3 ms·

I love the Linux desktop, but that doesn't mean I don't see its problems

12 points by CrankyBear 4y ago

em-bee 4y ago
more discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31677671 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31677671
smoldesu 4y ago
Seems like a pretty vapid breakdown. Their entire thesis is this: > Fragmentation has put paid to the dream of this OS ever being bigger than Windows Which seems... off the mark? Linux distros aren't made to replace Windows, they're maintained because it's a breadwinner OS that runs on millions of servers. The desktop portion is an afterthought, a quirk made to appease nerds who reminisce about the days of NeXTStep and graphical shells. I say all of this as someone who uses the Linux desktop on most of my devices and prefer it to Mac and Windows: these are not problems. At least, they can't be "solved" like someone would traditionally think when confronting a problem. Linux is opinionated, it's why both GNOME and KDE exist and both userbases end up working fine separately. These teams use different design philosophies, you can't just tell them to move past their differences and make one, compromise-ridden mess. > But that's not what Linux desktop fans want. They want Windows crushed and bleeding underneath the Linux juggernaut Uh... no? Hell, if Windows died, I'm not sure how I'd play games on Linux. I'm perfectly happy having both OSes living alongside each other as complimentary pieces, and I'd reckon that's what Microsoft would prefer at this point, too. Ironically, both OSes need one another; without Windows, Linux has no mainstream compatibility layer/games, and without Linux, Windows doesn't really have an internet. Or update servers. Or a Microsoft Store CDN. Or a website. The list goes on, you get the picture. I don't understand what articles like this are calling for. Less software? Less options? More hivemind development?
- rektide 4y ago
  The Linux on the Desktop desire has vastly warped us, been a great trick of the devil. We do have some pretty great efforts, that Im thankful for, but competing for the same cup is, as you say, an extremely limiting & small objective. And the desktops fade. The new real challenge is connected experiences, is networking, is being good at cross-device computing. Typically that means "cloud" backed, but the options are open!
  - ungamedplayer 4y ago
    I think its easier simply not to compete, when the desktop does what you need just use it.. and move on with life.
s0rce 4y ago
I'm not your average PC user but for 99% of tasks I've been really happy with Linux on my desktops (mint and ubuntu). My main gripe has been MS Teams is absolute garbage on Linux otherwise everything else works quite well and most mainstream stuff is simply in the browser now..

12 points by CrankyBear 4y ago

more discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31677671 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31677671

Seems like a pretty vapid breakdown. Their entire thesis is this: > Fragmentation has put paid to the dream of this OS ever being bigger than Windows Which seems... off the mark? Linux distros aren't made to replace Windows, they're maintained because it's a breadwinner OS that runs on millions of servers. The desktop portion is an afterthought, a quirk made to appease nerds who reminisce about the days of NeXTStep and graphical shells. I say all of this as someone who uses the Linux desktop on most of my devices and prefer it to Mac and Windows: these are not problems. At least, they can't be "solved" like someone would traditionally think when confronting a problem. Linux is opinionated, it's why both GNOME and KDE exist and both userbases end up working fine separately. These teams use different design philosophies, you can't just tell them to move past their differences and make one, compromise-ridden mess. > But that's not what Linux desktop fans want. They want Windows crushed and bleeding underneath the Linux juggernaut Uh... no? Hell, if Windows died, I'm not sure how I'd play games on Linux. I'm perfectly happy having both OSes living alongside each other as complimentary pieces, and I'd reckon that's what Microsoft would prefer at this point, too. Ironically, both OSes need one another; without Windows, Linux has no mainstream compatibility layer/games, and without Linux, Windows doesn't really have an internet. Or update servers. Or a Microsoft Store CDN. Or a website. The list goes on, you get the picture. I don't understand what articles like this are calling for. Less software? Less options? More hivemind development?

rektide 4y ago
The Linux on the Desktop desire has vastly warped us, been a great trick of the devil. We do have some pretty great efforts, that Im thankful for, but competing for the same cup is, as you say, an extremely limiting & small objective. And the desktops fade. The new real challenge is connected experiences, is networking, is being good at cross-device computing. Typically that means "cloud" backed, but the options are open!
- ungamedplayer 4y ago
  I think its easier simply not to compete, when the desktop does what you need just use it.. and move on with life.

s0rce 4y ago

I'm not your average PC user but for 99% of tasks I've been really happy with Linux on my desktops (mint and ubuntu). My main gripe has been MS Teams is absolute garbage on Linux otherwise everything else works quite well and most mainstream stuff is simply in the browser now..