this post was submitted on 28 May 2026
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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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Thank you, this is a really helpful answer and string of replies. I do not work in computer science, nor do I have any prerequisite knowledge on how security on Linux is typically handled, but this got me a little closer to understanding things and I appreciate it.
Sorta kinda not really related- I appreciated your less-than-topical section a lot, maybe for slightly different reasons than assumed. As someone trying to learn how to tinker with computers and self-host services 'the right way', I have been trying to comb through a lot of information written by folks with years and years of experience. I can't tell you how many times I've felt like the weirdo when I am told to 'just do X', so I try to 'just do X', and I'm expected to have a job doing this stuff to understand what 'X' even is and how it works.
It's a massive turn-off from learning anything, especially when those knowledgeable people suggest only the most jargon-laden explanations and pointers, and then shut down others who suggest forgoing their methods altogether. Maybe my problems arise from appending 'reddit' onto most of my searches, but that's about the only place I know I can see (what looks like) actual people interacting, and more specifically, people asking newbie questions. Stack overflow is hell to find good answers with, I find...
I posted this both because I feel like Lemmy benefits from people posting engaging questions like this in its' current state, and mainly because I couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone when I was wondering why people were trashing on SELinux so often. I want to do things the right way! I deeply value security and doing things 'correctly', but I've not the experience, knowledge, or time required to do things 'the right way' as it exists in others' eyes. I'm not you, dude! I just want to learn how to host Jellyfin in my bedroom; it's hurricane season and I need YouTube videos to play while I do things, and I'm aware anything to do with networking should be handled carefully. I don't care about stuff like leaving SELinux enabled, because I don't understand why I should. Help me care instead of being a dick and/or unaware of how much you actually know and can do yourself.
Arrrgh. Hopefully that was coherent. (Also, if I get told to use an LLM again, I'll lose my mind! I'm learning, I don't need the hallucinating plagiarism machine as a teacher!)