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I love Linux, but it's still got a long ways to go before becoming an reliable desktop OS. For most people they could easily use it. However the moment they got

I love Linux, but it's still got a long ways to go before becoming an reliable desktop OS. For most people they could easily use it. However the moment they gotta hop in terminal kills it for them. Linux is great if you know how to fix your problem or look in the right direction. My main beef with it is driver support. It's far better than it was 10 years ago but nobody wants to be dealing with that. It's annoying. I can deal with program crashes or some minor feature not working right. I can't deal with being hindered due to no drivers. Linux will always just be a tool to me and nothing more. It's a great fleshed out fully customizable tool. But it is hardly what it needs to be before widespread adoption will occur.

tenebrisalietum 6y ago
I love Windows, but it's still got a long ways to go before becoming an reliable desktop OS. For most people they could easily use it. However the moment updates don't install correctly kills it for them. Windows is great if you never shut down your computer during an update or always give them the time to apply. My main beef with it is the telemetry and inconsistent UI. It's far better than it was 10 years ago but nobody wants to be dealing with that. It's annoying. I can deal with program crashes or some minor feature not working right. I can't deal with random UI changes, random resetting of settings, and uploading usage data behind my back. Windows will always just be a tool (slowly becoming an integrated Azure client) to me and nothing more. It's a great fleshed out customizable-as-Microsoft-allows tool. But it is hardly what it needs to be to quit non-creatives from migrating to iPads and smartphones.
- lostmsu 6y ago
  Huh, when was the last time Windows Update did not work correctly for you?
  - Smithalicious 6y ago
    The rate has slowed down from "half the time" to "once or twice per year" for me personally.
- MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
  When is the last time you had to reinstall windows because the grub loader failed to install correctly upon the initial install? Or a device didn't work out of the box because the company didn't make drivers for it? How about the amount of times you needed to run wine on windows to play a specific game. Linux is awesome. But you gotta get out of your bubble and realize it's super niche and for techy people. Not average joes that just wanna watch youtube.
  - zelon88 6y ago
    If Windows 10 didn't suck so bad, I'd agree with this post. But honestly, the Windows 10 network I used to manage had just as many, if not more problems per-machine than my linux network at home. Honestly, I can not recall ever having a major issue with Grub. It's probably the most reliable part of a Linux machine. Sure, getting the right graphics drivers can be a pain on Linux. Then again, I can say the same about the process on Windows too. And as far as gaming goes, I can play 85% of my Steam Library right out of the box with default settings. Steam has it's own Winetricks built in. And default Winetricks has come a long way too. There really isn't any Windows program I can't get running with 30 minutes of tinkering. As far as linux being niche and for techie people, you're somwhat right but it's still a frustrating misconception that an average Joe couldn't figure out Linux. I mean, modern Ubuntu is no more complicated to use than Windows 98 was. I just plugged in a Canon printer/scanner into my Lubuntu desktop tonight and fired up included SimpleScan and did some scanning. I didn't need to open a terminal. It all just... worked. Most of the casual things I do just work. It's me messing with stuff that makes things go haywire. But I'm one of those techie people and that's what I enjoy doing. Don't think of Linux like a geeky alternative to mainstream. Think of it as the mainstream that Windows is trying to improve upon. In all reality, it is. Linux is to computers what the manual transmission (stick shift) is to automobiles. It takes some getting used too, but it's easier than it looks. And if you can drive a stick, you can drive literally any vehicle with wheels. Same with linux. If you can use a linux PC you posses the knowledge use any PC.
    - MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
      Aside from the telemetry BS, what is wrong with windows 10? There is nothing wrong with windows and it's extraordinarily convenient. Mail and Calendar integrated into the OS has never been better. Sure it's not as good as Apple's stuff, but it's more than worthwhile. Linux you have to mess around CONSTANTLY or learn more about how things work in order to get them to your liking. Linux IS a "geeky alternative to mainstream." Linux is exactly as your example is about manual vs automatic. Stop and think for a sec why over 90% of cars are automatic and not manual. It's easier! We can argue all day how Linux is superior to windows but at the end of the day, what OS are you wasting more time on trying to get something to work as opposed to that being just abstracted from you in the first place since you don't need to know about it 99/100?
andi999 6y ago
I cant deal with the programs not running on linux
- MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
  I've moved my entire workflow over to foss. I can't tell you how freeing it is to know I can always jump into any OS and not be hindered whatsoever with what I need to do.
asciimov 6y ago
I am pessimistic that Linux will ever see widespread adoption. It has too many warts and no killer app for the regular user. For me, it's not just driver support, it's the deep dives required to get random things working. Like finding the right commands to get my 4k monitor scaled correctly.
- MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
  I think it will eventually. We're still in the advent of computing technologies in the grand scheme of history. Much like how companies can pay someone to make their own custom software, they'll likewise be able to do it with their own custom distros and operating systems for particular security. I would say we're still a solid 100+ years out from that.

tenebrisalietum 6y ago

I love Windows, but it's still got a long ways to go before becoming an reliable desktop OS. For most people they could easily use it. However the moment updates don't install correctly kills it for them. Windows is great if you never shut down your computer during an update or always give them the time to apply. My main beef with it is the telemetry and inconsistent UI. It's far better than it was 10 years ago but nobody wants to be dealing with that. It's annoying. I can deal with program crashes or some minor feature not working right. I can't deal with random UI changes, random resetting of settings, and uploading usage data behind my back. Windows will always just be a tool (slowly becoming an integrated Azure client) to me and nothing more. It's a great fleshed out customizable-as-Microsoft-allows tool. But it is hardly what it needs to be to quit non-creatives from migrating to iPads and smartphones.

lostmsu 6y ago
Huh, when was the last time Windows Update did not work correctly for you?
- Smithalicious 6y ago
  The rate has slowed down from "half the time" to "once or twice per year" for me personally.
MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
When is the last time you had to reinstall windows because the grub loader failed to install correctly upon the initial install? Or a device didn't work out of the box because the company didn't make drivers for it? How about the amount of times you needed to run wine on windows to play a specific game. Linux is awesome. But you gotta get out of your bubble and realize it's super niche and for techy people. Not average joes that just wanna watch youtube.
- zelon88 6y ago
  If Windows 10 didn't suck so bad, I'd agree with this post. But honestly, the Windows 10 network I used to manage had just as many, if not more problems per-machine than my linux network at home. Honestly, I can not recall ever having a major issue with Grub. It's probably the most reliable part of a Linux machine. Sure, getting the right graphics drivers can be a pain on Linux. Then again, I can say the same about the process on Windows too. And as far as gaming goes, I can play 85% of my Steam Library right out of the box with default settings. Steam has it's own Winetricks built in. And default Winetricks has come a long way too. There really isn't any Windows program I can't get running with 30 minutes of tinkering. As far as linux being niche and for techie people, you're somwhat right but it's still a frustrating misconception that an average Joe couldn't figure out Linux. I mean, modern Ubuntu is no more complicated to use than Windows 98 was. I just plugged in a Canon printer/scanner into my Lubuntu desktop tonight and fired up included SimpleScan and did some scanning. I didn't need to open a terminal. It all just... worked. Most of the casual things I do just work. It's me messing with stuff that makes things go haywire. But I'm one of those techie people and that's what I enjoy doing. Don't think of Linux like a geeky alternative to mainstream. Think of it as the mainstream that Windows is trying to improve upon. In all reality, it is. Linux is to computers what the manual transmission (stick shift) is to automobiles. It takes some getting used too, but it's easier than it looks. And if you can drive a stick, you can drive literally any vehicle with wheels. Same with linux. If you can use a linux PC you posses the knowledge use any PC.
  - MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
    Aside from the telemetry BS, what is wrong with windows 10? There is nothing wrong with windows and it's extraordinarily convenient. Mail and Calendar integrated into the OS has never been better. Sure it's not as good as Apple's stuff, but it's more than worthwhile. Linux you have to mess around CONSTANTLY or learn more about how things work in order to get them to your liking. Linux IS a "geeky alternative to mainstream." Linux is exactly as your example is about manual vs automatic. Stop and think for a sec why over 90% of cars are automatic and not manual. It's easier! We can argue all day how Linux is superior to windows but at the end of the day, what OS are you wasting more time on trying to get something to work as opposed to that being just abstracted from you in the first place since you don't need to know about it 99/100?

andi999 6y ago

I cant deal with the programs not running on linux

MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
I've moved my entire workflow over to foss. I can't tell you how freeing it is to know I can always jump into any OS and not be hindered whatsoever with what I need to do.

asciimov 6y ago

I am pessimistic that Linux will ever see widespread adoption. It has too many warts and no killer app for the regular user. For me, it's not just driver support, it's the deep dives required to get random things working. Like finding the right commands to get my 4k monitor scaled correctly.

MeinBlutIstBlau 6y ago
I think it will eventually. We're still in the advent of computing technologies in the grand scheme of history. Much like how companies can pay someone to make their own custom software, they'll likewise be able to do it with their own custom distros and operating systems for particular security. I would say we're still a solid 100+ years out from that.