It is a high bar, but so is "best for most people".

Like i said, its getting better and better, but i dont think its anywhere near close to "best for most".

As for anecdotes, my dad has been using Linux for years professionally, and occasionally needs help fixing something that broke in an update. Ill have to pry Win7 away from my mum at some point.

I think we need to be very careful making these kind of bold claims, as it can end up sounding very silly if it turns out to be untrue. "Year of the linux desktop", "Mission accomplished", etc.

I couldn’t give a Windows computer to my grandparents without it being buried under a pile of catalogs and magazines, maybe used once or twice. That’s anecdotal but I definitely don’t think it’s uncommon.

Thats fair, i shouldn't have brought age into it. Sorry. My partner is mid 30s, and I dont think she would find Linux usable either, its certainly not an age thing. Again, sorry for any offence.

I'm not trying to say that Linux isnt usable, it obviously is for many people (myself included), but for "most people", i dont think it is "Best". Specifically, the tech adverse crowd are not going to have a pleasant time without external support, and they make up a large portion of the population. Its silly though, to try claim a "best". Windows is the clear popularity leader of OSs, but if all other OSs were to disappear except for Windows, it wouldnt take long for the next Linus/Terry Davis to bring out something that suits them better.

Sorry for rambling :)

I 100% agree on Medium though, complete nuisance of a site to use. Content is usually not worth it either.

In my role at a Uni, I teach. I learned early on that every class I offer should have a skills workshop. One of them are basic non-phone skills like copying and pasting. Yes. Our youngest generation of college students in non computer sciences struggles with how to understand file structures and keyboard commands like copy and paste because they've never seen them before. So let's stop making technology usefulness a generational thing. It's exposure and education, which applies to everyone.

When will people stop setting the bar for usability at “can be used be old people”? I’m 53, and I guess that makes me an old person, but I suspect I know more about computers than many so-called digital natives.

It is a bit silly indeed. Unix is actually older than you.

And I'm pretty sure that "digital natives" have much more problems understanding the technical depths of an OS because they've simply never had to deal with them. Instead they prefer the fuzzy feeling that having a megacorporation decide your every need provides.

This is a good question. What will the new bar be once the current "old people" are gone?

Maybe the trope would be people who are too busy to fiddle with settings, like a super busy CEO or something.

My only problem with ChromeOS was installing it on unsupported hardware. Id like to be able to get an old laptop and install it, but it hasnt been possible since I last checked?

I gave a windows 7 netbook to my grandma a few years back. It wasnt super bad, but eventually her eyesight started to ler her down. She upgraded to an android tablet, which is greatly helped.

She was fairly technically proficient though, she used to take the bus to the library just so she could take classes on how to use computers, so she set herself up for success there.

She is still mentally capable, but alas her eyesight is letting her down :(

Interest × practice, not so much age.

A 70 year old who retired and spent 5 years learning all they could about tech, can have much more technical ability than a 25 year old who spent 20 years learning all they could about memes and internet influencers.