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Why Linux is now my primary OS going into 2022

98 points by axiomdata316 5y ago

t0bia_s 5y ago
"Fan of Adobe Photoshop? Use GIMP." This is total nonsense if you need to use Adobe for professional work. It is actually only one reason why I'm still using Windows. And it bothers me quite a lot. There is no way to be professional artist or filmmaker and use linux.
- rubicks 5y ago
  Which part bothers you; the fact that you need to use Adobe on Windows, or the fact that you're a professional artist that doesn't use Linux? For what it's worth, I can think of at least three different "emulators" to run a random windows program on Linux.
  - t0bia_s 5y ago
    Actually both parts bothers me. I'm quite tech savy and privacy focused and this combination keeps me frustrated. Idea of using emulator for example for Premiere that use dynamic links for After Effects and Audition makes me very uncomforatble in workflow. Or Cintiq with Photoshop or Illustrator. Still... In 2022 no competition for Adobe.
    - pindab0ter 5y ago
      There's Affinity [0] which is competition for Adobe. No Linux client though. [0]: https://affinity.serif.com/ https://affinity.serif.com/
      - t0bia_s 5y ago
        It is not competetion to Adobe at all. No Linux, not complex as Adobe, none alternative for After Effects...
- hffft 5y ago
  > professional artist There are a lot of professional Blender artists... probably many with others apps also...
tomaloner 5y ago
It was a good run. Mainstream linux desktop will be the beginning of the end.
- yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
  Why? The ecosystem is already rather diverse, if you have software and systems and communities that you like now, there's no reason to believe that they'll go away just because there are new people and systems being built
  - tomaloner 5y ago
    Well - firstly consider the linux desktop has been touted as a "not yet ready" for 10? maybe 15 years. While it was obscure, it wasn't targeted as often by viruses, malware, and the worst thing of all - commercialization. Same idea as when anything obscure gets too popular. The original occupants (whether they're right or wrong) aren't too keen on seeing the crowds rush in.
    - nopenopenopeno 5y ago
      I think you’re right. The Linux open source environment is increasingly built and maintained for companies, not individual users. And this isn’t going to change. Mainstream Linux will be built and maintained for profit, open source or not.
      - AnthonyMouse 5y ago
        That doesn't work the same way when anybody can fork it. Okay, so Ubuntu had Amazon integration for a while. But Debian didn't. And because Debian didn't, and people didn't like it, Ubuntu took it back out. How's the outbreak of desktop spying that nobody asked for or wanted going on Windows? When the only way to put pressure on them there is to switch to an entirely different platform, that only works when you actually do it. Otherwise you're stuck with whatever they stick you with.
geoffbp 5y ago
Year of the Linux desktop
- birdyrooster 5y ago
  Year of the SteamOS desktop maybe?
- redisman 5y ago
  Always has been
  - tomaloner 5y ago
    Exactly.
- clock99 5y ago
  People say this every year...
- peatmoss 5y ago
  The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed. Year of the Linux Desktop arrived for me, in earnest, sometime in the mid-nineties. Maybe 2022 will be the year of the Linux desktop for a few more people.
  - j0057 5y ago
    My YOTLD was 2000, with Linux 2.2.16 on Slackware 7.1 and a glorious E16 desktop on XFree86. You can even print nowadays due to the magic of CUPS!
new_realist 5y ago
Author is willing to use Windows, but no mention of macOS. This article reads like someone trying to convince you that vegan chicken tenders taste like regular chicken tenders.
- chrsig 5y ago
  Why would they have mentioned macOS?
  - moksly 5y ago
    Probably because it’s where a lot of us ended up when we got old and stopped wanting to fiddle with settings. I’m sure Linux will one day catch up to where Mac products are and simply work out of the box without hassle, and maybe they are already there. But I switched from Linux to osX after 10-15 years because I got tired of having to ever really deal with the OS.
    - Brian_K_White 5y ago
      But macos is not just an os you can select like any other software, or like selecting between windows, linux, bsd. It's disingenuous to treat it like one. To use macos (officially), you have to also discard whatever computer you already have, and your choice of new computer is limited to one. It's essentially irrelevant to the original problem statement, almost as much as chromeos.
    - howinteresting 5y ago
      How do you install macOS on a powerful desktop like the ones I've built? How do you make "sed" be GNU sed on macOS without breaking all sorts of scripts? How do you play the latest games like Deathloop on macOS? How do you turn off workspace switching animations on macOS? (Note I said "turn off," so don't suggest Reduce Motion). How do you set different scrolling orientations for mice and trackpads without installing yet another app with its own icon, updater, etc? As another commenter pointed out, using macOS is like living in a hotel. Some people live in hotels already and some others would certainly do so if they could afford it, but it's not the kind of life I want to live.
forgotmypw17 5y ago
I don't game much... My computer is my workstation. I used Windows for 10+ years and was very comfortable. I felt, more and more often, that I was losing control. Things were changing without my consent. So I tried Mac, and it was good for a while. Then, things also changed without my consent. So I switched to an OS where I have more control. I tried one distribution and WM and then another. Until I found a combination which works for me. And now I am content. Thank you, GNU. Thank you, FOSS. I am so grateful.
- apengwin 5y ago
- mherrmann 5y ago
  Same journey here. Mac vs Linux is like living in a hotel vs living at home. On Mac, everything is designed but you can't bring your own furniture. On Linux, you have to do the dishes but there is no external agenda. It's simply yours. Where I have ended up after the above 25 years is Debian + i3wm. Rock solid, a good fit for my daily work (mostly coding web apps), minimalistic and very productive through keyboard shortcuts. Can highly recommend.
  - brightball 5y ago
    I’ve been looking for a way to describe it for a while and you nailed it.
- sebazzz 5y ago
  That's funny - I enjoyed Ubuntu until Gnome 2 was replaced with Unity / Gnome 3 which were then far less capable. Then I was back onto Windows. Maybe the lesson is not using Ubuntu.
  - fgonzag 5y ago
    If you're ever interested in trying it out again, the MATE desktop environment is an up to date fork of Gnome 2. Most distros should have a version available with it. I believe ubuntu has one.
lostcolony 5y ago
>> Gaming is no longer one of those reasons to choose Windows over Linux unless it's a specific game that simply isn't native or supported by tools like Proton. Uh...yeah it is. Even if I didn't have a specific game in mind currently, every PC game targets Windows. Not every game works on Linux. Why would I artificially limit myself, both for existing and future releases? In fact, just looking at ProtonDB...6 out of the top 10 games are 'borked' on Linux. The top 100 looks better, but the majority still aren't "native". That's not a sleight on Linux; there are plenty of things it is better at. But unless you are willing to be limited in what you can play, a PC gamer will continue to pick Windows.
- mdoms 5y ago
  Not to mention there are entire categories of games, not just particular titles, that are not supported on Linux and might never be. I'm a sim racer and without high quality drivers for my gear it's a total non starter, even if the games were supported (they are not). Then there's the competitive gaming scene where most serious anti cheat systems are not supported in Linux and may never be.
  - justinclift 5y ago
    > Then there's the competitive gaming scene where most serious anti cheat systems are not supported in Linux and may never be. Hopefully the bit where Valve is working with anti cheat makers actually comes to fruition and works widely: Online games that make use of anti-cheat software didn't play ball with Proton, but Valve has been working with the developers to add support for its set of tools. Now, you can install and enjoy games that use tools like BattleEye and not need to fire up a Windows install to just play one game every so often.
    - pdimitar 5y ago
      That part actually scares me. Many anti-cheat softwares on Windows are basically rootkits. I don't want shit on my Linux machine.
  - mraudiobook_com 5y ago
Ingon 5y ago
I don’t game. Pop_OS! for work, Manjaro at my own laptops (framework atm), ubuntu on servers. For me the last 3 years have been the years of linux. Used to be on macos before that, windows even before that. I’m looking forward to the linux on the phone now, hopefully will happen over the next few years. Edit: and gnome everywhere, for some reason the simplicity/no need for customizability really chimes with me.
- jrwr 5y ago
  I wish Linux worked on my main work laptop, but with the current state of nvidia prime its just a non starter. I spent 3 days trying to get even basic graphics switching going when in windows its seamless
arvigeus 5y ago
Such reviews are always misleading, and they hurt Linux the most. No, it’s not all rainbows and roses all the time. LTT Linux Challenge is the best example we have so far: with every frustrating hurdle they encounter, there is always “Yeah, that happens sometimes” response from the Linux community. People want Linux to become mainstream, but so far it is just an alternative to Windows at best. A flawed alternative. It needs to be more. The same way people prefer Spotify over Winamp nowadays. To get there it needs a lot of honest self criticism and patience. We are not there yet, but I believe we will be someday.
- yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
  ... What, like Windows and MacOS don't have "Yeah, that happens sometimes" moments? Linux does fine when held to the same standards.
  - toastal 5y ago
    Which I appreciated about LTT's challenge was they always appended a section at the end about how the Window experience is filled with many different annoyances.
  - arvigeus 5y ago
    This is true, but considering Linux market position, this is not acceptable if Linux really wants to become mainstream. Back in the day we had many Winamp clones. Some were arguably better, faster, lighter. Yet none of them took over. We have Spotify now. And it is nothing like Winamp. It's not enough for Linux to be on par with Windows. It's not enough even to be better on every possible aspect. It needs to be its own category that makes Windows obsolete. Good news is the technology moves with a rapid pace, and Windows is not as well equipped for the future as Linux.
ijidak 5y ago
> "One of the most enticing parts of Linux is choice. Even down to the distribution (or distro) you'd prefer to use, be it Ubuntu, Arch, or Manjaro. There's a distro for everyone and even after choosing one, it's possible to customize it to your heart's content." The blessing and the curse of Linux. All that selection is not helpful if you just need to get work done. Which is why most use macOS or Windows. Infinite flexibility also means infinite time researching and making choices. Granted, my experience is from 15+ years ago, but I remember wanting to play an MP3 on my new Linux desktop. Most articles explained, with a straight face, that I "just" needed to re-compile my OS to get audio output. I realized then, that this would not be a productive way to get serious work done day-to-day. I've been hesitant to go back since. In my opinion, to get the majority of developers to switch to desktop Linux, it would need to become an OS that most of today's proponents will dislike. It would need to have a dominant desktop distribution -- 60%+ market share of Linux installs -- so that most tutorials, software installations, and configuration options are optimized for it. It would need to eliminate 80% of the choices. It would need to handle 99% of desktop use cases with zero configuration. And finally, any configuration that is needed would need to be simple settings that can be configured via a GUI, with configuration via shell there only for those who want it. Note: The above numbers are just guesses. But hopefully they illustrate the point. The average knowledge worker, just needs to get work done. And that tends to trump infinite flexibility and openness. Until that is done, I fear desktop Linux will remain an OS for OS hobbyists. I love the idea of switching to Linux, but have a really hard time jumping back into the rabbit hole.
- encryptluks2 5y ago
  Windows and Mac has flexibility too. You could pay for software on Windows/Mac and find it doesn't meet your needs. Often many software vendors for Windows end up selling something akin to spyware. Really what it comes down to is what distro you choose, and audio hasn't been an issue for probably 10 years. Recent changes with Pulse Audio and then Pipewire makes audio "just work". You have to also remember that both Mac and Windows don't come without pain points and often I see people that are "set in their ways" simply because they don't like change, not because Windows/Mac makes things inherently easier. I personally find at this point Linux to be easier to get things done quickly. For example, with Windows installing the OS and then multiple updates, then re-configuring settings to disable telemetry, online account notifications, driver update shenanigans where Windows reverts drivers, etc takes far longer. Once you have a good dotfile setup on Linux things are a breeze. Windows unattended setups are just as frustrating. With Linux, everything is scriptable in a more common sense fashion from my experience. With Windows, depending on the tool you have to use Powershell, VBScript, Batch, or some half-baked EXE to get things done.
yongjik 5y ago
After upgrading my Linux last time, I've been spending multiple weeks to figure out why hibernation stopped working. I ended up editing pm-hibernate script, inserting debug statements that log stuff to files before the whole system hangs, and rebooting to check what the log files say. The number of computer users who can do the same would be less than 0.1%, to be generous. I forgot when was the last time I had issues with hibernation in Windows or Mac. Sorry, 2022 is not going to be the year of Linux Desktop.
- encryptluks2 5y ago
  This is really dependent on how you setup/configure your PC. if you are using encryption this can often be the cause.
- gravypod 5y ago
  For certain distro + hardware it will certainly be. In my opinion, the Steam Deck is going to bring many new desktop users to the table. If Valve has brought their usual polish it will be Linux that 99% of people don't know is backed by a linux kernel (just like with Android). That's the beginning of the adoption and, if Valve is smart, they'll push for OEMs like Framework, System 76, etc to ship laptops with SteamOS 2 on them.
  - Shared404 5y ago
    If this happens, and SteamOS becomes one of the main distributions that people know by default, I will be quite happy. With the amount of polish that Valve put's on literally everything they release, I'd be willing to give it a try at least.
- arepublicadoceu 5y ago
  Yeap, everyone overexcited about Linux improvements either forget or ignore that many hardwares are completely messed up on Linux. My Laptop, for instance, have an issue where the kernel can’t recognize the keycode when the lid closes. I had to write a systemd script to setkeycode to suspend when the lid shutdown. Good luck explaining this to average windows convert that just moved to Linux. Oh, and the brightness function keys doesn’t register at all on my system. I’ve tried everything on the archwiki. So, yeah, if you’re lucky enough to have the right hardware it’s totally the year of Linux, if not, keep waiting
s0rce 5y ago
Everything works well for me on Linux except MS teams.
- encryptluks2 5y ago
  What isn't working? I personally would refuse to even use Teams, but here is an example of a working package as far as I'm aware: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/teams/ https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/teams/
  - s0rce 5y ago
    Last time I used it they still hadn't implemented any of the background blurring or changing. The rest seems to work ok.
fontenot-jon 5y ago
i only think in data structures, and the circuit pulses which drive them
fontenot-jon 5y ago
i only think in data structures, and the circuit connected devices pulses driving them
Animats 5y ago
I turned on a Windows 7 machine twice in 2021, for about 20 minutes each time. I've never used any later version of Windows. Just Linux.
terrywang 5y ago
Attracted by the title, clicked thru and interestingly found the website is named "Windows Central". It has been the fact for me since 2003, not for gaming though ;-) Don't get me wrong, I do think gaming on Linux is cool and it helped at picking up new "Linux desktop" users. What's more interesting is, with WSLg it is even possible to run GUI (X / Wayland).
Shared404 5y ago
I have to say, my favorite part of this is the fact that it's hosted on Windows Central. The more that this content gets moved into mainstream Gamer/Tech media, the better. ...Just so long as we avoid the LTT nonsense of "Yes, I said delete all the things!".
n8cpdx 5y ago
The endless discussion of pros and cons of Linux desktop and whether this is the year get tiring. Only so much can be said. It’s definitely getting closer and for a lot of setups is perfectly serviceable, but for business and ecosystem reasons it doesn’t really matter. What I’m more fascinated by here is: A) the situation on windows is so bad that even the most engaged/supportive people (the type of person who writes for Windows Central) are fed up and trying to move. This is a big deal. Microsoft should notice, if anything just so working on Windows doesn’t become an embarrassing job they have to pay engineers extra to do. But also because wow, they have screwed that product bad over the past 10 years. Imagine if DaringFireball, or Jason Snell, or any 9to5mac contributor was writing “2022 is the year I’m giving up Mac for Windows” B) the comment section is fascinating. I don’t really understand it. I wish I could meet some of these people in real life. There is a real, almost religion-like defense of Windows. I don’t get it. I’ve been a windows fanboy in the past so I get having a slightly irrational appreciation for it, but I can’t imagine ever writing anything like that. I was still playing around with Linux and still playing around with macOS (before it was called that of course) and iPhone and all the other things. I don’t have much insight, but I hope others do. According to the about page, Windows Central is the home for “the most loyal and passionate Microsoft fans” which certainly seems to be true. https://www.windowscentral.com/about https://www.windowscentral.com/about
- Genbox 5y ago
  "There is a real, almost religion-like defense of Windows." Likewise on Linux and macOS for that matter. Every aspect of IT have fans of varying degrees from "I use it as a tool" to "I can't imagine anyone using anything other than X". Fact of the matter is that people try these things with a very non-scientific mindset, as such they are strongly affected by confirmation-bias. So when they switch OS, they are likely talk about things they feel personally affect them, and there is no way you can disagree with them, because it is their personal perspective.
sowbug 5y ago
In 2016 I vowed to learn to use Ansible to manage my personal Linux desktop's configuration. Almost six years later, I have a consistent, repeatable Ubuntu/Cinnamon desktop configuration that takes five minutes to set up when I get a new machine or want to factory-reset an old one. It was a lot of work in the beginning to figure out how to replicate various GUI desktop settings I'd changed (mostly diffing dconf dump files), and it took a while to get into the habit of applying obscure Server Fault incantations as Ansible tasks instead of directly on my machine. But now I have a complete journal, in the form of git log, of every change I've ever made to my Ubuntu machines since LTS 16.04. So I don't actually have to remember anything about system administration; I just run ansible-playbook. This is a major reason why I've been able to move almost exclusively to Ubuntu since 2016. Exceptions are a weekend playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, and an annual slog through TurboTax. TL;DR: configuration-management software is useful for personal machines, not just enterprise fleets.
- midrus 5y ago
  Yes, as long as you have tons of free time, and will to invest it in learning these systems tools. For me this would be madness, I want the computer to achieve something, not to spend my days tweaking it.
  - sowbug 5y ago
    I hear you. Any given activity could be a chore, a task, a profession, a craft, a hobby, a diversion, a distraction, or a passion. It all depends on how you like spending your time. I love to cook, for example. I do it even though it doesn't taste any better than takeout. If I didn't love cooking, it would be madness to spend an hour preparing something I could pay someone else an extra $5 to make for me.
- rubicks 5y ago
  That sounds really useful. I'm interested in doing something similar with my own machines. Do you have any source code you can share?
  - 5y ago
errantmind 5y ago
I've been using Linux on my laptops and servers for years, but finally switched my desktop computer to Linux a few weeks ago. It was my last computer not running Linux. I had played around with Gentoo years ago but decided on Arch. It has been great. I'm using Suckless software and it is easier than ever with Bakkeby's flexipatch system to try out all the different patches. Admittedly, it isn't for everyone. Most people I know (including devs) don't care to go relatively deep into the bowels of their OS, but I've enjoyed it and now have an extremely responsive setup that I'll use for years. I consider it an investment, it isn't going to spy on me or change out from under me. It feels tailor fitted to me in how it does everything I want it to, but nothing more (or less). I'm tired of the bullshit I've had to deal with on Windows over the years. This time, enough is actually enough. I'm out and not coming back. 2022 is the year of the Linux desktop, for me anyway.
- rubicks 5y ago
  Suckless Term for the win; it's my terminal emulator of choice when I don't need a scrollable buffer. It's light and fast while supporting all the standard escape codes. If that weren't enough, the source is a minimalist masterpiece.
randomNumber7 5y ago
Still use windows for gaming :( It annoys me so much. Ads at the os level. Once in a while it boots to that screen where it tries to fool me into makeing a microsucks account.
miiiiiike 5y ago
Linux was my primary OS going into 1999. If it weren't for Blizzard games I wouldn't even have Windows installed. With Blizzard dead-ish now Windows will probably go away entirely. If I could debug Safari on iOS and test iOS apps on Linux, macOS could go away too.
- noirbot 5y ago
  Really? I had most of Battlenet stuff running fine in Wine a few years ago with no major issues. Big games like that seem to generally have great support in the community.
alkonaut 5y ago
Gaming still isn’t ok on desktop Linux. Drivers can be 10% less performant or game-specific drivers arrive a month after the game. That’s enough to need a windows partition. If one means “I can play 90% of games” or “I can play games at 90% the performance” or “I can play games but no recent multiplayer AAA titles” etc. then yes it’s a viable platform. But you need a big bag of ifs. While there is great progress bringing gaming to Linux, it’s more and more looking like it’s going to make the bulk of games better while the biggest titles get even further from parity. Reasons include 1) to play a AAA title you need a specific graphics driver built for the game where nVidia and AMD have made fixes and optimizations for the specific game. On windows this driver is obviously released in tandem with the game 2) An anticheat for a multiplayer FPS these days is a kernel level driver or more and more resembling a root kit. Not only are these not existing on Linux half of the time, the same type of person who prefers Linux usually doesn’t approve of these things being on their systems either. So: gaming on Linux has advanced in the broad middle of games. Lots of titles now play “ok”. But is gaming on Linux really any closer to being a windows replacement if the biggest titles are still completely windows exclusive?
- number6 5y ago
  AAA titles like Battlefield 2042? Recent AAA titles became so low quality and uninspired that I mostly skip them. The true AAA titles made by indie developers come surprisingly often with Linux support. And there is always Stadia and Geforce Now. Then again, I am not the Hardcore gamer I used to be in the golden days...
  - alkonaut 5y ago
    Indeed AAA titles like 2042. And indeed zero people need to switch to Windows for 2042. I still play BF4 and it’s still a great game - but even that 7 year old title is of course impossible (as far as I know) to play on Linux.
    - number6 5y ago
      I loved BF4! It is a great game. I did not try it myself but it is saved to run flawless[0] on Linux, but there is trouble with Origin, which can be fixed, but I guess that's a bit of bending the rules. Assuming you want the version where a non tech savy person can use a Linux desktop. [0]https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=31145 https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iI...
PhilippGille 5y ago
> You could install a distro like Linux Mint that attempts to replicate the look and feel of Windows and help bridge the gap between the two platforms. I wouldn't say that Linux Mint in particular attempts this. It's more the desktop environment that's relevant in this regard, and KDE Plasma is the one that at least looks the most like Windows 10/11. You'll notice less of a difference between Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint with KDE, than between KDE, Cinnamon, XFCE on Linux Mint.
arepublicadoceu 5y ago
> Want to use Microsoft Office? There's Libre Office ready to go. Fan of Adobe Photoshop? GIMP is your new best friend. Theses are such terrible replacements that it’s hard to take his rose colored eye view seriously. No one that works collaborating word documents will use libre office unless you want a never ending: why this look funny on my end? Is it libre office or my collab messed up? Gimp? Krita would be a better choice of software but still not even close to photoshop.
ossusermivami 5y ago
It's weird to feel so away of those issues, I don't do any gaming, my entertainment is usually spent learning esoteric programming languages, or customizing my .emacs or generally customizing my system. I see a lot of back and forth between "switchers" and a lot of it is about "gaming". I am guessing there is a silent majority who don't necessary care about gaming and are happy using linux just because it's (imho) the best system for programmers/tinkerer?
clemailacct1 5y ago
> Using Linux day-to-day with the latest distros is nothing but a joy. Everything just works out of the box. This has not been my experience whatsoever using Linux as my daily driver for the past decade, unfortunately.

98 points by axiomdata316 5y ago

"Fan of Adobe Photoshop? Use GIMP." This is total nonsense if you need to use Adobe for professional work. It is actually only one reason why I'm still using Windows. And it bothers me quite a lot. There is no way to be professional artist or filmmaker and use linux.

rubicks 5y ago
Which part bothers you; the fact that you need to use Adobe on Windows, or the fact that you're a professional artist that doesn't use Linux? For what it's worth, I can think of at least three different "emulators" to run a random windows program on Linux.
- t0bia_s 5y ago
  Actually both parts bothers me. I'm quite tech savy and privacy focused and this combination keeps me frustrated. Idea of using emulator for example for Premiere that use dynamic links for After Effects and Audition makes me very uncomforatble in workflow. Or Cintiq with Photoshop or Illustrator. Still... In 2022 no competition for Adobe.
  - pindab0ter 5y ago
    There's Affinity [0] which is competition for Adobe. No Linux client though. [0]: https://affinity.serif.com/ https://affinity.serif.com/
    - t0bia_s 5y ago
      It is not competetion to Adobe at all. No Linux, not complex as Adobe, none alternative for After Effects...
hffft 5y ago
> professional artist There are a lot of professional Blender artists... probably many with others apps also...

tomaloner 5y ago

It was a good run. Mainstream linux desktop will be the beginning of the end.

yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
Why? The ecosystem is already rather diverse, if you have software and systems and communities that you like now, there's no reason to believe that they'll go away just because there are new people and systems being built
- tomaloner 5y ago
  Well - firstly consider the linux desktop has been touted as a "not yet ready" for 10? maybe 15 years. While it was obscure, it wasn't targeted as often by viruses, malware, and the worst thing of all - commercialization. Same idea as when anything obscure gets too popular. The original occupants (whether they're right or wrong) aren't too keen on seeing the crowds rush in.
  - nopenopenopeno 5y ago
    I think you’re right. The Linux open source environment is increasingly built and maintained for companies, not individual users. And this isn’t going to change. Mainstream Linux will be built and maintained for profit, open source or not.
    - AnthonyMouse 5y ago
      That doesn't work the same way when anybody can fork it. Okay, so Ubuntu had Amazon integration for a while. But Debian didn't. And because Debian didn't, and people didn't like it, Ubuntu took it back out. How's the outbreak of desktop spying that nobody asked for or wanted going on Windows? When the only way to put pressure on them there is to switch to an entirely different platform, that only works when you actually do it. Otherwise you're stuck with whatever they stick you with.

geoffbp 5y ago

Year of the Linux desktop

birdyrooster 5y ago
Year of the SteamOS desktop maybe?
redisman 5y ago
Always has been
- tomaloner 5y ago
  Exactly.
clock99 5y ago
People say this every year...
peatmoss 5y ago
The future is here, it's just not evenly distributed. Year of the Linux Desktop arrived for me, in earnest, sometime in the mid-nineties. Maybe 2022 will be the year of the Linux desktop for a few more people.
- j0057 5y ago
  My YOTLD was 2000, with Linux 2.2.16 on Slackware 7.1 and a glorious E16 desktop on XFree86. You can even print nowadays due to the magic of CUPS!

new_realist 5y ago

Author is willing to use Windows, but no mention of macOS. This article reads like someone trying to convince you that vegan chicken tenders taste like regular chicken tenders.

chrsig 5y ago
Why would they have mentioned macOS?
- moksly 5y ago
  Probably because it’s where a lot of us ended up when we got old and stopped wanting to fiddle with settings. I’m sure Linux will one day catch up to where Mac products are and simply work out of the box without hassle, and maybe they are already there. But I switched from Linux to osX after 10-15 years because I got tired of having to ever really deal with the OS.
  - Brian_K_White 5y ago
    But macos is not just an os you can select like any other software, or like selecting between windows, linux, bsd. It's disingenuous to treat it like one. To use macos (officially), you have to also discard whatever computer you already have, and your choice of new computer is limited to one. It's essentially irrelevant to the original problem statement, almost as much as chromeos.
  - howinteresting 5y ago
    How do you install macOS on a powerful desktop like the ones I've built? How do you make "sed" be GNU sed on macOS without breaking all sorts of scripts? How do you play the latest games like Deathloop on macOS? How do you turn off workspace switching animations on macOS? (Note I said "turn off," so don't suggest Reduce Motion). How do you set different scrolling orientations for mice and trackpads without installing yet another app with its own icon, updater, etc? As another commenter pointed out, using macOS is like living in a hotel. Some people live in hotels already and some others would certainly do so if they could afford it, but it's not the kind of life I want to live.

forgotmypw17 5y ago

I don't game much... My computer is my workstation. I used Windows for 10+ years and was very comfortable. I felt, more and more often, that I was losing control. Things were changing without my consent. So I tried Mac, and it was good for a while. Then, things also changed without my consent. So I switched to an OS where I have more control. I tried one distribution and WM and then another. Until I found a combination which works for me. And now I am content. Thank you, GNU. Thank you, FOSS. I am so grateful.

apengwin 5y ago
mherrmann 5y ago
Same journey here. Mac vs Linux is like living in a hotel vs living at home. On Mac, everything is designed but you can't bring your own furniture. On Linux, you have to do the dishes but there is no external agenda. It's simply yours. Where I have ended up after the above 25 years is Debian + i3wm. Rock solid, a good fit for my daily work (mostly coding web apps), minimalistic and very productive through keyboard shortcuts. Can highly recommend.
- brightball 5y ago
  I’ve been looking for a way to describe it for a while and you nailed it.
sebazzz 5y ago
That's funny - I enjoyed Ubuntu until Gnome 2 was replaced with Unity / Gnome 3 which were then far less capable. Then I was back onto Windows. Maybe the lesson is not using Ubuntu.
- fgonzag 5y ago
  If you're ever interested in trying it out again, the MATE desktop environment is an up to date fork of Gnome 2. Most distros should have a version available with it. I believe ubuntu has one.

lostcolony 5y ago

>> Gaming is no longer one of those reasons to choose Windows over Linux unless it's a specific game that simply isn't native or supported by tools like Proton. Uh...yeah it is. Even if I didn't have a specific game in mind currently, every PC game targets Windows. Not every game works on Linux. Why would I artificially limit myself, both for existing and future releases? In fact, just looking at ProtonDB...6 out of the top 10 games are 'borked' on Linux. The top 100 looks better, but the majority still aren't "native". That's not a sleight on Linux; there are plenty of things it is better at. But unless you are willing to be limited in what you can play, a PC gamer will continue to pick Windows.

mdoms 5y ago
Not to mention there are entire categories of games, not just particular titles, that are not supported on Linux and might never be. I'm a sim racer and without high quality drivers for my gear it's a total non starter, even if the games were supported (they are not). Then there's the competitive gaming scene where most serious anti cheat systems are not supported in Linux and may never be.
- justinclift 5y ago
  > Then there's the competitive gaming scene where most serious anti cheat systems are not supported in Linux and may never be. Hopefully the bit where Valve is working with anti cheat makers actually comes to fruition and works widely: Online games that make use of anti-cheat software didn't play ball with Proton, but Valve has been working with the developers to add support for its set of tools. Now, you can install and enjoy games that use tools like BattleEye and not need to fire up a Windows install to just play one game every so often.
  - pdimitar 5y ago
    That part actually scares me. Many anti-cheat softwares on Windows are basically rootkits. I don't want shit on my Linux machine.
- mraudiobook_com 5y ago

Ingon 5y ago

I don’t game. Pop_OS! for work, Manjaro at my own laptops (framework atm), ubuntu on servers. For me the last 3 years have been the years of linux. Used to be on macos before that, windows even before that. I’m looking forward to the linux on the phone now, hopefully will happen over the next few years. Edit: and gnome everywhere, for some reason the simplicity/no need for customizability really chimes with me.

jrwr 5y ago
I wish Linux worked on my main work laptop, but with the current state of nvidia prime its just a non starter. I spent 3 days trying to get even basic graphics switching going when in windows its seamless

arvigeus 5y ago

Such reviews are always misleading, and they hurt Linux the most. No, it’s not all rainbows and roses all the time. LTT Linux Challenge is the best example we have so far: with every frustrating hurdle they encounter, there is always “Yeah, that happens sometimes” response from the Linux community. People want Linux to become mainstream, but so far it is just an alternative to Windows at best. A flawed alternative. It needs to be more. The same way people prefer Spotify over Winamp nowadays. To get there it needs a lot of honest self criticism and patience. We are not there yet, but I believe we will be someday.

yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
... What, like Windows and MacOS don't have "Yeah, that happens sometimes" moments? Linux does fine when held to the same standards.
- toastal 5y ago
  Which I appreciated about LTT's challenge was they always appended a section at the end about how the Window experience is filled with many different annoyances.
- arvigeus 5y ago
  This is true, but considering Linux market position, this is not acceptable if Linux really wants to become mainstream. Back in the day we had many Winamp clones. Some were arguably better, faster, lighter. Yet none of them took over. We have Spotify now. And it is nothing like Winamp. It's not enough for Linux to be on par with Windows. It's not enough even to be better on every possible aspect. It needs to be its own category that makes Windows obsolete. Good news is the technology moves with a rapid pace, and Windows is not as well equipped for the future as Linux.

ijidak 5y ago

> "One of the most enticing parts of Linux is choice. Even down to the distribution (or distro) you'd prefer to use, be it Ubuntu, Arch, or Manjaro. There's a distro for everyone and even after choosing one, it's possible to customize it to your heart's content." The blessing and the curse of Linux. All that selection is not helpful if you just need to get work done. Which is why most use macOS or Windows. Infinite flexibility also means infinite time researching and making choices. Granted, my experience is from 15+ years ago, but I remember wanting to play an MP3 on my new Linux desktop. Most articles explained, with a straight face, that I "just" needed to re-compile my OS to get audio output. I realized then, that this would not be a productive way to get serious work done day-to-day. I've been hesitant to go back since. In my opinion, to get the majority of developers to switch to desktop Linux, it would need to become an OS that most of today's proponents will dislike. It would need to have a dominant desktop distribution -- 60%+ market share of Linux installs -- so that most tutorials, software installations, and configuration options are optimized for it. It would need to eliminate 80% of the choices. It would need to handle 99% of desktop use cases with zero configuration. And finally, any configuration that is needed would need to be simple settings that can be configured via a GUI, with configuration via shell there only for those who want it. Note: The above numbers are just guesses. But hopefully they illustrate the point. The average knowledge worker, just needs to get work done. And that tends to trump infinite flexibility and openness. Until that is done, I fear desktop Linux will remain an OS for OS hobbyists. I love the idea of switching to Linux, but have a really hard time jumping back into the rabbit hole.

encryptluks2 5y ago
Windows and Mac has flexibility too. You could pay for software on Windows/Mac and find it doesn't meet your needs. Often many software vendors for Windows end up selling something akin to spyware. Really what it comes down to is what distro you choose, and audio hasn't been an issue for probably 10 years. Recent changes with Pulse Audio and then Pipewire makes audio "just work". You have to also remember that both Mac and Windows don't come without pain points and often I see people that are "set in their ways" simply because they don't like change, not because Windows/Mac makes things inherently easier. I personally find at this point Linux to be easier to get things done quickly. For example, with Windows installing the OS and then multiple updates, then re-configuring settings to disable telemetry, online account notifications, driver update shenanigans where Windows reverts drivers, etc takes far longer. Once you have a good dotfile setup on Linux things are a breeze. Windows unattended setups are just as frustrating. With Linux, everything is scriptable in a more common sense fashion from my experience. With Windows, depending on the tool you have to use Powershell, VBScript, Batch, or some half-baked EXE to get things done.

yongjik 5y ago

After upgrading my Linux last time, I've been spending multiple weeks to figure out why hibernation stopped working. I ended up editing pm-hibernate script, inserting debug statements that log stuff to files before the whole system hangs, and rebooting to check what the log files say. The number of computer users who can do the same would be less than 0.1%, to be generous. I forgot when was the last time I had issues with hibernation in Windows or Mac. Sorry, 2022 is not going to be the year of Linux Desktop.

encryptluks2 5y ago
This is really dependent on how you setup/configure your PC. if you are using encryption this can often be the cause.
gravypod 5y ago
For certain distro + hardware it will certainly be. In my opinion, the Steam Deck is going to bring many new desktop users to the table. If Valve has brought their usual polish it will be Linux that 99% of people don't know is backed by a linux kernel (just like with Android). That's the beginning of the adoption and, if Valve is smart, they'll push for OEMs like Framework, System 76, etc to ship laptops with SteamOS 2 on them.
- Shared404 5y ago
  If this happens, and SteamOS becomes one of the main distributions that people know by default, I will be quite happy. With the amount of polish that Valve put's on literally everything they release, I'd be willing to give it a try at least.
arepublicadoceu 5y ago
Yeap, everyone overexcited about Linux improvements either forget or ignore that many hardwares are completely messed up on Linux. My Laptop, for instance, have an issue where the kernel can’t recognize the keycode when the lid closes. I had to write a systemd script to setkeycode to suspend when the lid shutdown. Good luck explaining this to average windows convert that just moved to Linux. Oh, and the brightness function keys doesn’t register at all on my system. I’ve tried everything on the archwiki. So, yeah, if you’re lucky enough to have the right hardware it’s totally the year of Linux, if not, keep waiting

s0rce 5y ago

Everything works well for me on Linux except MS teams.

encryptluks2 5y ago
What isn't working? I personally would refuse to even use Teams, but here is an example of a working package as far as I'm aware: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/teams/ https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/teams/
- s0rce 5y ago
  Last time I used it they still hadn't implemented any of the background blurring or changing. The rest seems to work ok.

fontenot-jon 5y ago

i only think in data structures, and the circuit pulses which drive them

fontenot-jon 5y ago

i only think in data structures, and the circuit connected devices pulses driving them

Animats 5y ago

I turned on a Windows 7 machine twice in 2021, for about 20 minutes each time. I've never used any later version of Windows. Just Linux.

terrywang 5y ago

Attracted by the title, clicked thru and interestingly found the website is named "Windows Central". It has been the fact for me since 2003, not for gaming though ;-) Don't get me wrong, I do think gaming on Linux is cool and it helped at picking up new "Linux desktop" users. What's more interesting is, with WSLg it is even possible to run GUI (X / Wayland).

Shared404 5y ago

I have to say, my favorite part of this is the fact that it's hosted on Windows Central. The more that this content gets moved into mainstream Gamer/Tech media, the better. ...Just so long as we avoid the LTT nonsense of "Yes, I said delete all the things!".

n8cpdx 5y ago

The endless discussion of pros and cons of Linux desktop and whether this is the year get tiring. Only so much can be said. It’s definitely getting closer and for a lot of setups is perfectly serviceable, but for business and ecosystem reasons it doesn’t really matter. What I’m more fascinated by here is: A) the situation on windows is so bad that even the most engaged/supportive people (the type of person who writes for Windows Central) are fed up and trying to move. This is a big deal. Microsoft should notice, if anything just so working on Windows doesn’t become an embarrassing job they have to pay engineers extra to do. But also because wow, they have screwed that product bad over the past 10 years. Imagine if DaringFireball, or Jason Snell, or any 9to5mac contributor was writing “2022 is the year I’m giving up Mac for Windows” B) the comment section is fascinating. I don’t really understand it. I wish I could meet some of these people in real life. There is a real, almost religion-like defense of Windows. I don’t get it. I’ve been a windows fanboy in the past so I get having a slightly irrational appreciation for it, but I can’t imagine ever writing anything like that. I was still playing around with Linux and still playing around with macOS (before it was called that of course) and iPhone and all the other things. I don’t have much insight, but I hope others do. According to the about page, Windows Central is the home for “the most loyal and passionate Microsoft fans” which certainly seems to be true. https://www.windowscentral.com/about https://www.windowscentral.com/about

Genbox 5y ago
"There is a real, almost religion-like defense of Windows." Likewise on Linux and macOS for that matter. Every aspect of IT have fans of varying degrees from "I use it as a tool" to "I can't imagine anyone using anything other than X". Fact of the matter is that people try these things with a very non-scientific mindset, as such they are strongly affected by confirmation-bias. So when they switch OS, they are likely talk about things they feel personally affect them, and there is no way you can disagree with them, because it is their personal perspective.

sowbug 5y ago

In 2016 I vowed to learn to use Ansible to manage my personal Linux desktop's configuration. Almost six years later, I have a consistent, repeatable Ubuntu/Cinnamon desktop configuration that takes five minutes to set up when I get a new machine or want to factory-reset an old one. It was a lot of work in the beginning to figure out how to replicate various GUI desktop settings I'd changed (mostly diffing dconf dump files), and it took a while to get into the habit of applying obscure Server Fault incantations as Ansible tasks instead of directly on my machine. But now I have a complete journal, in the form of git log, of every change I've ever made to my Ubuntu machines since LTS 16.04. So I don't actually have to remember anything about system administration; I just run ansible-playbook. This is a major reason why I've been able to move almost exclusively to Ubuntu since 2016. Exceptions are a weekend playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, and an annual slog through TurboTax. TL;DR: configuration-management software is useful for personal machines, not just enterprise fleets.

midrus 5y ago
Yes, as long as you have tons of free time, and will to invest it in learning these systems tools. For me this would be madness, I want the computer to achieve something, not to spend my days tweaking it.
- sowbug 5y ago
  I hear you. Any given activity could be a chore, a task, a profession, a craft, a hobby, a diversion, a distraction, or a passion. It all depends on how you like spending your time. I love to cook, for example. I do it even though it doesn't taste any better than takeout. If I didn't love cooking, it would be madness to spend an hour preparing something I could pay someone else an extra $5 to make for me.
rubicks 5y ago
That sounds really useful. I'm interested in doing something similar with my own machines. Do you have any source code you can share?
- 5y ago

errantmind 5y ago

I've been using Linux on my laptops and servers for years, but finally switched my desktop computer to Linux a few weeks ago. It was my last computer not running Linux. I had played around with Gentoo years ago but decided on Arch. It has been great. I'm using Suckless software and it is easier than ever with Bakkeby's flexipatch system to try out all the different patches. Admittedly, it isn't for everyone. Most people I know (including devs) don't care to go relatively deep into the bowels of their OS, but I've enjoyed it and now have an extremely responsive setup that I'll use for years. I consider it an investment, it isn't going to spy on me or change out from under me. It feels tailor fitted to me in how it does everything I want it to, but nothing more (or less). I'm tired of the bullshit I've had to deal with on Windows over the years. This time, enough is actually enough. I'm out and not coming back. 2022 is the year of the Linux desktop, for me anyway.

rubicks 5y ago
Suckless Term for the win; it's my terminal emulator of choice when I don't need a scrollable buffer. It's light and fast while supporting all the standard escape codes. If that weren't enough, the source is a minimalist masterpiece.

randomNumber7 5y ago

Still use windows for gaming :( It annoys me so much. Ads at the os level. Once in a while it boots to that screen where it tries to fool me into makeing a microsucks account.

miiiiiike 5y ago

Linux was my primary OS going into 1999. If it weren't for Blizzard games I wouldn't even have Windows installed. With Blizzard dead-ish now Windows will probably go away entirely. If I could debug Safari on iOS and test iOS apps on Linux, macOS could go away too.

noirbot 5y ago
Really? I had most of Battlenet stuff running fine in Wine a few years ago with no major issues. Big games like that seem to generally have great support in the community.

alkonaut 5y ago

Gaming still isn’t ok on desktop Linux. Drivers can be 10% less performant or game-specific drivers arrive a month after the game. That’s enough to need a windows partition. If one means “I can play 90% of games” or “I can play games at 90% the performance” or “I can play games but no recent multiplayer AAA titles” etc. then yes it’s a viable platform. But you need a big bag of ifs. While there is great progress bringing gaming to Linux, it’s more and more looking like it’s going to make the bulk of games better while the biggest titles get even further from parity. Reasons include 1) to play a AAA title you need a specific graphics driver built for the game where nVidia and AMD have made fixes and optimizations for the specific game. On windows this driver is obviously released in tandem with the game 2) An anticheat for a multiplayer FPS these days is a kernel level driver or more and more resembling a root kit. Not only are these not existing on Linux half of the time, the same type of person who prefers Linux usually doesn’t approve of these things being on their systems either. So: gaming on Linux has advanced in the broad middle of games. Lots of titles now play “ok”. But is gaming on Linux really any closer to being a windows replacement if the biggest titles are still completely windows exclusive?

number6 5y ago
AAA titles like Battlefield 2042? Recent AAA titles became so low quality and uninspired that I mostly skip them. The true AAA titles made by indie developers come surprisingly often with Linux support. And there is always Stadia and Geforce Now. Then again, I am not the Hardcore gamer I used to be in the golden days...
- alkonaut 5y ago
  Indeed AAA titles like 2042. And indeed zero people need to switch to Windows for 2042. I still play BF4 and it’s still a great game - but even that 7 year old title is of course impossible (as far as I know) to play on Linux.
  - number6 5y ago
    I loved BF4! It is a great game. I did not try it myself but it is saved to run flawless[0] on Linux, but there is trouble with Origin, which can be fixed, but I guess that's a bit of bending the rules. Assuming you want the version where a non tech savy person can use a Linux desktop. [0]https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=31145 https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iI...

PhilippGille 5y ago

> You could install a distro like Linux Mint that attempts to replicate the look and feel of Windows and help bridge the gap between the two platforms. I wouldn't say that Linux Mint in particular attempts this. It's more the desktop environment that's relevant in this regard, and KDE Plasma is the one that at least looks the most like Windows 10/11. You'll notice less of a difference between Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint with KDE, than between KDE, Cinnamon, XFCE on Linux Mint.

arepublicadoceu 5y ago

> Want to use Microsoft Office? There's Libre Office ready to go. Fan of Adobe Photoshop? GIMP is your new best friend. Theses are such terrible replacements that it’s hard to take his rose colored eye view seriously. No one that works collaborating word documents will use libre office unless you want a never ending: why this look funny on my end? Is it libre office or my collab messed up? Gimp? Krita would be a better choice of software but still not even close to photoshop.

ossusermivami 5y ago

It's weird to feel so away of those issues, I don't do any gaming, my entertainment is usually spent learning esoteric programming languages, or customizing my .emacs or generally customizing my system. I see a lot of back and forth between "switchers" and a lot of it is about "gaming". I am guessing there is a silent majority who don't necessary care about gaming and are happy using linux just because it's (imho) the best system for programmers/tinkerer?

clemailacct1 5y ago

> Using Linux day-to-day with the latest distros is nothing but a joy. Everything just works out of the box. This has not been my experience whatsoever using Linux as my daily driver for the past decade, unfortunately.