What are the main challenges in Linux adoption for New users, and how can it be addressed?

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#1 is just not being the default for 99% of devices. If someone gets a new computer, why would they go through the effort of installing a new os when the one it comes with works fine? Hell, I bet at least 50% of people in the market for a pc don't even know what an OS is.
- Agreed. Android and chrome os are used happily by 10s of millions without any idea it's a Linux distro
  
  I bet if small, cheap netbooks came out running mint or fedora or something people wouldn't even or know or care that it was Linux.
  
  In middle school I had a USB drive with Linux Mint installed on it which I was using on school PCs. We only used those PCs for internet browsing and office. Not a single soul noticed it wasn't Windows. Teacher only noticed 2 differences, "You have different version of Office installed here." and also gave me a note for "Changing wallpaper" which was strictly prohibited for some reason.
  
  which was strictly prohibited
  It was probably due to some goober like me changing it to Scarlett Johansson's bikini pics. I'm sorry.
  
  So.. the Steamdeck?
  
  Absolutely. In fact i think everyone is hoping steam os will be the distro to make the big push onto desktop because of the gaming and another just works kind of interface
  
  ...the steamdeck isn't a netbook.
  
  Indeed, many Netbooks come with a firmware dual boot. Besides the crappy Windows lite edition, there's a tiny instant-on Linux too. Most people don't use that, but it's there.
  
  Indeed, many Netbooks come with a firmware dual boot. Besides the crappy Windows lite edition, there's a tiny instant-on Linux too. Most people don't use that, but it's there.
  
  Which actually means Linux is being successfully adopted by the general public in a similar way to windows as a general use system that doesn't require a lot of technical knowledge.
  Fully customizable distress will never be popular with the general public. They want systems that just do the general stuff and have it work automatically.
- Of course they know what an OS is. There's only two of them: Apple and Microsoft.
- I bet at least 50% of people in the market for a pc don't even know what an OS is.
  70%*
- my first thought actually pointed to common OS on work devices, being Windows i’d assume a majority of the time, i’d imagine a large portion of the older population were introduced to computers in a workplace setting. But your answer makes a bit more sense.

380 comments