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0 pointsvkazanov1y ago0 comments

Android, SteamOS, WebOS and all the numerous Linux-based projects, mostly show that the world needs a stable target platform everybody can do a meaningful contribution to (and then make sure nobody steals the work later).

Linux literally ate the world with its POSIX-compatible open-source proposition. I don't have a single device without Linux at home, and this includes a NAS, 5 notebooks, 1 PC, a handheld gaming console, my TV, a bunch of mobile phones, a washing machine.

The world just couldn't care less if it is a microkernel, a hybrid or a monolithic kernel. Like you said, it's not about some boring technical advantages, and it never was.

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pjmlp1y ago

Just wait until the Linux founding fathers are no longer around.

Try to write Linux POSIX code for Android, WebOS, and ChromeOS apps, and see how many normies will buy your wonderfull app.

Free beer ate the world, everyone likes free beer, even it is warm.

anthk1y ago

Alan Cox will do it fine, and the rest of the people have similar skills on GNU licensing and such.

lproven1y ago

I think he counts as one of the founding fathers. He was the second-in-command when I met him in about 1997 or 1998.

And note what he turned to when he left: an 8-bit OS.

https://www.fuzix.org/

Where do you think he got that antipathy for large and complex systems?

vkazanovOP1y ago

Yes, free as in beer and free as in freedom. No complicated licensing, code open for change, any scale, any use-case.

Hard to compete against with all these "license per working space" or "tcp stack not included" or "no code for you" of the usual competitors.

> Just wait until the Linux founding fathers are no longer around.

Yes, things change all the time. People come and go. Just as companies do.

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