I am with you 100% on the reddit aspect but have to acknowledge that any person can make their own choices. Eventually, a platform with much longer history will continue being successful, if only due to inertia alone. However, one more big mistake from reddit may be enough for the FOSS subs to migrate to this platform. As for the Linux kernel, are you sure it is hosted on github? Or is it only a backup?
this post was submitted on 25 Apr 2025
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Linux
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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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It's hosted on kernel.org and the one on github is a mirror. Github didnt exist when the kernel was made initially. Or git
I think it's a uniquely good topic to have in both places. I first learned about Linux on reddit in Chrome on a Windows machine. It really helped lower my barrier to entry to chat with people on a platform that was accessible to my skill level at that time. But now I'm really glad there are nice foss places to talk about it as well.
Honestly man, of all the communities we have here on lemmy, linux community getting bigger is not what we need. We need all the rest, stuff like tf2, csgo, gaming specific stuff, all the other niche communities.
Granted, we're gonna end up with /r/sinkpissers. Lol
All seriousness, there's a lot of neat communities I wish would find their way here. Heck, I wish there was a way to just export the history over so old archived data wasn't lost forever.
Better to live in utopia and have ambassadors to shitholes to liberate others than just live in utopia alone.
Maybe it's the same normal human inconsistency as those of who support public health care and basic income, but ironically still buy stuff from capitalists.
Well tbf maby things i need i con only get by buying from a capitalist
It would definitely be nicer to see the Linux community grow here.
But hey. I'm on Linux and I'm here with y'all. :)
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As someone who needed to use the jellyfin discord for assistance setting it up, moving from a larger, community readable platform to a platform that is non searchable externally, and more importantly. If someone wants to learn how to linux. Making them learn how to Lemmy ADDITIONALLY is gonna HURT. this is ofc ignoring the reality of the fact that communities can exist in multiple places, and assuming they'd just go read only or smth like that. Jellyfin support was ONLY able to be provided because they're matrix interconnects with discord, a software i can use! (I've since made a element account while watching media on my jellyfin server XD)
You mean Lemmy threads aren't indexed by search engines ? So if we move everything to lemmy there goes the only way to find good info online which is adding "reddit" to the search bar ?
That is incorrect on my part, I've since learned that lemmy IS searchable, but because of much lower density just doesn't show up hence the initial poster I referred tos confusion. Search link for reference
You're talking as if "The linux community" was one single bunch of people.
Reddit isn't Linux HQ and nor is Lemmy, nor is Facebook. #linux still active on IRC too, but not there either.
100%. I'm relatively new to Linux and to the western world as a whole. 😅
Linux is ubiquitous, it's everywhere, even on Reddit, even under your bed
If you have a Smart Bed^TM^, Linux might even be in your bed.
Many of them are single-issue Linux users and don't concern themselves with FOSS philosophy
Even if they did... Reddit would just find new mods and reopen it. They wouldn't let it remain abandoned.
This kind of answers my question. lol. I didn't think about it that way. I thought they can just bring it all here and that one gets ~~closer~~ closed or something. I forgot how reddit works.
It's how they kept everything from dying when they killed third party apps. They openly banned and replaced mods that were keeping their subreddits locked. It was a shitshow, but unfortunately reddit still exists.
Some of us did leave, that's why you see us here
Why should it leave? It's good to be omnipresent! You have another linux community here and in many other places.
The kernel on GitHub is just a mirror - the primary source is on kernel.org
Torvalds wrote git for the Linux kernel, and then GitHub popped up because most other projects couldn't handle the decentralization. Interestingly to OP's frustration, they were using a proprietary VCS before that, and people were just as frustrated about that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git#History
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There's two reasons why r/linux is popular on Reddit:
- Reddit is popular
- r/linux is popular
The mods there were crap back in the day. Keep them on reddit.
Bet the Facebook Linux community is bigger than ours.
It is actually.
I hear the Linux community on Microsoft GitHub is pretty big too these days.
- Not everyone that uses Linux is against proprietary software or only uses FOSS.
- There are people that just heard of Linux, are just trying it out, or have an issue, and already use Reddit, or is what the search engine points them to go for help, or to ask questions.
- Reddit has a lot more reach for the common people than any other platform at the moment, there are still people that prefer to ask on Reddit, than go to a specific forum or another platform to ask (If I remember right, it still happens with some apps like Jellyfin that moved out of Reddit, but people still ask there)
These are just a few of the reasons that come to my mind.
As an example I'm on Linux for a decade now but I also use proprietary services. I use Jellyfin and Netflix, Vim and Jetbrains IDEs, Chess.com instead of Lichess, WhatsApp instead of Matrix.
Sometimes the value proposition does it for me, sometimes it's the network effect. I've ditched reddit because I like Lemmy more but I can see how someone wants to stay in touch with their niche communities that don't really exist on Lemmy. Probably some people use both.
Linux isnt only for Foss enjoyers. Plus its good to have the linux community on reddit to help people bring attention to linux. If they move it here it will be even harder to join the community.
Think of /r/linux as a gateway to the world of Foss
You are not wrong. But there are things you can do to make a point. Make Reddit as a 2nd class citizen and drive people to lemmy, mastodon and the others. Like add posts with no comments, just relay bot, ... Make it clear.
Same with GitHub, it's mirror to my Gitea instance. You can see stuff but you have to move somewhere else to contribute and report issues. Not a terrible thing to use these proprietary services and yet make them 2nd class citizens.
side note but you dont need to use proprietary android phones you can flash custom roms to most like GrapheneOS LiniageOS or CalyxOS or you can find a linux phone os like ubuntu touch
Linux is mailing lists, if anything. It’s definitely not Reddit.
Um, subreddits remain because they still have subscribers. That's all.
Look at corporate members at https://www.linuxfoundation.org/about/members
There is a difference between Linux, the kernel, as a tool and free software the ideology. A lot of contributors to Linux are there for the money. They contribute resources, including money but also usually staff, without caring for abstract concepts like "freedom", or they might even actively (arguably) work against it when they are strategically establishing walled gardens and exclusive stores.
So... I'm not saying that's OK but I believe by confusing the ideology with the tool used for profit by gigantic corporations we are being unrealistic.
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Subreddits can't move, they won't be subreddits then. There are other Linux forums outside Reddit -- like this one!
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