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ovi

Member

Registered: 2026-03-29

Posts: 40  

YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

I don't usually recommend videos, but this one is so good I just have to share it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmmsdT93ils

tux_99

Member

Registered: 2025-06-17

Posts: 164  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

Haven't watched the video but I already don't like the title.

There is no such thing as "modern Linux", there are corporate backed distros (primarily anything from IBM/Redhat, but also Canonical and Suse and also Debian which unfortunately these days is dominated by employees of the previously mentioned corporations) and their derivatives, and there are true community distros out of which quite a few are going their own way and not following the corporate distros.

Presumably by "modern Linux" they really mean the "corporate backed distros", but calling them "modern Linux" is giving them an aura of superiority that they don't deserve, they should simply be called "corporate backed distros".

Last edited by tux_99 (2026-09-17 20:33:40)

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“Either the users control the program – or the program controls the users” Richard Stallman

ovi

Member

Registered: 2026-03-29

Posts: 40  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

No, is not about you think. Is about some general principles. Is true, for a software developer they make a lot of sense. But the beauty of these principles is that you can take them out from the computer/tech world and apply them in the real world. "Do one thing and do it well", that's the most known one. It tell so much. I haven't seen in my life a boss that understand this phrase . If you want to undermine yourself in front of your boss, say this phrase . You complain that you don't have enough space in your wardrobe: remove, remove, remove. When you'll look for your special shirt, you will find it easy. Modularity: while you have small kids buy cheap and modular furniture so you can replace easily after your kids are having fun .

tux_99

Member

Registered: 2025-06-17

Posts: 164  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

Yes, I know the Unix philosophy "Do one thing and do it well" very well, what I meant to say is that some distros outside the corporate distro world still follow this principle, it's the corporate distros who have long abandoned it, so it's not about "modern" but rather about corporate Linux distros and distros following their lead.

Last edited by tux_99 (2026-09-17 23:25:30)

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“Either the users control the program – or the program controls the users” Richard Stallman

hyblon

Member

Registered: 2026-09-18

Posts: 1  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

This is my first post here so I'll try not to be too harsh.

That video is unwatchable. Pure utter garbage and brainrot. A monotone voice reading ai-generated slop with zero cadence, and a hyperactive edit loop cutting scenes every two seconds so TikTok-addled brains don't scroll away. I wanted to rant about the author, but he only allows comments from subscribers. He earned a thumbs down, btw. How can you guys watch this kind of video nowadays? It's beyond my understanding.

Also, regarding the Unix philosophy: most of you are missing the point. It’s not just some generic "do one thing and do it well" mantra you can apply to wardrobe management. The actual core of it is composability: designing simple tools that interact seamlessly with each other through pipes and text streams. It’s an engineering principle and like any engineering principle it works well in its domain and badly in others.

tux_99

Member

Registered: 2025-06-17

Posts: 164  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

I didn't watch the video as I already didn't like the title, but thanks for warning us that it's just AI slop.

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“Either the users control the program – or the program controls the users” Richard Stallman

blackhole

Member

Registered: 2020-03-16

Posts: 254  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

Whether a Linux distribution is "corporate backed" or not, many of the major components which make up the distribution are developed by those on the corporate payroll and / or with corporate funding. This equates to corporate control / influence. The most obvious example being the Linux kernel itself.

"Modern Linux" has moved further and further away from the simple UNIX like approach and towards complexity, including Windows registry style configuration and messy 3rd party package management tools - but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Even if a distribution rejects systemd, it still not immune to the "Modern Linux" mess.

mweishaar

Member

Registered: 2018-11-11

Posts: 62  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

I agree with @hyblon. I couldn't make it 15 seconds in before stopping it. It's not for me. I do watch youtube, but I don't subscribe to anything, I use bookmarks for channels I like. I don't watch youtubers who prattle on without getting to the point. Even the things I do watch, I end up fast forwarding a lot. Exception (since this is in offtopic) is Alton Brown Cooks Food.

If you go to the channel mentioned, all the thumbnails and titles are clickbaity, as seems to be the norm now.

Back on-topic, there was one called "The Truth About Debian and systemd". (pronounces Debian DEE-bee-an). I still couldn't make it very far into it. How can you watch something that is just a collection of cut shots and listen and comprehend the AudIo? I can't. I clicked around in different sections, and Devuan is mentioned several times, and the last section shows the Devuan desktop.

Even though it's only a 9 minute video, that format is just awful.

MoonDog

Member

Registered: 2020-06-08

Posts: 15  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

Modern Linux strives to be Windows.  Systemd pushed that process and then all sorts of other things are now pushing it further that way.  Eventually some day Linux will be Windows and everyone will be subjected to the same spyware as a Windows user and quite frankly you will all have yourselves to blame for it.  You will bend over to your corporate and government masters and take it up the proverbial.

Sarcasm aside, for the record I didn't watch it.  Can't stand all the AI slop on YT nowadays or in general life.  I'm of the old guard who was here in the early days of Linux and only Slackware and BSD really adhere to the old philosophies nowadays.  If you want old, stable platforms those are pretty much it and maybe some of the projects based on them.  If you want Windows-esque, hold your hand while you sit on the toilet level Linux (and potentially down the line wipe for you afterwards), you install the modern stuff. 

The UNIX philosophy is basically minimalist, modular system and software design.  It isn't integrating everything into a single binary.  That is the Windows philosophy.  But maybe all these people that come to Linux, really (subconsciously) want Windows and that is what has shaped the current path.

Last edited by MoonDog (2026-09-27 12:43:52)

SS

Member

Registered: 2026-03-06

Posts: 20  

Re: YouTube-"The UNIX Philosophy: The Rule Modern Linux Forgot"

The video explains the thinking quite well, all be it choppy content. I get why it was a suggested watch