this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2025
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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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Hello everyone, lately I got really into Linux. I installed it in every machine I have, but I still had to try Arch. From what people were saying online I thought that it was going to be a hard and impossible task. So I bought a Thinkpad for a hundred euros (x260 if you're wondering) and I followed a guide on how to install Arch. I thought I was going to be using the terminal all the time, and had to type everything. No black screen of death, no prompt saying "Are you awake?" Matrix style, the pc didn't breack, reality didn't bend and just following simply the guide I had Arch running in fifhteen-twenty minutes no problem. Only the Network Manager wasn't on were I rebooted after installation but it took five minutes to search online how to fix it. Everything works: bluetooth, internet, apps and so on. I could leave it as it is and I could just use it as any other pc. So all I'm saying is that I'm having a great time with Linux distros, the pain to learn how install repository and other things is really worth it. Every time I learn something more about my computer puts me more in control. So thank you Linux and its community.

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[–] ranzispa@mander.xyz 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I used arch extensively. I still have it in a laptop I switch on from time to time. I stopped running it mostly because it is rolling release. I didn't get many problems, but sometimes you do and sometimes you have to spend an hour figuring out what the problem is and how to fix it. I don't want to wake up in the morning with an important video call set up and be unable to participate because the pipe wire config file has been corrupted during update.

Other than that, arch is a good system. But I'd rather keep it on hardware I know I can be without for a day or two if the case comes up.

[–] toothpaste_sandwich@thebrainbin.org 3 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Oof, I feel you on the video call thing. I use a semi-complicated setup of switching between (7.1 surround) speakers and headphones, plugged into two separate sound cards, too... And a Zoom recorder connected with USB for sound, and Droidcam for a webcam. So many possible points of failure. I had it all working during COVID, but when I have to video call now, I just install the needed app and use my phone 🙈

[–] ranzispa@mander.xyz 3 points 21 hours ago

Ahaha, yes video call Is always a pain in the butt for some reason. I now run fedora (but still only do major upgrades on a Saturday morning).

I don't know, at work we use Microsoft teams, often I get called into meet, zoom and others. The best working one to me is jitsy, that's not to say it works flawlessly.

I don't know, sometimes they work on Firefox, sometimes they work on Chrome. Sometimes they do not work and I have to use the phone. Sometimes headphones microphone does not work. Sometimes headphones microphone works but audio goes through speaker and not headphones.

I don't know, I gave up attempting to fix all these things. Most of the times it's more than one person in the call and we end up just joining together at the computer that works first. To be fair, my colleagues using windows are not free from these problems.

(Of course, being able to do this stuff in the first place is a testament to the freedom Linux provides.)