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No, Linux on the Desktop has just died. I expect both the KDE and Gnome projects dead within a (very few) years, probably X.org close behind. All hail Winux th

by chx 11y ago

No, Linux on the Desktop has just died. I expect both the KDE and Gnome projects dead within a (very few) years, probably X.org close behind. All hail Winux though. (That's the name for this mix I came up with.) Before you downvote this without thinking ... consider, for example, KDE is severely understaffed and this will deplete them further. Who will bother with X.org bugs and drivers now? What's the point? Who is your target audience? You need to drink a real big dose of Stallman kool-aid to continue with Linux if this thing on Windows works as promised. I have been using Linux solely on my laptop since 2004. I am sick of the constant driver problems. Yes, yes, you can connect to your home router or the router in the cafe. Now go and try and connect to an enterprise network. Perhaps with VPN.

cyphar 11y ago
I do all of the things you mention without problem. I don't definitely don't think GNU/Linux will die as a result. First off, syscall emulation will always be clunky. Secondly, many people care about their freedom. Thirdly, what makes you think that a majority of people using GNU/Linux will switch. I haven't had driver or network problems for the past 3 years on any of my various machines.
- andresmanz 11y ago
  Same here. I use Windows maybe once or twice a year, and it's always a pain. "Winux" won't change that for me and to be honest, I don't really want to support Microsoft. Sure, I think VS is a pretty nice piece of software, but that's about it - too few reasons to switch.
- chx 11y ago
  Congrats! What about this guy https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11445505 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11445505 and what I typed up https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11413469 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11413469 here.
  - cyphar 11y ago
    No need to be flippant. Yes, I read those comments and I don't share those experiences. I've used my fair share of odd hardware and I've never had problems that couldn't be resolved without half an hour if Googling.
emilsedgh 11y ago
KDE has always been understaffed and will always be understaffed. But it has been improving all the time with every single release. The problem is that you (and millions of people who were looking for Linux desktop to "win") are just not excited anymore since new form factors (phones, tablets) arrived. But I actually think Linux desktop is a winner. There are several high quality desktop enviroments suitable for all kinds of use cases. Yeah we are not dominating the world. That was a short naive dream in the early 2000. But we have awesome desktops and thats what matters. Disclaimer: minor KDE contributor but these were my thoughts not KDE's. Btw, give KDE a try its so good these days :)
- chx 11y ago
  I am typing this from KDE. Obviously? I guess. And so what. That is not the problem.
cies 11y ago
> Linux on the Desktop has just died. It becomes even more approachable by "Winux". Let people learn the basic of the CLI and get comfy with more open source tools -- then reinstall your computer to a Linux distro (and put your Win-only apps in a VM or on Wine) is a small move.
- gizmo385 11y ago
  I highly doubt that "Winux" will really result in a large increase of people learning CLI tools. People that want to use those tools already have way that they're doing so. Consider that most people have difficulty using a basic word processor, much less Unix tools.
  - cies 11y ago
    I'm considering the masses. But many in higher-education are on Windows (my experience here in the Netherlands). I can imagine that, for instance, they will use Winux at some point. Same for some IT professionals that use Windows (either since their job demands it, or out of preference). They might install Winux at some point to get some aspect of their work done faster. Again a lower barrier to get your CLI skills up and get comfy with common open source tools. I believe there is a lot of value in "CLI skills and common open source tools" that Windows users are currently missing out on.
    - TheLogothete 11y ago
      And why would they switch to full linux when they can get their cli tools AND Windows productivity?
      - cies 11y ago
        Security, parity with the server platform, rough edges of Winux, "cool", wanting to learn something... Just to name a few.
fsloth 11y ago
As I understand it, vendors will probably have paying clients for Linux desktops for some time to come. It is very hard to imagine a situation where the demand for a Linux desktop become so low that no-one will maintain the required software infrastructure.
godzillabrennus 11y ago
Keep in mind Windows 10 let's the folks at Redmond remotely remove software from you machine. Before you go declaring Linux dead you might want to think about how that could impact you. Not to mention that Microsoft has been known to Embrace, Extend, Extinguish.
- sz4kerto 11y ago
  This is true for every single popular OS though -- Windows, iOS, Android. Not that it's good, just that's the reality.
  - godzillabrennus 11y ago
    Yep. But not true on Linux, yet.
zxcvcxz 11y ago
>Winux I've deemed it "Frankenstein OS" because they've sewn a whole bunch of parts together to make an unwieldy monster that doesn't quite work as good as the individual pieces did on their own.

by chx 11y ago

cyphar 11y ago

I do all of the things you mention without problem. I don't definitely don't think GNU/Linux will die as a result. First off, syscall emulation will always be clunky. Secondly, many people care about their freedom. Thirdly, what makes you think that a majority of people using GNU/Linux will switch. I haven't had driver or network problems for the past 3 years on any of my various machines.

andresmanz 11y ago
Same here. I use Windows maybe once or twice a year, and it's always a pain. "Winux" won't change that for me and to be honest, I don't really want to support Microsoft. Sure, I think VS is a pretty nice piece of software, but that's about it - too few reasons to switch.
chx 11y ago
Congrats! What about this guy https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11445505 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11445505 and what I typed up https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11413469 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11413469 here.
- cyphar 11y ago
  No need to be flippant. Yes, I read those comments and I don't share those experiences. I've used my fair share of odd hardware and I've never had problems that couldn't be resolved without half an hour if Googling.

emilsedgh 11y ago

KDE has always been understaffed and will always be understaffed. But it has been improving all the time with every single release. The problem is that you (and millions of people who were looking for Linux desktop to "win") are just not excited anymore since new form factors (phones, tablets) arrived. But I actually think Linux desktop is a winner. There are several high quality desktop enviroments suitable for all kinds of use cases. Yeah we are not dominating the world. That was a short naive dream in the early 2000. But we have awesome desktops and thats what matters. Disclaimer: minor KDE contributor but these were my thoughts not KDE's. Btw, give KDE a try its so good these days :)

chx 11y ago
I am typing this from KDE. Obviously? I guess. And so what. That is not the problem.

cies 11y ago

> Linux on the Desktop has just died. It becomes even more approachable by "Winux". Let people learn the basic of the CLI and get comfy with more open source tools -- then reinstall your computer to a Linux distro (and put your Win-only apps in a VM or on Wine) is a small move.

gizmo385 11y ago
I highly doubt that "Winux" will really result in a large increase of people learning CLI tools. People that want to use those tools already have way that they're doing so. Consider that most people have difficulty using a basic word processor, much less Unix tools.
- cies 11y ago
  I'm considering the masses. But many in higher-education are on Windows (my experience here in the Netherlands). I can imagine that, for instance, they will use Winux at some point. Same for some IT professionals that use Windows (either since their job demands it, or out of preference). They might install Winux at some point to get some aspect of their work done faster. Again a lower barrier to get your CLI skills up and get comfy with common open source tools. I believe there is a lot of value in "CLI skills and common open source tools" that Windows users are currently missing out on.
  - TheLogothete 11y ago
    And why would they switch to full linux when they can get their cli tools AND Windows productivity?
    - cies 11y ago
      Security, parity with the server platform, rough edges of Winux, "cool", wanting to learn something... Just to name a few.

fsloth 11y ago

As I understand it, vendors will probably have paying clients for Linux desktops for some time to come. It is very hard to imagine a situation where the demand for a Linux desktop become so low that no-one will maintain the required software infrastructure.

godzillabrennus 11y ago

Keep in mind Windows 10 let's the folks at Redmond remotely remove software from you machine. Before you go declaring Linux dead you might want to think about how that could impact you. Not to mention that Microsoft has been known to Embrace, Extend, Extinguish.

sz4kerto 11y ago
This is true for every single popular OS though -- Windows, iOS, Android. Not that it's good, just that's the reality.
- godzillabrennus 11y ago
  Yep. But not true on Linux, yet.

zxcvcxz 11y ago

>Winux I've deemed it "Frankenstein OS" because they've sewn a whole bunch of parts together to make an unwieldy monster that doesn't quite work as good as the individual pieces did on their own.