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As someone that only works on linux systems.... The state of Linux is not great. We still can't get the basics like sound, wifi, etc out of the box. I get why

As someone that only works on linux systems.... The state of Linux is not great. We still can't get the basics like sound, wifi, etc out of the box. I get why it's a problem, and it's generally not the fault of Linux devs, but it's still a problem that turns people away. I really want to see Linux take over on the desktop, but turning a blind eye to our problems is a poor way to do it.

unethical_ban 9y ago
>We still can't get the basics like sound, wifi, etc out of the box. Complete and total fabrication. Video for gaming is still trouble, but I have no more issue with Linux wifi or sound output than I do with Windows. In fact, Linux networking to me is better than Windows.
- richardknop 9y ago
  Depends on your device. I have had issues on some laptops, other laptops worked flawlessly. I know this is anecdote but a lot of people share this anecdote.
  - YSFEJ4SWJUVU6 9y ago
    What was the last Linux laptop you installed a Windows on? (edit: removed unnecessary remark.) The last laptop I did a clean install of Windows (7) on was a HP netbook. Even though it was a Windows machine, and I used their Windows install disc, it was a miserable experience (because I didn't have the separate driver disc). Not only did not the WLAN work, neither did the Ethernet port: the only way to get online was by using my phone as a Bluetooth dial-up – luckily I had a Symbian device you could do that with. And even then, Windows Update was of no help – I had to navigate to HP's website to download the very separate driver packages for WLAN and Ethernet functionality (and any other packages I can no longer remember). By the way, with Ubuntu connectivity worked fine out-of-the-box – which is lucky, because although I have used Linux for over a decade as my daily driver, I have never had to install WLAN drivers for one, and probably couldn't. (Nothing could save the slow Atom from offering woeful user experience, though. One of the worst deals I ever had as far as computers go.) edit: wording and clarification
    - richardknop 9y ago
      I haven't installed Windows on any device since 2010-2011 I think. I have been only using Mac OS and Linux since that time and never looked back. Only reason why I miss Windows is gaming but for entertainment purposes I am considering switching to console (I used to be a PC gaming maximalist but don't feel so strongly about it anymore) - probably PS4. I do agree with what you are saying though. Installing Windows from scratch is a pain too (at least it was last time I tried it with Windows 7). But almost nobody installs Windows ever, majority of people buy laptops with preinstalled Windows (plus ton of malware as a bonus from the manufacturer).
    - herbst 9y ago
      This is exactly the kind of experience i base my initial argument on. Its a pain to get Windows running. Even trying to create a bootable Windows medium without having a prior windows machine is like some kind of freakish experiment whereas Linux (and everything else essentially) usually is fine with a `dd` transfer on a USB medium. (None of my machines has a CD drive.) More often than not i would find missing drivers after the install. Not everyone has only 100% typical gamer hardware, everything a little more "unique" can be expected to not work properly out of the box if the machine is older than a few years, or newer, and will require manual driver installation. New Windows versions always introduce the possibility to introduce new driver pains. And dont get me started with updating (drivers, software, libs, OS, ...) generally. As it is, my mum can install and maintain a Ubuntu, she can however not keep a Windows machine alive for longer than a year. Same thing i've seen with many other non technical users in and around my family. Even thought that is anecdotal again.
- CaptSpify 9y ago
  "It works for me" has never been proof that a problem doesn't exist. I find it hard to take such comments seriously. To be frank: You are wasting everyone's time with such comments.
  - unethical_ban 9y ago
    If I am wasting time, you're doing the same with generic comments. You provided as much proof as I did.
- legulere 9y ago
  Channel 12/13 don't work and 5GHz wifi does not work the last time I tried. Usually you can make things kind of work, but a lot of things do not properly function 100% out of the box.
flukus 9y ago
But in the enterprise you'd only have a few tested laptops and the would be tested and configured by IT. It may be an issue for home users, but this doesn't make it not user friendly enough for enterprise users.

unethical_ban 9y ago

>We still can't get the basics like sound, wifi, etc out of the box. Complete and total fabrication. Video for gaming is still trouble, but I have no more issue with Linux wifi or sound output than I do with Windows. In fact, Linux networking to me is better than Windows.

richardknop 9y ago
Depends on your device. I have had issues on some laptops, other laptops worked flawlessly. I know this is anecdote but a lot of people share this anecdote.
- YSFEJ4SWJUVU6 9y ago
  What was the last Linux laptop you installed a Windows on? (edit: removed unnecessary remark.) The last laptop I did a clean install of Windows (7) on was a HP netbook. Even though it was a Windows machine, and I used their Windows install disc, it was a miserable experience (because I didn't have the separate driver disc). Not only did not the WLAN work, neither did the Ethernet port: the only way to get online was by using my phone as a Bluetooth dial-up – luckily I had a Symbian device you could do that with. And even then, Windows Update was of no help – I had to navigate to HP's website to download the very separate driver packages for WLAN and Ethernet functionality (and any other packages I can no longer remember). By the way, with Ubuntu connectivity worked fine out-of-the-box – which is lucky, because although I have used Linux for over a decade as my daily driver, I have never had to install WLAN drivers for one, and probably couldn't. (Nothing could save the slow Atom from offering woeful user experience, though. One of the worst deals I ever had as far as computers go.) edit: wording and clarification
  - richardknop 9y ago
    I haven't installed Windows on any device since 2010-2011 I think. I have been only using Mac OS and Linux since that time and never looked back. Only reason why I miss Windows is gaming but for entertainment purposes I am considering switching to console (I used to be a PC gaming maximalist but don't feel so strongly about it anymore) - probably PS4. I do agree with what you are saying though. Installing Windows from scratch is a pain too (at least it was last time I tried it with Windows 7). But almost nobody installs Windows ever, majority of people buy laptops with preinstalled Windows (plus ton of malware as a bonus from the manufacturer).
  - herbst 9y ago
    This is exactly the kind of experience i base my initial argument on. Its a pain to get Windows running. Even trying to create a bootable Windows medium without having a prior windows machine is like some kind of freakish experiment whereas Linux (and everything else essentially) usually is fine with a `dd` transfer on a USB medium. (None of my machines has a CD drive.) More often than not i would find missing drivers after the install. Not everyone has only 100% typical gamer hardware, everything a little more "unique" can be expected to not work properly out of the box if the machine is older than a few years, or newer, and will require manual driver installation. New Windows versions always introduce the possibility to introduce new driver pains. And dont get me started with updating (drivers, software, libs, OS, ...) generally. As it is, my mum can install and maintain a Ubuntu, she can however not keep a Windows machine alive for longer than a year. Same thing i've seen with many other non technical users in and around my family. Even thought that is anecdotal again.
CaptSpify 9y ago
"It works for me" has never been proof that a problem doesn't exist. I find it hard to take such comments seriously. To be frank: You are wasting everyone's time with such comments.
- unethical_ban 9y ago
  If I am wasting time, you're doing the same with generic comments. You provided as much proof as I did.
legulere 9y ago
Channel 12/13 don't work and 5GHz wifi does not work the last time I tried. Usually you can make things kind of work, but a lot of things do not properly function 100% out of the box.

flukus 9y ago

But in the enterprise you'd only have a few tested laptops and the would be tested and configured by IT. It may be an issue for home users, but this doesn't make it not user friendly enough for enterprise users.