With lots of things being developed through web technologies, and many things being web-based so that it is cross-platform, will operating systems still be relevant?

We can differ philosophically by using Debian or Arch or Windows or Mac, but if nowadays applications are web-based or developed through something like Electron such that it can run on practically all modern operating systems. what is the relevance of operating systems galore?

Don’t get me wrong I love FOSS and Linux and stuff, but it seems that the paradigm right now is creating web applications, with many things being web-based.

Am I off, or is this something you also think about?

P.S. I’m a total noob when it comes to IT, so the question might be weirdly phrased.

  • @MigratingtoLemmy
    2•1 year ago
    1. Fuck electron, I will never use vscode unless I have no choice in the matter. Well, at least I can use vscodium. I don’t want to run JS as an app on my machine, and I sincerely hope no FOSS apps on Linux do this either. Maybe I should switch to BSD some time soon.
    2. I don’t care if random developers like developing for browsers. That would mean that I won’t be using their products for the foreseeable future. Linux has all I need, I’m the kind who doesn’t even start the DE on my machine half the time because I simply don’t need it. Lynx ftw. And use buffers if you absolutely need a GUI for an application.
    3. I don’t see a relevance to a lot of Linux distributions, but that’s just my opinion. I think the developers of all of these different DEs should hop together, and create a distribution which will allow the user, preferably through a TUI, the choice to install whatever DE they like during install. This should, in theory, eradicate the distinct efforts to maintain Kubuntu, Xubuntu and everything else. Do the same thing for a Debian based distribution too, if someone feels like it.
    4. Some distributions are definitely essential. For example, the ones without SystemD. I was very disappointed when Debian and Arch switched to SystemD. I would like Antix, Void, Slackware, Gentoo and it’s derivatives, and other such distributions to remain since they promote choice for the user. (Speaking of which, I would like to try Slackware with the unofficial package management solution as an alternative to using Debian - it fills me with nostalgia and I’ll probably try it at some point).

    That’s what I think. All of these are but philosophical arguments, as are most arguments in this space related to freedom and rallying against SystemD and the big corporates.

    Cheers