Like any initiative, Linux is not short of critics. For one reason or another, there are a lot of people who are dissatisfied with this operating system, despite the fact of being a favorite for programmers.
One of the most influential voices in this current is that of Bryan lunduke, who for more than a decade has been dedicated to hold video series and lectures titled “Linux Sucks”, in which he expresses criticism about the operating system, in addition to a few compliments, because not everything is bad.
The big question you will be asking yourself is Why so much criticism? Is Linux really as bad as Bryan paints it? In the next few paragraphs we will make a brief analysis of what is stated in Linux sucks, and if you want to know what this is all about, keep reading.
What is “Linux Sucks” and who created these lectures on the programmer’s favorite operating system?
Linux Sucks is a series of lectures and videos in which several of the shortcomings are exposed, as well as the virtues that the Linux operating system can present in any of its distributions, but with special emphasis on flaws. The conferences started in 2009 by the expert in open source operating systems, Byan Lunduke, And since then it has become almost an annual tradition to hold his conference stating his reasons for the title of his videos: “Linux Sucks”.
The fact that these conferences are conducted by an expert on the subject of operating systems, gives some weight to their statements, and that is the points made by Lunduke are solid and difficult to debatebut nothing is too difficult for the community Linux when it comes to debating.
Despite the fact that it may sound like a harsh criticism and Lunduke seems like a staunch Linux nayer, the truth is that in the structure of the conferences, most of the cases they close with an exposition of the reasons for using Linux, although this section is usually quite brief.
Linux History Sucks How did it get started, how many edits have been made, and how influential is it in the community?
Bryan Lunduke is a software engineer who started Linux Sucks video conferencing in 2009, frustrated by the lack of functionality and design that he perceived as a user of the operating system. In principle, according to Lunduke, it began as a form of relief before the frustrations that the problems he encountered when using Linux, even in its most functional distribution: Ubuntu, produced him.
However, despite this, Lunduke is not an enemy of Linuxsince, as he himself has said, he uses the operating system for his software development projects. Nevertheless, the lectures became increasingly popular, and Lunduke dedicated himself to holding them annually, criticizing every distribution and new Linux update. One factor that contributes to the popularity of Lunduke’s videos is the title itself. It is a clear offense to Linux, which works as a powerful incentive to click on the video.
In spite of this, even addressing the issues that he touches, Linux Sucks has been the reason why many users have started using the operating system. With this in mind, can’t argue with the influence Linux Sucks conferences have on the Linux communityas it is a great incentive for more knowledgeable users to do their own research on the veracity of Lunduke’s claims, as well as a source of debate for those who may have another opinion.
What is talked about in Linux talks Sucks? Main aspects to deal with the OS
Linux Sucks conferences are not really structured, but rather Lunduke runs them in an organic way and following a general list of points as a guide. Each conference addresses a series of points that are arguments why Linux may be in decline. Points such as, for example, the status of the Linux board of directors, as well as that of the personnel who are in charge of the development of the distributions, tools and general elements of the community.
Besides that, also touches on business competition issues, with the status of rival companies, their expansion and the harm or benefit that these changes bring to Linux, both to the company and to the operating system. Another point that is discussed in the conferences it’s the development aspects of Linux. In this section he usually refers to the working methods of Linux developers, and the reasons why these are not sustainable in the long term.
The issue of promotion and feedback that the developer gives to the operating system is also discussed., with special emphasis on the fact that it has not been, neither sufficient nor effective to achieve the objectives, eliminating the community and user groups. In summary, most of the lectures deal with the issues that Lunduke says will be the reason for the “impending debacle” of Linux. However, while these points are solid, Linux has been around 25 years old as one of users’ favorite operating systems.
Above all, regardless of what is said, Linux is still going strong and popular in the programming community, so Linux is not likely to disappear completely anytime soon.
Does Linux really suck? Analyzing the operating system most used by programmers and software developers
Now that we have seen the views of the speaker of these conferences, we are obliged to make an analysis according to our own criteria. Is Linux really that bad? Now we will touch one by one the main points to take into account for determine Linux value.
Go for it:
Interface
Commonly called “desktop environments” in the Linux worldIt is about the presentation with which the operating system is shown, of these there are dozens, if not hundreds. Being an open source OS, anyone with some programming knowledge can create their own version of Linux and add or remove features as you see fit, whether for convenience or functionality.
A negative point regarding desktop environments is that are complex for new users, used to systems like macOS or Windows, so understanding them may require a good amount of guidance and tutorials. As a plus point, we can highlight the desktop customization.
Although it is not in all cases, Most of the interfaces are highly customizable, allowing the user to change from the wallpaper to the style of icons and status bar. All these factors vary depending on what desktop environment it is, and the distribution with which we are working.
Distributions
Usually known as distros, it is a version of the operating system that contains free software packages to enable certain features and tools for users.
The number of distributions that exist gives users a wide selection to choose from., allowing them to adapt to their needs, whether the user wants a distribution similar to their usual operating system, as if what they are looking for is greater security for their data and files, or a lighter distro for a PC with few resources.
Among the best Linux distributions are Debian, one of the oldest and most stable versions, and that it has served as the basis for other distributions; and Ubuntu, possibly the best known Linux distro, popular for the simplicity of its installation and its friendly interface, similar to Windows, so it does not represent a challenge to use.
Tools
This is one of the strongest points when it comes to Linux, and is that this OS is consecrated as one of the favorites for programmers and software developers for the facilities it provides in these areas. The Linux base itself is compatible with a wide variety of tools available from the field of programming., and the main categories are code editors and integrated development environments.
It also offers the possibility of download a wide variety of tools for various purposes, for example, basic web page creation systems that do not require JavaScript programming, web server administrators and network monitoring programs. Besides that, It is possible to use the basic tools for simple tasks on PC, that is, text editors, web browsing, and office automation programs as easily as any other operating system.
User experience
This is a topic discussed in the Linux community, as user experience varies enormously according to how savvy they are in using Linux distros. For newbies to this operating system, it is well known that the experience is frustrating and very complicated. if you don’t know the commands required to be able to work with Linux. However, for users more versed in the handling of Linux, the experience is very fluid and organic and allows almost total control over the OS.
Another factor that defines the user experience are the different distributions and what each one focuses on. For instance, Ubuntu is one of the most popular distros due in part to its ease of gaming., offering a simple and fluid experience. Secondly, the Fedora distro is more focused on programming and development, offering a great suite of tools available natively, added to the great software support that can be obtained online.
Utility
Linux has some really useful sections and a multitude of uses. It is a very present tool, since it is even found in some of the most important supercomputers in the world. It is a very versatile operating system and allows users of different levels of knowledge to make use of it through one of its distributions best adapted to each need.
It is also one of the most used OS by programmers and software developers, since includes the possibility of installing a wide variety of tools that allow users to carry out programming work in a wide variety of languages. Besides this, It is one of the most used operating systems in the area of education, as it gives the possibility of learning programming languages clearly and directly through desktop environments such as Ubuntu or Linux Mint.
Security
Linux security, as with any other operating system, does not strictly depend on one thing or another, but rather a set of complementary factors that act together to increase or decrease the vulnerability of the system. There has always been a debate around the need for an antivirus for Linux, or even on the few existing options, but regardless of whether they exist or not, This is not the only factor to look for when determining Linux security.
Among the many factors to take into account we can count the update status of the operating system, as well as the frequency of this, the use to which it is being put, which could leave you vulnerable to possible attacks, and of course the user who manages the system and how the system configures it.
Of course, has native security measures that increase the protection factor of the operating system for example, full disk encryption, kernel firewalls, password managers, and network auditing tools, which allow maintaining a certain level of protection and control of the operating system data.