this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023
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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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[–] [email protected] 76 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Does anyone really not know if they have an apple or windows device...?

[–] [email protected] 102 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I'm sure my grandma does not give a shit

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago

I do Linux research for a living and I barely give a shit.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I got my grandma a chromebox for easy updates and minimal tech support. I get a call from her probably once a month when a random tab she got to through Facebook puts her browser in full screen and says she has a windows virus. Sometimes she calls them but is smart enough to not give a credit card. Every time she calls me all scared and asks "I don't have Microsoft right?" lol

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Not sure grandma would be visiting this site

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Sometimes they can afford to not know because they have a relative who can manage the device for them. In which case they really wouldn't be installing software on their own really.

You would be surprised at how many people cannot even change the volume on their tablet.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You would be surprised at how many people cannot even change the volume on their tablet.

If that number is more than 0 then I would be very surprised. There are buttons on the side for volume and volume buttons have been standard on devices since at least the early 80's.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Had someone ask me why their phone didnt make noise or vibrate when they recieved calls the other day. They were pressing the volume down button with the unlock button to get the screen to turn on/off. So it would slowly mute the phone and take the vibrate off once muted.

They would have benefited from the buttons not being less than half an inch away, and possibly on the opposite side. (Not sure what kind of phone it was, it was a cheaper device it seemed.)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

This reminds me of that time where my mum entered the fastboot menu on her phone by mistake. She panicked and I just told her to restart, making sure she holds only the power button this time. It also reminds me of the first time I got into my first smart device (my Tablet's) bootloader by mistake. I was 10, my parents had just bought me the tablet like a week ago and I was at my grandma's so I understandably panicked a lot. But of course, no damage was done.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Now phones lock bootloaders, to protect others from making the same mistake you did.

Isn't that so nice of them? /s

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

That /s is carrying so much of that comment. I'm running a custom ROM, BTW.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Usually you can still enter fastboot, just not do anything except factory reset, or flash signed firmware.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Conversely me, the first time I did this on my Galaxy S2: H A C K E R M A N

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago

My aunt in her late 70s probably is only distantly aware. I wouldn't be surprised if she turned her tablet around to check.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Yes. I have helped people install software over discord and they don't know what a OS is.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Some people are very braindead you know

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago

I don't know, it sounds a bit Linux circle-jerky to me but then again a lot of people are indeed very clueless, true!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I wouldn't say braindead. They just don't care (because all they need a computer for is to read emails and use a text processor) or haven't had the time to learn yet (every known fact must be learned for a first time at some point in your life, which means there is a time in your life where you don't have that knowledge yet (ie. the time before you acquired that knowledge)).

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

You’d be very surprised

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not if you are on Android phone.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think you mean a "Samsung". Because like 50% of people using Android have no idea that they are.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think you mean a "Pixel" because most Samsung customers only care that it's "Not an iPhone"

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For the past decade or more, people have been asking me if my phone is "iPhone or Samsung", USB micro/C are referred to as "Samsung charger", and I'm pretty sure no one knows what a Pixel is, though that may just be because the big carriers don't offer them where I live.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's pretty disappointing, because Samsung is a terrible company, with a bad UI, and creepy privacy practices.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sure, but Samsung has a massive advertising budget, and that's what is truely important. It means it's what people know.