Sparcipx mentions ditching Linux for good [0]. I think this is a
wise decision at this point, although I'd be interested in hearing
his reasoning. I've been a Linux user since 1995, but have been
dissatisfied with 'mainstream' Linux for at least ten years. In 2009
I wrote about my misgivings and how Slackware kept me interested in
Linux [1].
What's interesting now is that Slackware is pretty much the same as
it was 10 years ago, at least as far as installation and overall
system architecture. It never caught the systemd virus, and still
does not use PAM (although rumour has it that PAM may be added to
v15 in order to provide OpenLDAP support). I have an older laptop
running Slackware 14.2 that I use when traveling, or as a backup
during power outages. Its stability and simplicity is welcome. Once
you get Slackware installed, it pretty much just runs. It's what
Debian stable _used_ to be before it lost its way. There was a time
when I recommended Debian stable for all new server installs - no
longer. Now I am much more likely to pick one of the BSDs for
servers (as I did here on the Republic).
The desktop situation is less clear. Often some version of 'modern'
Linux is required for proper hardware support. This tends to be an
issue with newer hardware though, so this is a good reason to stick
with older hardware, if possible.
Nowadays systemd is my primary reason to avoid Linux. My reasoning
in 2009, about geeks wanting to get their hands dirty (and perhaps
more importantly _able_ to get their hands dirty), is even more
valid today when one considers systemd, which is opaque at best and
poorly documented (hm, maybe we should forego the term 'GNU/Linux'
and use 'Systemd/Linux' instead). It's ironic that the mass movement
towards systemd in many ways resembles the Windows monoculture that
the Linux community fought so hard against in the 90s. The reasons
that monocultures were bad in 1995 are the exact same reasons they
are bad today.
If I could make a prediction concerning systemd, it is that the
current widespread and continued adoption of it will bite Linux in
the proverbial ass. It's far too complex to avoid major security or
performance flaws. As it grows and infects every part of the Linux
ecosystem, the problems will only get worse.
[0]:
gopher://sdf.org/0/users/sparcipx/phlog/February_2020/02-08-20
[1]:
gopher://sdf.org/0/users/slugmax/phlog_archives/slack
