this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2026
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Linux

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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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Guys, nix or guix

The problem is already solved

[–] warmaster@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago

Brew, but better. I see a bright future ahead.

[–] SocialistVibes01@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

Tools will bundle all their dependencies.

So no Python, no Java

[–] trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Honestly for the best lol.

Jokes aside, I don't see why this would exclude those languages. Just because they need a runtime doesn't mean the runtime can't be bundled (even if it is annoying to do so). I would imagine for runtime-dependent tools, they would just make a generic runtime bundle that can be shared between packages, similarly to how it's done with flatpak.

I think "tools [bundling] all their dependencies" is more likely to mean that you need to ensure that third-party libraries your tool depend on are bundled, which is good. End users, even if they're developers, shouldn't need to hunt those down just to use something.

[–] trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

On the other hand, I feel like many of the headaches of packaging and using packages could have been avoided if static linking were the default. Sure, things like openssl should probably be dynamically linked for more immediate updates when security issues arise, but most of the other third-party libraries for applications should be statically linked.

Otherwise, we end up reinventing static linking for decades, which is what things like Flatpak, AppImages, Snaps (🤢), and presumably Toolpaks exist to solve.

Yes, Flatpaks and Snaps (🤢) also provide application sandboxes, but it would be much better if they could focus more on sandboxing than also having to worry about dependency management for application libraries.

Arguably, if static linking were the default, Toolpaks wouldn't be necessary either, even for immutable systems, because static binaries can be easily installed to a mutable part of the system.

[–] bradboimler@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It's pretty easy to bundle a minimal Java runtime with a modular application with jlink

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Just one big black box binary.

Security people should lose their minds ... or their accreditation.

[–] eldavi@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 days ago

you lol, but that seems to be the direction most are headed towards -- a big binary black box, but it's okay because it's signed.

Hopefully it will be open source, so you can build it yourself. It seems to be related to gnomeOS...

In the mean time, if you have any other feedback, find us in #gnome-os:gnome.org on Matrix, or leave a comment.