this post was submitted on 17 Jun 2026
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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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Things will mostly plod along slowly but then there will be some big event that causes usage to jump in a huge way, but not in the way that nerds like us want to see.
Actually, that has already happened. Linux is the most used OS in the world. But that's because it underlies Android, and that's not what most of us mean when we are talk about average people using Linux. We want to see people embracing open technologies and while Android might be open compared to Windows, it's not open in the way that we want to see.
If Linux on the desktop ever takes off in a big way, I bet it will also be in a way that makes me say "that's not what I meant..."
As long as Windows remains the most used OS it remains the OS with the highest attack surface. Personally, I am fine with it.