this post was submitted on 27 May 2024

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Unpopular Opinion

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106

Linux is still not ready to replace Windows (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

220 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Windows 10 EoL is fast approaching, so I thought I’d give Linux a try on some equipment that won’t be able to upgrade to Windows 11. I wanted to see if I will be able to recommend an option to anyone that asks me what they should do with their old PC.

Many years ago I switched to Gentoo Linux to get through collage. I was very anti-MS at the time. I also currently interact with Linux systems regularly although they don’t have a DE and aren’t for general workstation use.

Ubuntu: easy install. Working desktop. Had issues with getting GPU drivers. App Store had apps that would install but not work. The App Store itself kept failing to update itself with an error that it was still running. It couldn’t clear this hurdle after a reboot so I finally killed the process and manually updated from terminal. Overall, can’t recommend this to a normal user.

Mint: easy install. Switching to nvidia drivers worked without issue. App Store had issues with installing some apps due to missing dependencies that it couldn’t install. Some popular apps would install but wouldn’t run. Shutting the laptop closed results in a prompt to shutdown, but never really shuts off. Update process asks me to pick a fast source (why can’t it do this itself?)

Both: installing apps outside of their respective stores is an adventure in terminal instead of a GUI double-click. Secure boot issues. Constant prompt for password instead of a simple PIN or other form of identity verification.

Search results for basic operations require understanding that what works for Ubuntu might not work for Mint.

While I personally could work with either, I don’t see Linux taking any market share from MS or Apple when windows 10 is retired.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

As a full-time Linux user and evangelist, I agree that it's not ready for most users. Just too many issues and idiosyncrasies. Mostly bugs and hardware incompatibility things. Also way too easy to break your system.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Personally, I think we reached the point where most users would be fine. Once they switch, then the more professional applications will come.

I wish Tumbleweed would be used more. It's easy to install (but the installer is being rewritten anyways). Also, I have updated it on a laptop that was 2 years behind (because of lack of use). It updated perfectly and even proprietary software like Zoom just worked.

2023 was the year of the Linux Desktop. Wayland + pipewire gives us a base to have modern features but it took a long time to reach this point.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Dude most users don’t even know what a web browser is let alone package managers or driver maintenance.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

1997 was the year of Linux on the desktop.

Also 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

2024 baby! I can feel it.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago

This will be the millenium of the Linux desktop!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

In other news, apples not yet ready to replace oranges.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Overall, can’t recommend this to a normal user.

How do you know you are not an abnormal user?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Because I’ve been working with the Normal Users for 20 years.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think you're massively overestimating what normal users are willing to do. Normal users aren't going to install Linux because normal users don't install operating systems. Other things normal users don't do:

Install drivers
Configure hardware (including printers)
Run system recovery
Run OS upgrades (unless forced on them)

When the upgrade from windows 7 to 10 resulted in broken systems/applications, some normal users paid someone to fix it, but most bought a new computer.

In short, Linux is ready to replace Windows, but only in the cases where it's sold preinstalled on supported hardware. Android, ChromeOS and Steamdecks are good examples of this.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Because I’ve been working with the Normal Users for 20 years.

I should think that would make you very much not a "normal" user

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I’m not. But I know how normal users operate, which is the point of this post.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

For media consumption, internet browsing etc, Linux is more than ready to replace Windows. However, problems do arise in exotic hardware combinations, but these days, this is the exception rather than the norm.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I’ve been running Fedora on a desktop for many years, and recently I finally got tired of the updates not working. Sure, it’s nice to have GUI, but if you end up using the terminal anyway to actually get stuff done, can you really say the GUI is helping a new users.

Many years before that, I also experimented with a bunch of different distributions to see if there’s anything I can recommend to a new user. Manjaro was pretty close, but you end up using the terminal anyway, because you’ll eventually run into some weirds stuff that requires terminal intervention.

Mint was slightly better, because you didn’t need the terminal quite as often and installing proprietary drivers through the GUI was easy and it actually worked. That’s why, at the time, Mint was the only distro I could recommend to just about anyone. Most people would still need some help installing the distro, but once it’s up and running Mint is likely to give you fewer headaches than other distributions.

All the other distros I’ve tried absolutely needed some terminal time every now and then. If the user needs a smoother experience with less time tweaking and hacking, Windows would be my first recommendation. However, it’s all a matter of priorities. How much do you value your free time or privacy. Are you interested technology at all. Those sorts of questions determine if Linux is a viable candidate.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

One person's experience on one computer with two distros isn't particularly objective.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Philosophy time: Is it unpopular opinion if 90% of PC users agree with you?

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

On the other hand, this is an unpopular opinion on Lemmy

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Do I upvote this post if I disagree or only if I know most people disagree with it?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Which is why I posted it. I was honestly hoping to be proven wrong, but instead I got a lot of victim blaming. Even Linux users aren’t ready to accept mainstream people coming from Windows.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why do Windows users feel entitled to the free labor of others.

I don't think open source developers should feel obligated to chase after "normal users", they should just make great software. Linux is arguably the most successful OS that has ever existed, if it's not dominant in one specific shrinking sector is that the worst thing in the world?

Linux (+ everything needed for a desktop) has been a great desktop system for 20+ years, most difficulties aren't the fault of Linux, they're the fault of vendors failing to support and/or Microsoft throwing up barriers to competition.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Victim blaming? Who's the victim?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Linux abused them. Have some compassion, you monster

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Both: installing apps outside of their respective stores is an adventure in terminal instead of a GUI double-click. Secure boot issues. Constant prompt for password instead of a simple PIN or other form of identity verification.

Well that is actually not true. What do you want to install? Of course if you are a power user and want some special script for whatever reason yeah I can see you being forced to use the terminal, other than that there's often a DEB you can install via GUI with double klick, there are flatpaks you can install via GUI and double click and also AppImages. You can come pretty damn far with that to be honest.

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