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What are the angles that make Linux so compelling to you? For example, I am a linux user since mid 90s. But recently I have been doing a lot of programming with

What are the angles that make Linux so compelling to you? For example, I am a linux user since mid 90s. But recently I have been doing a lot of programming with an emphasis on IO. From what I am seeing both bsd (through kevent) and windows (through completion sockets) offer far better APIs for complex IO handling. The lack of a consistent IO API in Linux is making me wonder why is has so much momentum. (Drivers are pretty important, and Linux does tend to be strong here.)

unixhero 9y ago
I am not a low level developer so I cannot discuss that merit with you. I too started mid 90s with Linux. Walnut creek cdroms anyone? I believe Linux merits stands on it's own feet and I don't want to have to write an essay about everything that is awesome about Linux. - kernel dev speed - the disruptive gplv2 linux kernel license - kernel breadth of drivers - great hardware support - kernel subsystems available - container technology in particular lxc - scalability - openness - now - zfs - with encryption support! - strace - kvm - size of community - size of pool of corporate backed devs - great great wm's - great userland tools - bedrock distributions like Debian - distributions pushing the envelope like Arch - The Arch Wiki
- rhinoceraptor 9y ago
  I think Linux is cursed by its development model. There is no way for a single, complete change set to be landed in Linux. So you get features like btrfs or lxc which are horribly broken at the start, and then asymptotically approach stability and security.
  - boomboomsubban 9y ago
    >There is no way for a single, complete change set to be landed in Linux. What? Manage a git clone, develop until done, submit patches. Btrfs could have done this, but what is the benefit over saying the feature isn't ready? Nobodies forcing you to use or even install it.
- cturner 9y ago
  Some of these are not particular strengths of Linux. For example, dtrace compares well to strace (this relates to the kernel up design from earlier post). But you make a good point towards strong hypervisor.
- laumars 9y ago
  You're not describing anything that isn't also applicable to FreeBSD - nor many other open source OSs. I mean take LXC for example, a great many flavours of UNIX had OS containers long before OpenVZ hit Linux - let alone LXC. The biggest points you could probably win an argument on is: 1) hardware support: but that's less of an issue with servers anyway. Plus ironically I've had more issues installing Debian onto HP Proliants than FreeBSD due Debian's strict policy on non-free drivers. 2) size of community: but then what's the signal to noise ratio in the Linux community of actual helpful, knowledgeable engineers vs that of FreeBSD or any other POSIX-like platform? Linux does have a significantly bigger community but I've found that does result in significantly more misinformation being published too. A genuine, non-trolling and non-elitist question: have you actually tried any other POSIX-like platform aside Linux? I'm not saying you should need to since you're clearly happy with Linux, but since the points you praise Linux can be applied to a number of platforms outside of Linux as well it does sound like you're making assumptions that those points are exclusive to Linux as they are why you're describing Linux as the best OS out there.
dom0 9y ago
Considering who funds a lot of FS development on Linux, this isn't that surprising — using O_DIRECT is really really complex and also not in the kernel, so a neat-o way to keep others from doing the same.

unixhero 9y ago

I am not a low level developer so I cannot discuss that merit with you. I too started mid 90s with Linux. Walnut creek cdroms anyone? I believe Linux merits stands on it's own feet and I don't want to have to write an essay about everything that is awesome about Linux. - kernel dev speed - the disruptive gplv2 linux kernel license - kernel breadth of drivers - great hardware support - kernel subsystems available - container technology in particular lxc - scalability - openness - now - zfs - with encryption support! - strace - kvm - size of community - size of pool of corporate backed devs - great great wm's - great userland tools - bedrock distributions like Debian - distributions pushing the envelope like Arch - The Arch Wiki

rhinoceraptor 9y ago
I think Linux is cursed by its development model. There is no way for a single, complete change set to be landed in Linux. So you get features like btrfs or lxc which are horribly broken at the start, and then asymptotically approach stability and security.
- boomboomsubban 9y ago
  >There is no way for a single, complete change set to be landed in Linux. What? Manage a git clone, develop until done, submit patches. Btrfs could have done this, but what is the benefit over saying the feature isn't ready? Nobodies forcing you to use or even install it.
cturner 9y ago
Some of these are not particular strengths of Linux. For example, dtrace compares well to strace (this relates to the kernel up design from earlier post). But you make a good point towards strong hypervisor.
laumars 9y ago
You're not describing anything that isn't also applicable to FreeBSD - nor many other open source OSs. I mean take LXC for example, a great many flavours of UNIX had OS containers long before OpenVZ hit Linux - let alone LXC. The biggest points you could probably win an argument on is: 1) hardware support: but that's less of an issue with servers anyway. Plus ironically I've had more issues installing Debian onto HP Proliants than FreeBSD due Debian's strict policy on non-free drivers. 2) size of community: but then what's the signal to noise ratio in the Linux community of actual helpful, knowledgeable engineers vs that of FreeBSD or any other POSIX-like platform? Linux does have a significantly bigger community but I've found that does result in significantly more misinformation being published too. A genuine, non-trolling and non-elitist question: have you actually tried any other POSIX-like platform aside Linux? I'm not saying you should need to since you're clearly happy with Linux, but since the points you praise Linux can be applied to a number of platforms outside of Linux as well it does sound like you're making assumptions that those points are exclusive to Linux as they are why you're describing Linux as the best OS out there.

dom0 9y ago

Considering who funds a lot of FS development on Linux, this isn't that surprising — using O_DIRECT is really really complex and also not in the kernel, so a neat-o way to keep others from doing the same.