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this post was submitted on 30 Mar 2024
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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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It's actually exactly the opposite case. Any method to copy data from one location to another will work, such as by using dd, or cat, or even just formatting the drive and using cp. If you don't want to deal with command line tools, there are many GUI tools that are literally just a couple buttons to press on all major operating systems. My personal preference for GUI liveUSB tools is Balena Etcher, or Fedora Media Writer. Both are incredibly easy to use and feature intuitive GUIs. There is no "mystery" or "arbitrariness" surrounding it at all, it's a pretty straightforward process. Copy data from one place to another and you're done. The only differences between the methods, as the previous comment said, is the speed of the transfer and some minor things that the end user has basically no reason to think about.
As far as its ease of installation and use goes, my tech illiterate father was able to install and use Linux Mint with zero problems and has been using it for years, so I'd say it does a pretty damn good job overall.
Wish I could agree with you on the underlying point.
My own anecdata is of normies who are absolutely resistant to the very idea of touching Linux because of its connotations of complexity. And really I don't think they're wrong.
Imagine what even this phrase must sound like to someone who has only ever used pre-installed Windows. Not being facetious.
My opinion remains that Linux could only benefit ifs distros would take hand-holding to its logical extreme and provide the actual Windows-Mac executables that make installing Linux a genuinely one-click experience. Last time I checked, Fedora did this. Pity it's Fedora and not Debian.