this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2024
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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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I'm curious how software can be created and evolve over time. I'm afraid that at some point, we'll realize there are issues with the software we're using that can only be remedied by massive changes or a complete rewrite.

Are there any instances of this happening? Where something is designed with a flaw that doesn't get realized until much later, necessitating scrapping the whole thing and starting from scratch?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (21 children)

Not really software but, personally I think the FHS could do with replacing. It feels like its got a lot of historical baggage tacked on that it could really do with shedding.

[–] grue 2 points 6 months ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)
[–] grue 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (2 children)

(It was a joke about how OS X, despite being literally UNIX^®^, doesn't follow the filesystem hierarchy standard because Apple decided they knew better and "shed historical baggage" by putting things in places like /Applications, /Users, /Library, and /System instead.)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

Ah. I've only ever used a Mac like once ever, and that was over a decade ago. However that does sound pretty close to what I'd do, something like /programs, /libraires , /config, /data, and /users.

[–] kalleboo 2 points 6 months ago

Apple decided they knew better

To be fair, it wasn't Apple but NeXT who did it, way back in the late 80's/early 90's

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