I don''t generally post much in the GDnet forums, i tend to just read it (i''m a bit of a newb), But one thing i notice coming up constantly is a war over how some people think linux was born out of jesus'' ass, and gates is satan, and then there are other people who say linux is crap and pointless, and i was thinking it might be worth going and finding out what Linux is. But seriously what is it. Yes i know its an os but whats so great about it? why do people like it? (I am not intending to start an argument please just answer my question) PC-Gaming
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People like Linux because it is free (both Beer and Speech), and it is open source. Anybody can modify it or contribute to it. Linux is stable - far more stable than Win9x. Also, Linux comes with all sorts of tools for developers.

Can't speak for everyone else but...

I learn more about software design when I use/program Linux (my favorite UNIX is actually FreeBSD). UNIX systems are very well designed from an engineering standpoint, so it's easier to understand how they work internally, and it's easier to write GOOD code. Plus, the operating system is open sourced so you can even hack around with the kernel. I used to hack around with FreeBSD's kernel in grad school, and it was a really fun, enlightening experience. On the flip side, I never learn much about GOOD software design on Windows. I always feel like I'm just hacking away at some poorly designed black box, and that my programs are held together with "chewing gum and bailing wire".

To be fair, UNIX has a ways to go on the user interface side, and X11 isn't the simplest API either. However, Mac OS X is starting too look like the best of both worlds. It has an intuitive UI (Aqua) on top of a UNIX kernel (based on FreeBSD), coupled with a powerful, elegant IDE (Cocoa).

Edited by - poozer on January 29, 2002 11:38:48 AM

Linux makes a great server OS, but is lacking as a desktop OS. From a consumer standpoint it is just too hard to do things in it for the general public. I personaly would rather see a different form of unix. Maybe a BeOS rebirth (I know it''s not unix, but it''s posix so deal) or maybe OSX can come out on the PC . Until there is a decient interface on ANY other semi popular pc based operating system I''ll just stick with windows programming...

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"People who usualy use the word pedantic usualy are pedantic!"-me

Aside from the fact that Linux is more stable than Windows, takes more time for the system to degrade (I have Windows 2k, and STILL I have to reboot once a day at least, of course I code for a living, so my system degrades faster than the average user''s system), its also the competitor which is giving MS some headaches, since its open source and free, they cant buy it to destroy it, and since all (most) work on it is being done for free, it wont go bankrupt or die because lack of money (like BEOS). Now, since is written by programmers for programmers it is not such a friendly environment for average users, but its getting there (GNOME, KDE), my 14 year old brother begged me to make his computer a dual boot, and so far he has no complaints about Linux (well just that for some reason the nVidia drivers dont seem to work in it) and he hasnt screwd it (he screws windows so much, I want to shot myself everytime he asks me to fix it).

I think Linux does have a future as a desktop OS, specially when MS keeps invading people''s privacy, puts locks on their software, try to charge monthly fees for using Office, and concentrate in putting more bells and wistles on Windows rather than making it more efficient.

Some analysists are saying that this year is the year that Linux overtakes Mac for desktop share. When that happens, you will see a lot more professional programs that were written for Macs come to Linux as well since OS X is FreeBSD underneath, porting will be worth their time and money.

Also, many countries are seeking open source software before proprietary software, and many are making mandates to make sure of this (Brazil, Germany).

China who is trying to get into the WTO needs legit software (ie - not pirated) and cannot afford MS solutions, and is turning to Linux to provide for their software.

When people get accustomed to using Linux at work, chances are that when it comes time for an upgrade, instead of shelling out $99 to get the next windows, they will borrow the install CDs from work.


If the wind blows hard enough, even turkeys can fly

Good point, Big B! I was reading Linux Journal the other day and there was an article saying that a lot of industrial applications are coming to Linux very soon - gasflow simulations, textile design controllers, etc. Not the flashy stuff, but the grit that keeps the economy moving. As you rightly surmised, once people become accustomed to using Linux at work (and a little push in the desktop interface development area wont hurt - kudos to the KDE and GNOME teams), then Linux might really start to see home use.

The time is near, brethren!
(My ironic piece of "pseudo-revolutionary" babble for the month, considering that I like WindowsNT a heck of a lot).

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Thanks to Kylotan for the idea!

Do osX apps run on linux and linux apps on osX? Because osX is unix under the hood right?

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Edited by - TheRealMAN11 on January 30, 2002 9:54:54 PM

OSX''s kernel, Darwin, is based off of one of the BSDs (I believe it''s FreeBSD, offhand, but I''m not 100% sure on this), so yes, OSX is UNIX for all practical purposes. This basically means that you should be able to get UNIX programs to compile on OSX, but I don''t think that all binaries, anyway, should work out of the box. Also, because OSX''s GUI, Aqua, is NOT free/opensource, those apps won''t work on other UNIX systems.

rm -rf /bin/laden

OS X binaries are only for G4 and G3 cpu''s as well. I think(not posotive) that the G4 is 64 bit as well.