1
0
mirror of https://github.com/nbeaver/why-linux-is-better.git synced 2025-08-30 17:19:55 +02:00

Typo-fixing and clarifying.

This commit is contained in:
Nathaniel Beaver
2016-09-12 11:50:53 -05:00
parent b0fef891b1
commit 543af578c8

View File

@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ were insufficient to include both control characters and special characters
in addition to the required 26 alphabetics and 10 numerics,
so they decided to use a 7-bit code.
However, ASCII was designed to include a useful 6-bit subset,
which could only include single alphabet.
which could only fit a single alphabet.
The consideration of a 6-bit, 64-character graphic subset was important
to the standards committee. If the ultimate decision was that columns 6
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ was optimized for its architecture.
https://lkml.org/lkml/2002/7/30/257
(CP/M was written for an eight-bit architecture,
which is presumably why it used an 8.3 filename instead of 6.3 filename.) [#8.3_filename]_
which is presumably why it used an 8.3 filename instead of a 6.3 filename.) [#8.3_filename]_
Similarly, the RT-11 didn't use ASCII for filenames,
but rather an encoding called RADIX-50,
@@ -929,15 +929,15 @@ Filename restrictions.
In Linux and other Unix-derived operating systems,
the only characters that may not appear
in the name of a file or directory [#forbidden_characters]_
are the slash ``/``,
which is used to delimit paths,
and the ASCII null ``\0``,
which is used to terminate strings in C. [#C_strings]_
are the slash ``/``
(which is used to delimit paths)
and the ASCII null ``\0``
(which is used to terminate strings in C). [#C_strings]_
Windows has the same restrictions,
as well as many other `restrictions which are considerably more complex`_
and are partly the result
of `backwards compatibility with operating systems from the early 1970s`_.
of `backwards compatibility with CP/M pseudofiles`_.
.. _backwards compatibility with operating systems from the early 1970s: http://bitquabit.com/post/zombie-operating-systems-and-aspnet-mvc/
.. _restrictions which are considerably more complex: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#naming_conventions
@@ -1145,8 +1145,7 @@ into `unintentionally running malware`_.
.. _unintentionally running malware: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/recognizing-dangerous-file-types
Also, if the file extensions for different filetypes happen to collide,
as they inevitably do
|---| it doesn't help that filenames are case-insensitive |---|
as they inevitably do,
one program must take default precedence over the other for that file extension.
For example, there `a lot of different file formats`_ with a ``.dat`` file extension,
@@ -1568,7 +1567,7 @@ This was not without controversy.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/hh848042%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Linux also has an API,
but it is based on a standard (POSIX),
but it is based on the POSIX standard,
is not tied to the desktop environment,
and is not controlled by a single corporation
in the same way that the Windows API is.
@@ -2239,7 +2238,6 @@ which are not in the Chocolatey repository (as of July 2015).
- `HEPHAESTUS`_ periodic table for X-ray spectroscopy `* <https://chocolatey.org/packages?q=HEPHAESTUS>`__
- `EXPGUI`_ XRD analysis `* <https://chocolatey.org/packages?q=EXPGUI>`__
- `DiffPDF`_ PDF comparison `* <http://chocolatey.org/packages?q=DiffPDF>`__
- `Unison`_ file synchronizer `* <http://chocolatey.org/packages?q=Unison>`__
- `xchat`_ IRC client `* <http://chocolatey.org/packages?q=xchat>`__
.. _Chocolatey: http://chocolatey.org/
@@ -2374,6 +2372,7 @@ like ``Tools -> Options -> General Options -> ...``
The emphasis on textuality also makes diagnosing problems easier.
For example:
- Want to see what disks and partitions are mounts? Run ``lsblk``.
- Want to see which displays you're connected to? Run ``xrandr``.
- Want to see what USB devices are connected? Run ``lsusb``.
- Want to restart your networking daemon? Run ``sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart``.
@@ -2490,7 +2489,7 @@ rather than reproducing and reporting bugs.
.. _reboots: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/31204/why-do-application-installs-make-you-reboot-and-close-other-apps/
In 2000, when Hotmail switched from FreeBSD to Windows server,
a white paper noted this problem, which persists 15 years later:
a white paper noted this problem:
Windows operations still involves too many reboots. Sometimes they are
unnecessary, but operators reboot a system rather than take the time to
@@ -2550,24 +2549,23 @@ As a result,
.. _falsely attribute: http://www.combofix.org/suspect-a-malware-infection-heres-the-right-way-to-remove-it.php
.. _software misbehavior to malware: http://lifehacker.com/5958001/the-5-biggest-myths-about-slow-pcs-and-how-you-can-actually-fix-them
.. [#not_a_virus]
https://dniinoi.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/the-myth-behind-virus-attack-and-hardware/
https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/65153/is-there-any-virus-that-can-cause-physical-damage
http://askbobrankin.com/can_a_virus_really_destroy_your_hard_drive.html
This also has consequences for developers.
Because few Linux users experience problems due to malware,
they will report bugs caused by the actual applications,
not ones caused by malware.
Most Linux distributions have a better security model
which uses secure package installation by default,
but allows installing software from other sources as well,
unlike the overly restrictive app-store model
seen in more recent versions of Windows.
Most Linux distributions use cryptographically secure package managers
which is a signifiantly better security model
than downloading unsigned executables over a network
and then granting them administrative privileges.
Finally, because Linux is a ubiquitous server operating system,
its security is under constant attack,
and Linux desktop users benefit from fixes to the vulnerabilities.
.. [#not_a_virus]
https://dniinoi.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/the-myth-behind-virus-attack-and-hardware/
https://security.stackexchange.com/questions/65153/is-there-any-virus-that-can-cause-physical-damage
http://askbobrankin.com/can_a_virus_really_destroy_your_hard_drive.html
.. TODO: addendum of commonly cited, but incorrect, advantages?