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> This post is screaming out for Linux. Linux is the solution to his dilemma. I'm not sure about that. Ubuntu at least is being slowly turned into adware. Apt

by jwr 4y ago

> This post is screaming out for Linux. Linux is the solution to his dilemma. I'm not sure about that. Ubuntu at least is being slowly turned into adware. Apt already shows advertisements, the snap store is being expanded and promoted — and yes, these are small changes for now, but that's exactly how Windows started changing as well. Change like this happens, as the saying goes "gradually, and then suddenly". Sad fact is that while we accept being treated as "consumers", we will be "consumers" and we will be fed crap that the advertising/marketing team wishes to feed us this week.

AnonCoward42 4y ago
The standards for what constitutes adware are a bit higher than on other OSes, however I also see this as a warning sign and I despise snap. As someone who also vets Linux installs for some relatives I used Ubuntu on these and I regret it a bit. It's nothing you can't fix yet, but it becomes an annoyance. This and the silent introduction of phased updates and some broken updates makes me avoid Ubuntu in the future for sure. My go-to would probably be Debian which I personally use, however something like Silverblue or microOS might also be attractive in the future ... but not yet for casual users. edit: Or maybe vanillaOS, if I ever get over the waste that is a/b partitioning.
- jwr 4y ago
  > The standards for what constitutes adware are a bit higher than on other OSes, however I also see this as a warning sign and I despise snap. I am actually most concerned with advertising in apt. And yes, it's subtle for now, but that's how things begin.
safety1st 4y ago
Suppose someone switches from Windows to Ubuntu, and then Ubuntu goes full adware and becomes awful. Switching from Ubuntu to a different distro will be a hundred times easier than moving away from Windows was - all their software will work, config files for the apps they use will work etc. That's the beauty of GPL, let a thousand distros bloom, yes it's chaotic but no one can ever really force a bad distro down your throat (except your corporate IT department I guess)

by jwr 4y ago

AnonCoward42 4y ago

The standards for what constitutes adware are a bit higher than on other OSes, however I also see this as a warning sign and I despise snap. As someone who also vets Linux installs for some relatives I used Ubuntu on these and I regret it a bit. It's nothing you can't fix yet, but it becomes an annoyance. This and the silent introduction of phased updates and some broken updates makes me avoid Ubuntu in the future for sure. My go-to would probably be Debian which I personally use, however something like Silverblue or microOS might also be attractive in the future ... but not yet for casual users. edit: Or maybe vanillaOS, if I ever get over the waste that is a/b partitioning.

jwr 4y ago
> The standards for what constitutes adware are a bit higher than on other OSes, however I also see this as a warning sign and I despise snap. I am actually most concerned with advertising in apt. And yes, it's subtle for now, but that's how things begin.

safety1st 4y ago

Suppose someone switches from Windows to Ubuntu, and then Ubuntu goes full adware and becomes awful. Switching from Ubuntu to a different distro will be a hundred times easier than moving away from Windows was - all their software will work, config files for the apps they use will work etc. That's the beauty of GPL, let a thousand distros bloom, yes it's chaotic but no one can ever really force a bad distro down your throat (except your corporate IT department I guess)