this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I mean imo everything about Windows is terrible. But I don't think you're going to win (lol) anyone over with debates, at least no one who doesn't already complain about Windows. I think the main reasons people use Windows are:
Ubiquity will have a hard time changing as long as Microsoft continues to bastardize their own products for the sake of B2B relationships. Familiarity is a chance of history so that's kinda up to you to get your kids into what you like. Barrier to entry is a systemic issue with the Linux and FOSS communities at large and I genuinely don't see this changing anytime soon (and I'm not just speaking culturally although that's an issue too). And gaming, well we all know the Linux gaming community has been slowly but steadily growing for a while now, cue the steamdeck enjoyers
For a lot of normal people linux just doesnt offer any advantages they care about. If you tell them it can do everything windows can do, the question "so why should i go through the effort of switching" remains. There'd have to be something they really want, that they can't get from windows.
Though average users use mobile devices instead of desktops more and more, so I can see windows becoming mostly a thing that people use at work.
Ya it's hard to sell it to someone when the conversation is basically "well if you spend several hours learning all of these tools then you can get it working the way your windows box works... Kinda"
Yeah I experienced it this week personally. I'm like, 'Let's give Linux a shot!' So I throw on Elementary OS, dive in, and spend a good hour jazzing things up. Boom, I've got my regular Windows apps running no problem, and I'm patting myself on the back. Fast forward: I'm all set to do my Windows routine on Elementary, but guess what's missing? My fancy Microsoft work tools, my go-to online games, and oh, all those cool accessories I collected that just won't work. Time to wave the white flag and head back to Windows town, I guess
I love Linux, but I do generally consider it a special-purpose OS. Servers, embedded stuff, etc, I will always go with some flavour of Linux.
But for a daily driver I do struggle imagining using anything other than Windows. Like sure, I could probably get all my games and CAD software working in a Linux OS. But I can easily grab Win10 LTSB and have everything just work. I have to make a living from my machine, and ultimately I just need it to work.
If I was doing just web and office work, then it would be no harder really, but I've finally accepted that not everything should be a project!
Well, not really. I couldn't get anything other than FreeCAD/LibreCAD to work on Linux. Blender is supposed to work but it gave me nothing but issues.
Maybe that's very subjective but I find that thought very hyperbolic. Windows generally is pretty good and for example have some nice features like complete system reset while preserving your files. Windows has some issues but so does Linux.
I only use Linux on my gaming+work laptop because I enjoy the freedom and I feel Windows is overly intricate and more and more "commercial" but Linux has its rough edges.