this post was submitted on 19 Feb 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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Omg that sounds adorable! 😍🐧
I think the freedom aspect is about framing. Rightists often speak in terms of 'freedom of' (as some vague general principle), whereas leftists often speak in terms of 'freedom/liberation from'. Technologists of all stripes often speak in terms of 'freedom to', so in that way Linux is a bit of a 'freedom Rorschach' 😂. Personally I prefer if rightists stick to their windows hidey-hole but I'll gladly take their labor for Linux 😈.
For my part Win 10's EOL and attempted force to 11 was a bit of a "straw that broke the camel's back" moment, as I'd mostly used Linux for experiments and learning before that but hadn't realized how user friendly it got. In a weird way I'm grateful to Microsoft for forcing my hand to full-time Linux because my learning ramped up significantly and now I don't feel likely to ever return to windows 🙃, and can also wholeheartedly recommend Linux to everyone! 😄
It is. It's really cute. I have to admit, a little fluffy thing to pet and squish that's always on hand does serve a good sensory purpose. I initially just got it because I wanted a bigger and easier to grab zipper pull and penguins are cute and iykyk, but it's actually useful, not just cute and a community in-joke.
Yeah, that does track. Honestly, that's just any broad community centered around a thing that respects user freedom more than other available options, you're gonna get the far left and the far right involved. You just see it more with Linux because there's so many people involved that the politically extreme groups seem larger. But that's the price of freedom and liberation. If we can use a thing like that, then there's also going to be annoying right-libertarians who use it for political reasons.
For me, I had never used or even heard of Linux before the combined political pressure, hyperfixation sparked when I found out it was a thing, and just general dissatisfaction with Windows after so many consecutive duds and stinkers, made me try it just to say I'd used it once, and then I just didn't see a reason to stop using it.
And tbh if Windows 10 had been good, not just less bad than 8, and if 11 hadn't been a third stinker in a row, maybe I wouldn't have been so willing to try something new. So I guess I also have Microslop to thank for this.