this post was submitted on 20 Sep 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] 190 points 1 year ago (6 children)

People would read the second message, type the yes prompt, break their system. But still claim that it was linux's fault, and that the OS doesn't work.

[–] [email protected] 141 points 1 year ago (4 children)

By "people" you mean Linus Sex Tips

[–] [email protected] 44 points 1 year ago

Linux tech slips

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[–] gogosempai 31 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

They need to noobify that prompt further, something like "Yes, break my system!". Even Linus wouldn't fall for that (I hope)!

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 year ago (2 children)

*They will claim it was Linus fault

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Message two can also be caused by packages (or rather, package creators) with delusions of grandeur that only think that the system will stop working without them, so they rig things to threaten to uninstall the system.

Or else someone has created too heavy a dependency on something that ought to be removable, but isn't thanks to malice or incompetence (or both).

We still mock Microsoft for putting too heavy a dependency (or at least removal FUD) on whatever web browser they bundle with their OSes (first IE, now Edge), and here we might have a package creator trying the same damn thing.

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[–] [email protected] 184 points 1 year ago (2 children)
  • Login as a user.
  • Delete the user while still logged in
  • Run command

You should get a message "you don't exist, go away"

Not sure if that one is still around but I know one person who ran a script with "deluser $USER" and it ate root resulting in fun messages like that

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My local deluser checks if the user has any active process. I tried deleting all of the data by hand, but the process is still assigned to a user name and id.

I'm not sure if this one can error still can be replicated.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think I'll just take your word for it.

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[–] [email protected] 139 points 1 year ago (6 children)

the famous "This incident will be reported" error was briefly removed last year before being replaced with a less ominous version.

[–] [email protected] 58 points 1 year ago

While it was funny, it probably is for the best. Especially if a kid uses the system it might legitimately scare the shit out of them lol

I wouldn't be surprised if a kid thought the police was gonna break in now

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago

I noticed this, got so sad. It was one of the funniest ones for me. First time I got it I kinda laughed.

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[–] [email protected] 100 points 1 year ago (3 children)

How could you not include the classic printer lp0 on fire!

I actually got that one around 2010 on Ubuntu. The printer wasn't actually on fire. If I recall it was caused by the network attached printer losing connection during a job

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

That was a fun read, thank you.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

Good chance that could be fire

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[–] [email protected] 98 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's also the naughty programmer getting spanked by EFL

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[–] [email protected] 93 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The third one is new to me. "Congratulations" - that's fucking hilarious.

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[–] [email protected] 87 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Reminds me of the Chocolatey Uninstall script warning

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (3 children)

What the heck tho, how could a simple script destroy a whole machine?

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

When a software package installer isn't designed to be reversible

I recall a bunch of antiviruses being similarly difficult to completely wipe

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[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 54 points 1 year ago (3 children)

"It's possible I did something wrong." 🤣
Like not read the warning that said that he was about to uninstall the desktop? Or to continue only if he knew what he was doing? He also earlier liked to talk about "red flags", but somehow needing to type in "Yes, do as I say!" wasn't one to him. I'm supposed to be getting Linux tips from this guy?

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago

I'm supposed to be getting Linux tips from this guy?

No, this is Linus Sex Tips not Linux Tech Tips!

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm supposed to be getting Linux tips from this guy?

No. You're supposed to see what kind of experience someone who didn't use Linux before would have.

How could someone who has never used Linux know that he was about to nuke his system, after typing in the command that the internet told him to type in to install Steam?

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

By reading the message and using basic comprehension. If you don't know what something is in an error message then google it!

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (4 children)

What makes you think your average Windows user that is trying out Linux for the first time wouldn't have faced the same problem? I never understood why people criticized Linus for this video. After all, the video was supposed to see whether Linux is a viable alternative for Windows users (specifically gamers).

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yes. People have been trained to ignore warnings like this.

Android makes you jump through a hoop and tries to scare you when you want to install apps from outside the playstore.

Windows has some similarly serious-sounding warning messages.

People have got used to rolling their eyes at warnings when installing software. Like it or not, that's the way that it is. Users are used to seeing a scary warning when installing, and they're used to just powering through it without much thought.

Linus was following a tutorial on the PopOS website, followed the instructions, and borked his install.

I have problems with LTT in general, but the PopOS thing was entirely understandable, and people pretending that wasn't a usability problem in PopOS are delusional.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I agree with that other reply.

Linus knew just enough to be dangerous.

My experience with most Windows users and their first encounter with using a Linux terminal is every single warning/error they see no matter how mundane is a big deal.

Things like the boot text or a random apt install on Linux will often display various warnings or even "errors" that are really of no concern but ime tend to freak out new users.

Linus is in that narrow band where he doesn't really know shit but knows just enough to be falsely confident and ignore all the warnings/errors instead of just the irrelevant ones

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

yeah, quote a problematic video. surprised that he deleted everything, when is says it will break his system!

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Surprised that it prompted him to delete his system, when he was trying to install Steam!

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[–] [email protected] 72 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

score 10 or sacrifice child is actually just a MtG card, how did that get in there

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I can't imagine Linux users and mtg players being mutually exclusive lol

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[–] [email protected] 55 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 51 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Top one has to be my favorite. I've gotten it once. I did manage to get it to boot and fixed it but at the time I was just like: "oh....well shit"

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Your system ate a SPARC! Gah

What does this mean? Does it has something to do with... I don't know, the Sun SPARC CPUs?

[–] [email protected] 30 points 1 year ago

BEST os ever, proof is right here.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's some bare metal system breakage I can get behind

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

Where lp0 on fire?

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

I've been messing around with Linux VMs and have gotten kernel panic a lot lately. Always gives me a chuckle

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