Just joined here

I got my invite key today so i could finally join. I am getting more and more into smallweb sites, pubnix and different chats

(that was 26.02.2023)

Howdy mate!

~bartender? Whatever the newcomer fancies.

And I ordered coffee already, so I'm all set. Thanks!

smol-world is a journey in my opinion.

I work as a systems engineer. And I am indeed getting paid to understand things like linux kernel modules, debian software packaging and the like. Which is cool. But I feel increasingly uneasy about Linux (the kernel). Why does it need a virtual machine in there (eBPF), which loads code from userspace? Why does it seem to others to be such a good idea to mix and match C and Rust in such a complex project? Is it only me? Am I getting old? Probably. Why do I tell you all this? Is it only me who starts to think that the Linux ecosystem has started to drown under its own weight?

Well, there are alternatives. None of them are sexy, but they are there. Go out, take the Microkernel dev room at FOSDEM as starters. Take a few deep dives in wikipedia. Find all sorts of interesting things.

BSD systems for starters.
alpinelinux, which is still linux, but smol. It uses the musl library and not the GNU libc.
Genode/SculptOS, which is more of a construction kit for operating systems.
helenOS

there is more. Along the way I found "redo", which might some day replace make. And openrc and s6, which I have started to use as a replacement for systemd. I would not call me a "hater", but I do not like the complexity that comes with its code.

Ok, you didn't ask for a lecture, did you? Well, bear with me.

However, I am interested to hear, whether other folks are into finding smaller alternatives for their daily computing needs. Maybe you have something to share. If not about this stuff, I'm still interested to hear about your travels of the interwebs.

Cheers.

~ew

benbadge72

"Why does it need a virtual machine in there (eBPF), which loads code from userspace? "

A one word answer? --- Developers.

Can see your points, though. Had a chuckle seeing a group of folks actually selling a graphical sudo. As if it does not exist in nearly ever modern graphical distro freely? They were raking in $50 a pop off suckers.

We get those same suckers coming in as developers. Well yes, really easy to see your points. "Linux, oh, there goes the neighborhood."

Run Debian here myself at home. I'm mostly just a tinkering hobby hacker, ethical. Not really "formally" learned any language, but can cobble from many to do "stuff". Think if one spends a week "playing around" with ASM, they might better themselves or decide upon an honorable death. Self foot shoot in.

Have given thought to going for LPI 1 system admin course, testing. Not really seeing a market East Coast wise. Everyone is still all happy happy joy joy over Microsoft crap. No explaining that 99% of backend is some form of Unix/Linux anyway, why not keep it simple, silly?

Nope, got to have Access, Exchange, Visual [whatever]. That Microsoft Mushroom Cloud I call it, keeps work in system administration using *nix few and far between.

"You cannot fight nuclear son. Go on home and shelter in place."

And that kind of "turns me off" of trying to get certified. Well, I'm certifiable anyway, but that misses the point. ;)

Have given thought to going for LPI 1 system admin course

Interesting. I have been thinking about this a few years back. My then work mates suspected, that I'd just pass with flying colors, given what I do know. I'm no so sure, though. What made me not go to the tests is that they need to be refreshed. I'm not going to learn about Samba configuration. Never needed that. And an "embedded" flavour wasn't in sight.

I probably won't need the cert for the next 3 years or so, and after that I'm probably done with jobs.

benbadge72

Entwining here from two different posts.

Not really been much of anywhere. From memories garnered from others, been near everywhere.

As far as the web/internet goes, I started out on it around 1994 in earnest. When 13, back in the 1980s I did write a Basic program that used a modem, dialed to a then DARPA network, rebooted that network gracefully. Cannot remember one bloody line of it. *chuckles*

They had a consultant teaching us on Apple II E systems for the love of Mike. Really not much to do on those. I got bored, looked at various math, and gradually programming books. Brought stuff together. Shocked the old consultant, but he let me run the program after making a call. Did what the tin says.

Now, I don't find much use beside using par to format text at times, maybe pipe that into gvim/vim. Nope, not keen on Emacs anymore. Lisp started making me implode recursively. Oven in put head.

I'm sure you grep & grok those statements. Can assure, too, not anywhere near the point of giving up. Felt bleak for sure, working some out still, but now feeling a fair bit better.

I got another 12 - 15 before I can retire. I'm already tired, why do I want to go get tired again? ;) My wife bless her has told me I can do gravy train work for that time. She obviously sees how broke down I am. *smh* Wish she didn't. I'm Silly Man, invincible and impervious to pain, ha!

I used to work on farms, worked in poultry plants, worked at apple (the actual fruit) product place, helped build, plumb, wire structures. Done bits of carpentry, masonry, welding & metallurgy.

Remember when Jack of All Trades, Master of none, was complimentary? I do, still find it so. I wear a lot of hats without wearing any.

matt

Hi alexlehm.. I also just received a key. Nice to meet you I'm ~matt.

I'm not all that experienced with coding etc and so some of this web/gemini stuff is a bit overwhelming but I can manage a simple text box to say hello at least - so hello!

I'll put together my own 'about me' post at some point but wanted to jump into the conversation as soon as I could.

Anyway hope you are having (or just had!) a good day. Take it easy.

alexlehm

Midnight pub is mostly like a forum, so just text

you should be able to create a profile "page" with just text

matt

good point thanks alex :)