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> Windows 11 could cause one of the biggest environment disasters in recent computer industry history. That would be the case if there was vendor lockdown on t

> Windows 11 could cause one of the biggest environment disasters in recent computer industry history. That would be the case if there was vendor lockdown on the hardware to only ever support Windows. Thankfully, for most people, this isn’t the case and Linux exists.

dist-epoch 3y ago
It's delusional to think that people will move to Linux. Not calling you out specifically, but this common refrain "move to Linux" will not happen on aggregate. Just as it didn't happen until now.
- Silhouette 3y ago
  It happened for some of us. The arrival of Windows 10 coincided with most of the essential business software we need having at least a web-based version if not being entirely online. That was enough to drop Windows after 7 and move to Linux for our next generation. As always the availability and quality of the required software to run on your chosen OS is what really matters. Luckily we're in development where the tools on Linux are easily comparable to and frequently better than the tools on Windows. I doubt people working in some of the other creative industries would say the same though. It's a shame the free and open nature of Linux is also its Achilles heel because it creates a reputation - which is at least partly justified - that trying to sell commercial Linux applications isn't likely to work out. If we look at what happened after Adobe went subscription-only with Creative Suite/Cloud we see that several credible competitors arrived within a few years on Windows and macOS but none of them has been ported to Linux. Even relatively small and fast-moving commercial software companies don't think there are enough potential paying customers on Linux to justify the investment. That's a huge problem for greater adoption because it creates a chicken-and-egg paradox. Maybe a more free and open business model like crowdsourcing could at least cover some of the bigger gaps like graphics software. But if anything some of the recent developments in Linux - like the X/Wayland fragmentation - might be making it a harder target for GUI applications that would have the necessary mass market appeal to shift users in larger numbers and not just attract the techies.
  - dist-epoch 3y ago
    Adobe is on record saying something like "people say to us they want Photoshop on Linux, but when we ask them how much they would pay they say 'what do you mean pay? software is free on Linux'"
- justinclift 3y ago
  Sure, but some people will. For the rest though, they'll either stick with their old computer past the EOL of Win10 or they'll get a different computer. Or maybe install a USB based TPM.

dist-epoch 3y ago

It's delusional to think that people will move to Linux. Not calling you out specifically, but this common refrain "move to Linux" will not happen on aggregate. Just as it didn't happen until now.

Silhouette 3y ago
It happened for some of us. The arrival of Windows 10 coincided with most of the essential business software we need having at least a web-based version if not being entirely online. That was enough to drop Windows after 7 and move to Linux for our next generation. As always the availability and quality of the required software to run on your chosen OS is what really matters. Luckily we're in development where the tools on Linux are easily comparable to and frequently better than the tools on Windows. I doubt people working in some of the other creative industries would say the same though. It's a shame the free and open nature of Linux is also its Achilles heel because it creates a reputation - which is at least partly justified - that trying to sell commercial Linux applications isn't likely to work out. If we look at what happened after Adobe went subscription-only with Creative Suite/Cloud we see that several credible competitors arrived within a few years on Windows and macOS but none of them has been ported to Linux. Even relatively small and fast-moving commercial software companies don't think there are enough potential paying customers on Linux to justify the investment. That's a huge problem for greater adoption because it creates a chicken-and-egg paradox. Maybe a more free and open business model like crowdsourcing could at least cover some of the bigger gaps like graphics software. But if anything some of the recent developments in Linux - like the X/Wayland fragmentation - might be making it a harder target for GUI applications that would have the necessary mass market appeal to shift users in larger numbers and not just attract the techies.
- dist-epoch 3y ago
  Adobe is on record saying something like "people say to us they want Photoshop on Linux, but when we ask them how much they would pay they say 'what do you mean pay? software is free on Linux'"
justinclift 3y ago
Sure, but some people will. For the rest though, they'll either stick with their old computer past the EOL of Win10 or they'll get a different computer. Or maybe install a USB based TPM.