Hi All.
I have a question regarding the explanation of KDE Linux. I would appreciate it if somebody could tell me. I am not a native English speaker.
The KDE Linux page says it is an “Immutable base OS”. But what does it mean?
I thought 2, at first. But I am not so sure these days.
An immutable base OS is a system where the core operating system is read-only and cannot be modified by the user after it’s installed. Applications are typically installed in separate, user-writable spaces using containers or alternative packaging formats like Flatpak or AppImage.
Hi UncleSpelbinder.
Thank you very much. But it is actually Immutable OS.
My question was not clear enough. I know what the Immutable OS is. What I want to know is what the difference is between the Immutable OS and the Immutable base OS.
If KDE thinks there is a clear difference between the two, I want to know that difference.
If KDE thinks these are identical, I want to know why KDE choices the word Immutable base OS.
A simple Google Search provides an answer.
I think of it like this:
Before the modern PC, we used things like Nokia phones - turn them on and they work, and the software is rigidly flashed to a ROM in the phone.
To update your software, you’d have to re-flash your memory chip… it’s semi-permanent… so if it boots once, it’ll always boot.
However, it also never changes. Immutable means ‘cannot be moved’ - like a mountain.
So you can’t install software on the system in the normal traditional way - you have to use containers for that.
Hi all.
Let me summarize my question and understanding.
First of all, the word “immutable base OS” refers to a part of the entire system ( in other words, it is a layer, subsystem, or component ). According to the Google search, many people use these words to refer to a specific part of the system.
Now, let’s look at the KDE Linux page. It has this sentence.
KDE Linux is an “immutable base OS” Linux distro created using Arch Linux packages
It says, KDE Linux is an immutable base OS. That means the entire system is a part. This is confusing. This was the root cause of my confusion.
If we see another page on the KDE site, the Announcing the Alpha release of KDE Linux page has this sentence.
To make this possible, KDE Linux has an “immutable base OS”, shipped as a single read-only image.
It says KDE Linux has an immutable base OS. This makes sense.
As a conclusion, I suggest that KDE update the KDE Linux page, from
KDE Linux is an “immutable base OS”
to
KDE Linux has an “immutable base OS”
This makes things clear.
It is better to link to the actual page or quote than linking to Google that changes its results from time to time and also becoming worse in results with all the AI stuff happening right now. Someone coming in 5 or 10 years that is reading this thread and is clicking on your link will very likely have other results than you have right now. It could still be helpful, but it also could result in completely other or even useless information.
I’d say that both phrasings are ok:
I prefer option 1, because A) the premise of option 2 can be falsified and B) we often equate things to their most prominent part, just like we call Fuffy a dog even if it misses one leg.
F.Y.I.
Here is the result of the Google search what is the difference between the “immutable OS” and the “immutable base OS”?.
An entire operating system.
A specific layer of the OS.
Ambiguous, could refer to to entire system or a specific layer.
In KDE Linux, /usr is immutable, and distributed/updated in the form of discrete images.
Everything else is mutable.
Thank you for your comment!
You’re welcome!