this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
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Linux

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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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[–] DrRatso@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Why would you not be able to? Isn’t a chromebook just a laptop with garbage specs?

[–] dinckelman@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not really. A Chromebook to a laptop is basically what a gaming console is to a desktop pc. Yes, it shares a lot of hardware, and the ISA too these days, but even then a lot of it might be trimmed down without any notice, or on the software side, you might be locked into what you get. They did make it easier to install Linux flavors, bit you still get what you get

[–] kamenlady@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

the true wysiwyg device

[–] ObiGynKenobi@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

There are actually Chromebooks with very solid specs, but no, it isn't that simple. They have custom firmware and components that often don't play well with Linux, or Windows for that matter.

[–] DrRatso@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Okay, thanks for clearing this up. Chromebooks have turned me off since their inception, I just assumed since they are made by regular laptop companies that they are plain old low-spec machines running a lightweight OS with minimal functionality.