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> My only gripe so far with their series was when Linus complained that right-clicking and doing “Save as” on a GitHub link saves an HTML file instead of the fi

> My only gripe so far with their series was when Linus complained that right-clicking and doing “Save as” on a GitHub link saves an HTML file instead of the file itself. However, that's a function of the browser, and not of the OS itself. If I were to do that using Firefox on Windows or Linux, it would save as a file regardless. So, my gripe would be that he apparently can't distinguish problems with the OS itself, and those of software running on the platform.

Uehreka 5y ago
Yeah exactly. I was kinda like "Well dude, if you click a link and it takes you to an HTML page, certainly clicking Save As will save an HTML page". I kind of feel like Linus should know that. But the higher point stands: A lot of my friends and relatives should not need to be on GitHub pulling down scripts so they can enter a video call or do a stream or screencast. The only exception being if there is a direct link to a GitHub releases page with download links for executables.
- netizen-936824 5y ago
  Why though? Isn't most windows software downloaded from <insert random developer's website here>? I think having software more centralized not only makes things easier but also reduces the "sketch factor" of downloading random executables from random websites
addicted 5y ago
The point is that a regular user is unlikely to ever need to go to GitHub and run a script on Windows or MacOS. However, it’s still surprisingly common on Linux. The truth is, though, Linux today already has the capabilities to make these things far more seamless than Windows or MacOS. The problem is that since the user base is so technically inclined already, they don’t see these as problems. Or if they do, they don’t see them as being important enough. And that’s why I think the LTT challenge has been so successful in getting distributions, DEs, etc to make changes because it does a good job of showing the developers which of these issues, that may seem minor to someone with a technical background can be a complete deal breaker for a regular user.
- Measter 5y ago
  > The problem is that since the user base is so technically inclined already, they don’t see these as problems. Or if they do, they don’t see them as being important enough. They may not even realise that it is a potential issue. I'm a technically inclined user, and it wouldn't even occur to me to consider someone doing what Linus did there because I know because I "just know" it won't work and would gloss over it completely. Fortunately (for everyone else) I'm not in the habit of designing UIs.

Uehreka 5y ago

Yeah exactly. I was kinda like "Well dude, if you click a link and it takes you to an HTML page, certainly clicking Save As will save an HTML page". I kind of feel like Linus should know that. But the higher point stands: A lot of my friends and relatives should not need to be on GitHub pulling down scripts so they can enter a video call or do a stream or screencast. The only exception being if there is a direct link to a GitHub releases page with download links for executables.

netizen-936824 5y ago
Why though? Isn't most windows software downloaded from <insert random developer's website here>? I think having software more centralized not only makes things easier but also reduces the "sketch factor" of downloading random executables from random websites

addicted 5y ago

The point is that a regular user is unlikely to ever need to go to GitHub and run a script on Windows or MacOS. However, it’s still surprisingly common on Linux. The truth is, though, Linux today already has the capabilities to make these things far more seamless than Windows or MacOS. The problem is that since the user base is so technically inclined already, they don’t see these as problems. Or if they do, they don’t see them as being important enough. And that’s why I think the LTT challenge has been so successful in getting distributions, DEs, etc to make changes because it does a good job of showing the developers which of these issues, that may seem minor to someone with a technical background can be a complete deal breaker for a regular user.

Measter 5y ago
> The problem is that since the user base is so technically inclined already, they don’t see these as problems. Or if they do, they don’t see them as being important enough. They may not even realise that it is a potential issue. I'm a technically inclined user, and it wouldn't even occur to me to consider someone doing what Linus did there because I know because I "just know" it won't work and would gloss over it completely. Fortunately (for everyone else) I'm not in the habit of designing UIs.