Been using Linux as my primary OS for (counts on fingers)... decades now. Called them folders the whole time. Never had a problem with it. Nobody who matters cares.

I typically call them folders when going through the GUI and directories when using CLI.

You make and use folders

I make directories and call them folders anyway

We are not the same

meh. folder is 2 syllables, directory is like 4. I'm lazy. If someone gave me a clear one syllable alternative that others would know what I meant (even if while cringing), i'd probably start using that instead. I've tried just "dir", but no one ever knows wtf i'm saying.

The real hard Linux nerds will just call them files

WELL ACKSHUALLY

I only call them by inode. Scoffs

No one cares

Well dir

So what's the difference?

My intuition is that directory is the older term and refers to something existing on the file system while folder can be that but also includes "virtual folders" that group together different files from across the file system like when photo manager shows you categories like 'recently viewed' or 'taken in 2023'.

everything in my home directory is a folder, everything outside of that is a directory

Me when I don't say inodes to refer to folders in iOS:

alias cf=cd

Note: I don't actually do this. I'm not a monster.

Meh, I dont care. If they used a word that wasn't directly linked to the concept then I might care.

I mix and match. I used to have an Amiga back in the day, and they were called directories there. As such, most of my parlance is from those days. But most of my work life has been on Windows. So, folder has sneaked into everyday usage.

In our forum you just give the coordinates in your woven core memory...

theyrethesamepicture.jpg

Directory means a listing. You are referring to the list of names of some items.

I'm usually working with folders that actually contain files and other folders. It's often closed, so the content is not shown. A folder is a container.

Wikipedia clarifies this difference.

A telephone directory does not contain telephones.

kill this heathen!

Both are noobs. Its Linux, they're all files!

Funny how the DOS equivalent of ls is dir, so before the GUI folder metaphor.

I switched to Linux only about a year ago. I frequently called them directories even in Windows. I sometimes use folder too, but usually directory I think.

Rubeus and the Hagrids - I Should NOT Have Said That

it's directory, if you refer to it in a cli context and folder if you refer to it in a gui context

[Whole discord begins screeching like a parrot store]

threatening to open a folder

Likewise, kinda used to it, we all know what we mean, regardless if we say it like this or that.

Funny!!! I love Harry potter and Hagrid is so sweet!

I have been switching a number of computers over to Linux over the last few months in preparation for the end of Windows 10. But honestly shit like this that makes me think, maybe Windows 11 isn't so bad?