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However, Debian doesn't really warn prospective users about the real-world ramifications of its commitment to free software. It's one thing if the homepage had

However, Debian doesn't really warn prospective users about the real-world ramifications of its commitment to free software. It's one thing if the homepage had a big warning "this is for free software purists and you'll need to do a complex procedure if you want to run non-free firmware - if you're not ready for this, consider an easier distro like Ubuntu", but they don't. Technical people will understand or at least suspect these problems, but a novice user who wants to try Linux (they are non-technical and already don't fully understand the concept of distros - maybe someone once told them "try Debian" and so for them "Linux" is Debian), see a nice "Download" button on the homepage, try it out and then are left disgruntled not just by Debian but Linux in general when the thing doesn't work because their network card requires proprietary firmware, so they go back to Windows, running way more proprietary software than a firmware blob, and as a bonus they now have a negative opinion of "Linux". Having more users use some free software is better than those users giving up just so that some purists' ideological concerns be satisfied.

Karellen 4y ago
You think all Distros that do something different need big warnings on their home page to make sure novices who just want to try "Linux" don't get stuck? Like Guix, or GoboLinux? (OK, GoboLinux says it "redefines the entire filesystem hierarchy" - but it makes it sound like a good thing, not a warning.) You think that if someone tells a novice to "try Guix" or "try GoboLinux", and they get disgruntled with Linux in general that that's Guix's or GoboLinux's fault? Maybe Guix/Gobo should just go back to doing things the same way as everyone else? Or is Debian's problem that it's just too good (too big/too popular/too established) as a distro to have a niche like "being Free"? Maybe it should work on being less user-friendly and shrink the user-base in order to keep doing the Free thing without accidentally getting recommended to newbies and turning them away from "Linux"?
- iudqnolq 4y ago
  > You think all Distros that do something different need big warnings on their home page to make sure novices who just want to try "Linux" don't get stuck? Pretty obviously, they think exactly that. I agree. What's the harm, unless you were planning on deception? More transparency to potential users is always good. Similarly, I try to be open about I'm not very experienced on my open source projects someone could conceivably rely on.

Karellen 4y ago

You think all Distros that do something different need big warnings on their home page to make sure novices who just want to try "Linux" don't get stuck? Like Guix, or GoboLinux? (OK, GoboLinux says it "redefines the entire filesystem hierarchy" - but it makes it sound like a good thing, not a warning.) You think that if someone tells a novice to "try Guix" or "try GoboLinux", and they get disgruntled with Linux in general that that's Guix's or GoboLinux's fault? Maybe Guix/Gobo should just go back to doing things the same way as everyone else? Or is Debian's problem that it's just too good (too big/too popular/too established) as a distro to have a niche like "being Free"? Maybe it should work on being less user-friendly and shrink the user-base in order to keep doing the Free thing without accidentally getting recommended to newbies and turning them away from "Linux"?

iudqnolq 4y ago
> You think all Distros that do something different need big warnings on their home page to make sure novices who just want to try "Linux" don't get stuck? Pretty obviously, they think exactly that. I agree. What's the harm, unless you were planning on deception? More transparency to potential users is always good. Similarly, I try to be open about I'm not very experienced on my open source projects someone could conceivably rely on.