this post was submitted on 31 May 2025
193 points (94.5% liked)

Explain Like I'm Five

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Simplifying Complexity, One Answer at a Time!

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ELI5: What the heck is linux? (lazysoci.al)
submitted 3 days ago by LadyButterfly@lazysoci.al to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
68 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I'm old. I don't understand it.

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[–] irelephant@lemmy.world 195 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Every desktop computer has an operating system. Most of them run Windows. Some run MacOS, this is why the software on Macs and other PCs is different.

Linux is another operating system, its free and anyone can see the code its written in.

Linux is popular with nerds and programmers since its easier to do some advanced stuff in. Its popular as an alternative to windows since Windows is progressively getting more annoying to use (updates, popups etc).

Linux is used by servers (computers that run websites, like lemmy), and other stuff like smart appliances.
The android Operating System (used by android phones, like Samsung phones) is based on linux.

[–] lena@gregtech.eu 50 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This is an amazing explanation, and you also managed to keep it relatively short.

[–] boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net 22 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Yes but you missed a lot of things of course.

Linux is free software, unlike MacOS or Windows. That means that the software is given users for free, and they can mostly also change it and redistribute it as their own.

This is why there are so many varieties of Linux Distributions, as the used software components are often the same, but they are released in different cadences, have different configurations and behaviors, or different focuses (for example Gaming, Server, Workstation, Lightweight, System rescue, hacking, anonymity).

Free software means that everyone can use it, how they want. Nobody needs to pay, but donations and contributions are crucial. While many big components like the core part "Linux" and others are developed and maintained by bigger corporations (which sell support or systems to mostly enterprise customers), a lot of the Linux software is fully done by people out of love, in their free time.

[–] other_cat@lemmy.zip 6 points 3 days ago

I appreciate the reminder about donations; just went to drop a little money on Mint as thanks to them!

[–] kemsat@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Is there a Best of Lemmy community? Cause this belongs there.