once it's installed it might be a tolerable learning curve for most people but getting it installed in the first place is a hurdle. The term "distro" isn't in the average person's vocabulary.
Yeah, well, I tried. Not quite recently, but back when there already were distros advertised as "beginner-friendly". And note, that I'm a programmer by trade, I'm not addressing my computer as "sir", I rather address it as "you, m&%^&rfucker". And I did not find a way to make those Linux distros NOT shift the image on the monitor about 1.5 centimeters to the right.
Yeah, I know, shitty monitor. But for some reason Windows just worked.
Ease of use arguments are a red herring. What keeps most non-technical users away from Linux is software support. It's not always enough or possible to use web-based or analogs to Windows software i.e. Microsoft Office 365.
I spent 20 years developing Linux, mostly for consumer electronics. It was a fine desktop for that. But it wasn’t a fine desktop for anything else I use computers for so my daily driver doesn’t run it. YMMV HTH HAND
Difficulty running some games, need to use Visual Studio for a lot of stuff. The latter might be solved with a Windows VM. The former may just involve abandoning those games (like Destiny 2).
So long as a windows licence is illegally(according to most interpretations of US antitrust) tied to prebuilt system sales, then the average user will stick with windows. And don't expect manufacturers to care. The only reason linux has had any success beyond technical people is the frustration caused by windows and a friend that can help install linux.
I will say that WSL becoming increasingly necessary and Chrome users regualrly activating the Linux backend has increased exposure to a point that if manufactures offered a selection of operating systems and showed some free linux distros or a paid windows one, then we might start seeing some faster adoption. But we lost this battle with msft once before.
Yes but non techy users would never need to see the terminal if they don't want to... especially as everything they need is available with a GUI. We have our community school running Linux in the computer lab and students couldn't care less about the OS as long as the apps are there.
Jonizulo
in reply to It's FOSS • • •B. A. Balackus
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Femme Malheureuse
in reply to It's FOSS • • •I already use an extremely popular distro based on Linux kernel. It's called Android.
What's needed is a more seamless experience switching from mobile to desktop and back.
Drew
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Eejalab
in reply to It's FOSS • • •MigMit
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Yeah, well, I tried. Not quite recently, but back when there already were distros advertised as "beginner-friendly". And note, that I'm a programmer by trade, I'm not addressing my computer as "sir", I rather address it as "you, m&%^&rfucker". And I did not find a way to make those Linux distros NOT shift the image on the monitor about 1.5 centimeters to the right.
Yeah, I know, shitty monitor. But for some reason Windows just worked.
Tommy Orbell
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Mohit
in reply to It's FOSS • • •It's FOSS
in reply to Mohit • • •@mohits These:
https://itsfoss.com/best-linux-beginners/
9 Best Linux Distributions for Beginners [2023]
Abhishek Prakash (It's FOSS)The DJ Mr P
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Marty Fouts
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Wilhelm
in reply to It's FOSS • • •bassplayer
in reply to It's FOSS • • •RadicalEcologist
in reply to It's FOSS • • •So long as a windows licence is illegally(according to most interpretations of US antitrust) tied to prebuilt system sales, then the average user will stick with windows. And don't expect manufacturers to care. The only reason linux has had any success beyond technical people is the frustration caused by windows and a friend that can help install linux.
I will say that WSL becoming increasingly necessary and Chrome users regualrly activating the Linux backend has increased exposure to a point that if manufactures offered a selection of operating systems and showed some free linux distros or a paid windows one, then we might start seeing some faster adoption. But we lost this battle with msft once before.
Thinker08
in reply to It's FOSS • • •MMK21
in reply to It's FOSS • • •Even attempting to set up a new Windows 11 laptop is pretty trialling - with most difficulties seemingly caused by the Microsoft account requirement.
Various Linux distros are better and worse in different ways, but at least they're trending in the right direction!
Islamic Audiobooks Central
in reply to It's FOSS • • •It's FOSS
in reply to Islamic Audiobooks Central • • •Islamic Audiobooks Central
in reply to It's FOSS • • •It's FOSS
in reply to Islamic Audiobooks Central • • •