7 ms·

They can get away with it because Linux for desktop is still not really usable. However, they are indeed pissing off a lot of people.

littlestymaar 3y ago
It is definitely usable (my non tech wife and mom have done so for the past decade and it actually reduced the amount of support I had to provide for their computer in addition to giving a second life to a sluggish 3 years old Windows install that had almost convinced them to buy a new computer. As a result my wife's laptop is turning 12 this spring with just an upgrade to SSD 7 years ago). The real reason why people [1] use Windows is that it comes pre-installed. [1]: individuals, companies have other requirements and are tied to Windows for other reasons
- 8fingerlouie 3y ago
  I have a strong suspicion that the support amount is caused by Windows. I went the same route a decade ago, and upgraded both my parents and in-laws to Macs, and the amount of "pc support" i have to do has dwindled almost to nothing. Granted, most "non-work pc usage" these days is done over a phone, and the support has also shifted to "phone app support", mostly apps that launch "refreshes" that confuses the hell out of the elderly since they apparently rely more on muscle memory than "understanding" what the app does :)
- reacweb 3y ago
  same for my parents since December 2013 (ubuntu gnome, then ubuntu). I have almost no maintenance (always remote as I am far from them).
- aitchnyu 3y ago
  I wanted to convert my mum, who is 10 years retired from an Excel heavy job, she was ok with managing files but hated Libreoffice sheets. What was the cheapest alternative for Excel habituated users?
  - nottorp 3y ago
    She would have said the same about Macs then. If you can't/don't want to change your habits you can't/don't want to change your habits. My father is proud of paying for an antivirus subscription :) But at least he doesn't ask me anything.
  - luyu_wu 3y ago
    Probably WPS or Excel Online!
vitro 3y ago
My relatives would disagree, including some 70+ folks, with Linux@desktop being unusable.
- Lio 3y ago
  Linux desktops definitely are usable but there are still rough edges. e.g. in Gnome when I open a media file with VLC the focus remains on Files app even if the video opened fullscreen over the top. So when I press space to pause I instead open a second preview of the same file in the background. Or I use the Gnome media player and it turns sub-tittles back on every time I use it, despite me previously turning them off. Or the sleep system doesn't suspend to disk after an hour of RAM usage so that my battery is flat when I return latter. Little stuff like that is an unnecessary pain, just for a lack of polish. I persevere with Linux because of all the little things it does better but it's a hard sell to friends and family.
  - littlestymaar 3y ago
    Linux isn't perfect, but neither is Windows and it's actually easier to make people switch than you'd think, because so many things suck really hard with Windows (the update process for instance!) and people are often tired of it. In my experience, the switch is hardest for people who are savy with Windows and who'd need to re-learn everything in order to be as proficient with Linux, but fortunately, Windows changing menus and settings at every release can help making the switch (that was my case, I used to be a Windows XP power user got a little bit pissed off when moving to Windows seven and then transitioned to Linux instead of Windows 8).
    - hyperman1 3y ago
      Seconded. The windows power users are the worst to land in Linux. Most users do just fine on Linux(kde or gnome), or on Mac, assuming someone installed it for them and takes 15 minutes showsing the correct apps. Surprisingly, a lot of them seem to like it better than windows. But the people who know every Windows nook and cranny suffer hardest. They have so much to learn and unlearn, and they have work to do on a system that fights them. They'll be the loudest grumpiest customers in a switch. If they want to give it a chance and do the effort, it seems to take about a month before they reach equal productivity. If they don't want to give a different OS a chance, I rather see them continue running windows. Each their own favorite tool, I guess.
loloquwowndueo 3y ago
If this were true then Macs would be flying of the shelves since they are a viable alternative. In reality most people don’t even know they have a choice.
- toyg 3y ago
  Most people don't have the money to have a choice.

littlestymaar 3y ago

It is definitely usable (my non tech wife and mom have done so for the past decade and it actually reduced the amount of support I had to provide for their computer in addition to giving a second life to a sluggish 3 years old Windows install that had almost convinced them to buy a new computer. As a result my wife's laptop is turning 12 this spring with just an upgrade to SSD 7 years ago). The real reason why people [1] use Windows is that it comes pre-installed. [1]: individuals, companies have other requirements and are tied to Windows for other reasons

8fingerlouie 3y ago
I have a strong suspicion that the support amount is caused by Windows. I went the same route a decade ago, and upgraded both my parents and in-laws to Macs, and the amount of "pc support" i have to do has dwindled almost to nothing. Granted, most "non-work pc usage" these days is done over a phone, and the support has also shifted to "phone app support", mostly apps that launch "refreshes" that confuses the hell out of the elderly since they apparently rely more on muscle memory than "understanding" what the app does :)
reacweb 3y ago
same for my parents since December 2013 (ubuntu gnome, then ubuntu). I have almost no maintenance (always remote as I am far from them).
aitchnyu 3y ago
I wanted to convert my mum, who is 10 years retired from an Excel heavy job, she was ok with managing files but hated Libreoffice sheets. What was the cheapest alternative for Excel habituated users?
- nottorp 3y ago
  She would have said the same about Macs then. If you can't/don't want to change your habits you can't/don't want to change your habits. My father is proud of paying for an antivirus subscription :) But at least he doesn't ask me anything.
- luyu_wu 3y ago
  Probably WPS or Excel Online!

vitro 3y ago

My relatives would disagree, including some 70+ folks, with Linux@desktop being unusable.

Lio 3y ago
Linux desktops definitely are usable but there are still rough edges. e.g. in Gnome when I open a media file with VLC the focus remains on Files app even if the video opened fullscreen over the top. So when I press space to pause I instead open a second preview of the same file in the background. Or I use the Gnome media player and it turns sub-tittles back on every time I use it, despite me previously turning them off. Or the sleep system doesn't suspend to disk after an hour of RAM usage so that my battery is flat when I return latter. Little stuff like that is an unnecessary pain, just for a lack of polish. I persevere with Linux because of all the little things it does better but it's a hard sell to friends and family.
- littlestymaar 3y ago
  Linux isn't perfect, but neither is Windows and it's actually easier to make people switch than you'd think, because so many things suck really hard with Windows (the update process for instance!) and people are often tired of it. In my experience, the switch is hardest for people who are savy with Windows and who'd need to re-learn everything in order to be as proficient with Linux, but fortunately, Windows changing menus and settings at every release can help making the switch (that was my case, I used to be a Windows XP power user got a little bit pissed off when moving to Windows seven and then transitioned to Linux instead of Windows 8).
  - hyperman1 3y ago
    Seconded. The windows power users are the worst to land in Linux. Most users do just fine on Linux(kde or gnome), or on Mac, assuming someone installed it for them and takes 15 minutes showsing the correct apps. Surprisingly, a lot of them seem to like it better than windows. But the people who know every Windows nook and cranny suffer hardest. They have so much to learn and unlearn, and they have work to do on a system that fights them. They'll be the loudest grumpiest customers in a switch. If they want to give it a chance and do the effort, it seems to take about a month before they reach equal productivity. If they don't want to give a different OS a chance, I rather see them continue running windows. Each their own favorite tool, I guess.

loloquwowndueo 3y ago

If this were true then Macs would be flying of the shelves since they are a viable alternative. In reality most people don’t even know they have a choice.

toyg 3y ago
Most people don't have the money to have a choice.