Mastodawn

There has been a shift happening in Linux distrobutions.

It used to feel like an invitation to explore. You installed it knowing you would read logs, edit configs, break things, and actually learn how your system worked. Now many distributions boot into polished desktops, curated app stores, and seamless updates. It is impressive, it is accessible and it is good for adoption. But it also creates distance between the user and the machine.

The real question is not whether polish is good or bad. It is whether we are still encouraged to look underneath. Linux was never just about freedom to run code. It was about understanding it. If everything becomes convenient and opaque, we risk losing the culture that made it powerful in the first place.

#Linux #OpenSource #FOSSCulture #Tinkering #Abstraction

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I Quit Smoking Mar 3

@fraggle Linux was and still is about freedom imho. Most Linux users aren't even aware of they're using Linux. Whether its interacting with a server, utilizing a kiosk, using an android phone / car, or indirectly using it via (iirc) most 5G modems. These use cases are possible thanks to the copyleft license.
Most people don't have deep knowledge about their devices, and that's how it should be. Digital technologies are mostly solutions, and good solutions shouldn't require expertise.

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Fraggle

@iquitsmoking Maybe I should have stated that I am speaking strictly about desktop Linux. Not IoT devices, internet backbone/hosting systems, modems, mobile devices, etc.

Linux does not require expertise to begin using, but I believe any distro, regardless of how user-friendly it is should encourage said user to look deeper, learn more and gain a better understanding of their system.

Not a single person starts with deep knowledge of anything, but they can be inspired to seek that knowledge.