this post was submitted on 28 Feb 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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Windows is the safe (or was) default. If you walk into most companies, that's what everyone has. If you buy a PC, that's what's installed. Using Linux or Mac is a conscious choice. That "us vs. them" feeling tends to foster community.
Windows was never the safe option, it was the anticompetative option that took away the safe options!! Windows has always been quite genuinely the least secure, least stable, least maintainable option.
I think it’s “Safe” as in “No one was ever fired for choosing IBM” or more on the nose: If you choose to install Linux on all company computers and the CFO gets mad when Excel doesn’t work, why aren’t we just using windows??!?!? Then it’s your ass on the line. You will have a million enterprise software vendors that supports Windows, fewer that supports Linux.
It’s no longer the safe bet for a lot of companies/countries because of how USA is being run at the moment, but that’s s whole other reason.
"thats whats installed" I remember those times, but now Microsoft is forcing you to bloat your cheaper PC with win11, otherwise it will be out of date.Thats the problem now.