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I've been using "linux on the desktop" exclusively for the last two decades and it's always curious to me when people complain about having to be a techno wizar
by c22 5y ago
I've been using "linux on the desktop" exclusively for the last two decades and it's always curious to me when people complain about having to be a techno wizard to operate it because for at least the last 10 years I've pretty much had to configure nothing and everything from fancy displays to networked printers has worked without a hitch. I can honestly say that I'm not even sure where I would look to configure or troubleshoot some hardware on my modern linux system because that's just not something I ever have to do.
One thing I did do while I was building that first linux pc, and for every computer I've bought or built since then, was a tiny bit of research on driver compatibility. Just something as simple as typing '<laptop model> linux compatability' into google. Or, if while configuring a new system there is a choice of wifi cards or hard drives or whatever, I just look each one up and check before I buy. It is a minor hassle compared to the on-going benefits I derive from a linux system.
Sure, in a perfect world all manufacturers would produce high quality open source drivers for all systems, but we are just not that well coordinated. It is getting better, though.
- philjohn 5y ago> One thing I did do while I was building that first linux pc, and for every computer I've bought or built since then, was a tiny bit of research on driver compatibility. Just something as simple as typing '<laptop model> linux compatability' into google And that's the reason you don't have problems - you're going for hardware/laptops that are well supported in Linux. Do you expect mom and pop to do the same? Versus buying something off-the-shelf with Windows, or MacOS and it just working, without needing to undertake that step?
- c22 5y agoI dunno, my dad spent 6 months researching his new truck.
- philjohn 5y agoI would guess that truck is a much larger outlay than a laptop? And is your dad a Truck person? He may have enjoyed the research process (heck, I enjoy researching tech purchases).
- trelane 5y agoThey don't put anything on anything. They buy Windows computers for Windows, and Mac computers for Mac. Summary, they would buy Linux computers for Linux. This isn't the 90s, or the 00's anymore.
- brimble 5y agoMy trajectory was ~2000-2011 as a heavy Linux-on-the-desktop user (and Windows, for gaming), but quickly converted to Mac when was issued one at work after that, and that's where I've stayed ever since. I didn't even realize how much time I was wasting and how used I'd gotten to working around shitty, broken stuff, mostly by just avoiding doing things. Once I saw what life was like on the other side, it was a no-brainer to switch. I try Linux again every couple years, and have every time been quickly reminded why I stopped using it (on the desktop, anyway).
- trelane 5y agoDo you put Linux on Windows computers? If so, did you also put Mac on them?
- c22 5y agoLinux was definitely fickle in the early 2000s. It got a lot better over the last ten years. Meanwhile, whenever I have to use Apple products I feel like they've gone backwards in some regards. I used to dual boot windows for games. But now I can play games on Linux too.
- ricardobeat 5y ago> having to be a techno wizard > while I was building that first linux pc > for every computer I've bought or built since then > bit of research on driver compatibility This is pretty self explanatory. Your expectation of what basic computer skills should be is way too high.
- bostik 5y agoI look at that the other way round: the average basic computer skill levels are insufferably low.
- ricardobeat 5y agoHow many car drivers do you think can even recognize the parts under the hood? That's how things should be - these are tools, and most users will be interested in using it to achieve something, not the intricacies of building the tool itself.
- c22 5y agoHow many cars can be reconfigured on the fly to act as a sporty racer, a huge work truck, an ATV, a unicycle, or literally any wheeled vehicle you can imagine? Computers are general purpose tools, the ability to reconfigure them to accomplish different tasks is the core feature that makes them useful. Not being able to pick out software and hardware that work together is like not knowing how to drive. If you can't do this then you are just a passenger. Willfully avoiding learning basic programming concepts is like refusing to learn how to change a flat tire. I guess nowadays if your car is always connected to a cell tower and you have a comfortable income you might be able to drive your whole life without ever needing this skill but they were still teaching us how to do it back when I took driver's ed.
- c22 5y agoI have no expectations, only anecdotes for the intellectually curious. People can obviously do and learn about whatever they like.