this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
292 points (97.4% liked)

unix_surrealism

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one should not chase the electric dream

This community is for sharing original content related to computers, content, surrealism and wizardry.

Now that you're a surrealist, become a Techno-Mage:

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

The funny thing is, I actually nuked the old Windows SSD I had kept around for emergencies and put OpenBSD on it, to see how daily-drivable it is for me, like 5 hours before I saw this comic.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Honestly I am not aware/well enough to even fix the kinks in my own system let alone hop or do much real development, so that's a no from me for moving to a platform with low support to a platform with even less support.

If we could just get the brave to get out of bed in the morning...

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago

I can’t stop looking at the penguin. Best penguin drawing ever.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 64 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (5 children)

OK, I am willing to break the ice here: What is this community actually about? I've been seeing these comics in my feed for the last 3 months and trying to connect the dots between the posts to get the idea behind the lore, but so far I'm drawing a blank apart from a hint that it could be related to Linux. Maybe I need to be a computer nerd to get the jokes or....I am not taking the community title seriously enough.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Most of the posts here are webcomics made by pmjv, the poster of this thread -- though other people can and sometimes do post their own art. pmjv makes a surrealist webcomic (see Analogue Nowhere) that incorporates various themes and imagery related to Unix-derived and Unix-adjacent operating systems.

Note that the imagery drawn from is not just things associated with Linux (which famously has a penguin mascot), but also OpenBSD (started by Theo de Raadt and which has a pufferfish mascot), Plan 9 (which has a bunny mascot called Glenda), etc.

There are elements from other fandoms (e.g. Cirno, who appears in some comics, is from Touhou and is associated with ⑨ because of an old joke -- which seems to have become entangled with Plan 9 in pmjv's mind), influences from tech politics, and whatever other crazy things are bouncing around in pmjv's head.

It's good surrealist fun, generally.

[–] [email protected] 61 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Glenda looks like the Go gopher

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

This is of course a clever nod to Renée French who authored both plan9's Glenda and Go's gopher, and not the fact that I cannot draw.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Also to add cirno is the defualt host name for 9front system. 9front is a plan 9 fork

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The rabbit hole goes deeper than I realized!

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just need to follow the white rabbit

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

Or swallow the rabbit whole

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

This link to the wiki is incredibly helpful for me in order to gain context about the comic series. Thank you kind stranger!

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago

This is about digital survival and what's coming.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Penguin kids (Linux noobs)

~~Fish (a great shell)~~

Fish represents OpenBSD

Shell (text only interface for the terminal)

Terminal (application to display the interface)

Path (shortcut for the shell to access binaries)

Binary (application in the form of a single file)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

preeetty sure fish the shell would go against the whole spirit of the comic, as overly complex, non-unix compliant and bloated

no hate to fish btw

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Despite fish being a shell, I thought it was representative of openbsd here (hence the puffer fish)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 115 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I have no clue, I just draw it.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Wait, are you the original artist of these comics?

[–] [email protected] 99 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Does the original artist of these comics owe you money?

If no, then yes. It is I.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago

I don't understand a thing but I love your drawings! It's a little joy every time there's one in my feed.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

It's incredibly awesome seeing a talent like yourself posting regularly on a platform like Lemmy. I fully respect and commend you and your efforts to actively engage with the community here, regardless of how I make sense of the comics personally.

[–] [email protected] 99 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

There is an overarching story... in my head anyway. But as it all stands now, in the spirit of surrealism, I leave it up to the audience to connect the dots however they please.

But in the end, it really is just FOSS propaganda.

And thank you, I appreciate it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

In the spirit of surrealism I was about to answer: what dots? 😂

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

How to summon a surrealist:

........................................
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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Do you still remember how much I love you? 🤗 💞 🤗

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Let me answer with an image:

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

yup .. you do! ❤️ 🥰 ❤️

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

How would one go on about it?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Well, first you have to learn to remember your dreams. There's various ways, the most basic would be to keep a dream journal. Lots more steps but that'll get you somewhere.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, but so scary 😰

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Fish? Like pufferfish?

OpenBSD?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Nah, gotta be the command line shell for the 90s

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago

I'm not saying I endorse it, but it's called Fish Linux in these parts.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago

By Theo! The hidden truth is revealed!

[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

On a side note:

I've been told the OpenBlade database (wiki) is lacking, so there are three new pages.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Hey, is the sun wearing sunglasses in this one?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

~~Not the first time either, if I recall correctly.~~ Nevermind, it always had a normal face.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 2 months ago (1 children)

IT IS! I am so happy you noticed.