Why don't more people use desktop Linux? I have a theory you might not like
"There might be a very simple explanation for why the masses have yet to adopt Linux as their desktop operating system and it's one the open-source community won't like"
https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-dont-more-people-u...
Two main points:
no one unified distro to keep things simple (thread OP)
VS
people don't care. Someone else needs to advocate, sell, migrate, and support (medium term) Linux (whichever distro they want) for the intermediate term (few months at least) - thread response).
I think a lot of the 97% desktop market share is like this, instead of the hands on 2-3%.
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44 comments
You don't need a unified version, you need easily accessible linux hardware (desktop, laptop, phone, etc.). People do not give a swimming fuck about which OS they're using. Whatever's on their hardware will become their main OS.
https://puri.smhttps://slimbook.eshttps://system76.com/https://tuxedocomputers.com , they are all doing a good job of leading the charge and trying to occupy most segments, but what they lack is still QA, ease of use, and most importantly marketing and support from the linux community. They need to dump huge amounts of money into marketing (which they probably don't have) and the linux community should altogether stop buying bullshit pseudo-supported linux laptops from Dell, Lenovo, and HP.
There are linux shops out there. Stop giving your money to other companies and wishing on linux dominance. It's nonsensical.
People do not give a swimming fuck about which OS they're using
Yep. I was an outlier and used to care. Now as long as it does what I want I really can't give a shit. Due to the fact that it doesn't come standard on many machines it's an extra annoyance to set up. And you'd better do your homework to make sure what you bought is supported.
I have a whole life and a bunch of hobbies that are more interesting to me than religiously following which hardware might work, constantly tweaking flags, and running things in wine. It's a fine hobby for those that love it but I don't anymore. And most people never do.
Yep, if it looks slick, works, and comes standard, people will use it. Just like cars for me: I just want to use it, not understand how it works in order to use it.
Exactly my feelings. I understand, at a basic level, how both cars and computers work. I fix motorcycles as a hobby. I work in system reliability as a profession. I don't have the inclination to tinker on cars or computers in my spare time. I want to turn it on, press the pedal, and vroom vroom off into the night.
You don't need to learn Linux to use it.
Just download any mainstream distro and it will be fine!
Just download any mainstream distro and it will be fine!
That is already a step too far. If it doesn't come pre-installed, the majority will not use nor know how to install it. I bet a bunch of people don't even know what an OS is. If you replaced windows with some riced KDE desktop on the majority of user's computers, most would think it's an update and would go on with their lives.
I can see a future where it is not permitted to install only one OS. Either you have a micro os that lets you download a full one or you have to decide the OS before getting the pc. The idea of hardware default coming with a proprietary os is just crap imo.
I think it'll be a long time before that's true for the layperson. I also think that it'll be an even longer time before that's true for the hobbiest. But I do agree it's coming and that it's crap. I think it'll be like game consoles (or like Mac is now) where you pick your flavor, buy your system, and it'll take a team of dedicated crackers to get us access to our own stuff.
I'm not sure I understand you correctly. Pushing a certain OS (or browser, or anything for profit) is absolutely unacceptable. We want a pc, not a "windows pc" by default. The OS market is pretty much a monopoly up to this point and presumably for the last 5-10 years, MS has only made this much profit because it was forced on consumers.