4 ms·

It's general purpose in that it can run any Linux application in numerous different ways, containerized, as a VM, or on specific bare hardware. You and Microso

• embedding-shape 4mo ago
  Someone says: > Here is a general purpose Linux distribution, give it a try! Where does your mind go? That this is a server-only distribution meant for a specific provider? Or that it's something like Debian, that could be run on servers and desktops alike without much tinkering, or meant for any provider? FWIW, Microsoft themselves don't seem to call this a "general purpose Linux distribution", I could probably guess why, what Microsoft themselves say is "Purpose-Built for Azure" which sounds much more accurate. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/linuxandopensourceblog/announcing-azure-linux-4-0-purpose-built-for-azure-now-in-public-preview/4524267 https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/linuxandopensourceb... I think the author might have confused (unintentionally or intentionally, who knows?) "general purpose" with "Purpose-Built for Azure", since Microsoft's own announcements get this right, while submission article is littered with this mistake.
  • tossandthrow 4mo ago
    Ubuntu server distributions are definitely general purpose.
    • thesuperbigfrog 4mo ago
      Most Linux server distributions would be expected to be headless. "General purpose" Linux distributions (not "server") typically would include a GUI desktop.
      • joxdosba 4mo ago
        A GUI Linux distribution feels vastly more niche than a headless one.
        • thesuperbigfrog 4mo ago
          Really? What are some major Linux distributions that are only headless? What is the market share of those Linux distributions compared to Linux distributions that have a GUI desktop?
          • fragmede 4mo ago
            If we're counting the millions of servers that run the Internet, probably a lot more of them than GUI desktop Linux installs.
          • joxdosba 4mo ago
            This is a bit akin to saying that cabriolets are not a niche product because many major carmakers have one as a part of their wider lineup.
    • embedding-shape 4mo ago
      So if I understand what you're saying, if someone asks you "Hey, could you recommend me a general purpose Linux distribution?", you'd recommend them Ubuntu Server rather than just straight up Ubuntu? I'd agree both could be used in a general-purpose way, but I'd definitively call one of them more general-purpose than the other.
      • tossandthrow 4mo ago
        If they need a general purpose distro for a server, absolutely. That would likely be a better recommendation than android.
        • embedding-shape 4mo ago
          But that wasn't the question, what they ask is specifically "Hey, could you recommend me a general purpose Linux distribution?", would you still first recommend Ubuntu Server?
          • tossandthrow 4mo ago
            Sure, why not?
            • NuclearPM 4mo ago
              Because it isn’t general purpose, it is for servers. You are being _/
      • PeterStuer 4mo ago
        95% of my VM's run Ubuntu Server LTS, so yes, that is what I would recommend if I was a recommending person.