You should check 0 A.D. more currectly.

One thing is that devs consider it Alpha, other is being not playable at all.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 3 years ago

half life 3 is probably gonna be proprietary so i dont care about it

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 years ago (1 children)

I don't think the reason not to use GNU Hurd is that "development takes SO LONG". Hurd's development is so slow because there is already a free kernel (Linux), so there is currently not much need to continue developing another kernel. It is true though that Hurd is much more complex that Linux, because of it being based on servers and not on a monolith kernel, slowing even more the development.

In my opinion, the actual reason that currently makes Hurd an unusable system, is the lack of support for hardware. If I'm not wrong, if you want to successfully run Hurd, you need to use it inside a VM. Linux is just too dominant, making many many many developers end up creating and mantaining any existing hardware. That is just too hard currently for Hurd.

I hope Hurd becomes usable someday, though. I don't want to keep using Linux forever.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 years ago

In 2016 or 2017 in a conference in Spain with people to which I was in contact got Debian GNU/Hurd working in a Netbook perfectly.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 years ago

Cold Fusion, the Coal Alternative

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 years ago (3 children)

Hurd or not, we need a new kernel. Linux is showing its limits around security and modularity. Writing drivers is difficult, error prone and users need to trust drivers not to introduce vulnerabilities. Vendors often refuse to write drivers or to write them well enough to be accepted into mainline Linux. Also, Linux and Hurd are not under GPLv3.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 years ago

some genius needs to write a kernel using one of these anti-capitalist licenses so we can build up from there. TempleOS did more with less

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 years ago

I honestly think eventually the BSD's will trump Linux. They are fast, minimal, they are having more support by the day, and things like GhostBSD are making them more accesable. I would probably use FreeBSD If it actually supported my hardware lol.