Sometimes people like to complain about windows and iOS

My employer keeps saying I can't do this

Then complain about it

They literally pointed out that a lot of the people saying this kind of stuff may genuinely be unskilled when it comes to computers in general.

Why is it "trying nothing" when the other option to get up to speed enough to use Linux is to basically be taking some college-level courses on the side of their every day life just to be able to use their device appropriately?

For people who aren't tech savvy at all, "Ain't nobody got the time for that!" is a completely fucking reasonable response to being told they need to go learn a bunch of shit about some subject they could give a rats ass about.

It's like telling someone who has a law degree and works 50 hours a week at a law firm that if they want more control over their car they need to take some courses on automotive repair so they don't have to deal with an annoying repair shop. As above, ain't nobody got the time for that!

Literally every Linux nerd seems to forget that this is specialized knowledge that not everyone has dumped skill points into.

I hear you, but in a lot of these cases the people with complaints are not competent. Anyone who has worked helpdesk or adjacent has seen boatloads of 'em. Imagine I'm an oldie or fool or even grew up without electrical power and I barely know how a computer works. I don't really want to work with them and I think turning the monitor on and off is a reboot. Windows is horrible with all this bloat and AI and so much confusing shit but usability-wise it makes some sense I guess. I could do with a change but I can't do anything confusing or outside of my limited range. I'm probably not installing a good distro. I am not partitioning a drive. I am not creating a bootable USB. What do I do?

The only option here is to have them go out on a limb and buy a machine online pre-installed with Linux or have someone else set it up, right?

You can empathise without being self righteous about it.

Oh, that sucks. I haven't had that problem, as I don't use windows.

You could be a Mac user, you might use Linux. Who knows. You're still making them aware there are other options.but often when people tell you to ditch windows for Linux, they are suggesting a huge migration for a small problem. The issue with windows is the hundreds of small problems and the privacy.

Hail

A danish heritage moment.

Allow me to interject for a moment to talk about our holy father Richard Stallman...

I'm genuinely shocked out often windows drivers have issues. Fuck you HP your services are not worth the money but you got upper management hooked.

I still remember all the time I sunk trying to remove candy crush soda saga from the enterprise windows 10 image I cloned to all office computers back when I worked IT. That shit was basically a part of the core OS.

I did in fact get fired shortly after rebuilding all the on prem servers to be linux and introducing Linux mini-PCs which could be used to rdp into windows cloud pcs.

That was the last time I had to work as a windows admin so it was great to get fired and move onto full time Linux work.

Literally read the post and just decided to ignore the two examples huh?

If you recognize there's a problem, and the problem disturbs you, and you CAN fix it, why not fix it?

Because if the fix for any particular problem is to learn a new OS, that's a steep cost for things that can just be minor annoyances. If you're in Lemmy, chances are you're comfortable with nerdy shit, and not everyone is.

On top of that, Linux has its own quirks, so it's not a panacea. There's no easy way for me to change scroll speed on a track pad in fedora/gnome, for example.

But using Linux is not a solution, that is the whole point of the post. Why can't you read?

I CAN NOT install a different OS on my work computer because I do not manage them and NONE of our company software works on Linux.

I'd get more use out of it if I just smash my computer with a brick than if I switched the OS to Linux.

Oh look, I found someone who didn't read the post

Boss told me I couldn't use EndeavourOS because "it doesn't work with M$ InTune".

That's technically not true, it will work but with the caveat that Intune will show the device as non-compliant for the OS itself. If the OS version isn't included in any of the applied policies then it shouldn't matter.

Whereas Windows is the clap.

You're absolutely not wrong.

But I'm still gonna clap.

More like the "if you use STILL use windows don't removed about it because weve all been there and are over it" community. Like i dont know what it is with windows users that you all wanna have your obesity support group and complain about your problems to everyone but then get pissed off when people say exercise and eat less. Thats not even a good example because theres plenty of reasons beyond a persons control why they might be obese. But i bet even the people with thyroid issues get annoyed when the guy who eats ten cheeseburgers says "my knees hurt all the time and nothing helps"

For real tho

Your comment also made me realise just how many posts I have seen complaining about non-linux users not using Linux, but how few I have seen complaining about using windows or w/e. Was the same on reddit and the same here now.

Found the windows user

I learned more in 3 years of using Linux than I did in 20 of using windows about how pcs work

Ill shame you all because most of you come off as complete pricks about it. Its very rarely presented as an answer, and more of a boast. Like using linux makes you a big brain, and using windows makes you a dumb dumb. Theres a hostility in the exchange. An implied superiority, or in some cases, and outright stated superiority.

See also, people who say "Just buy a Toyota" whenever anyone complains about their car. Because no one ever had any issues with a Toyota in the history of the brand...

If it’s not for work, I’m sorry but use Linux or stop removed.

You really think anyone is listening to you anymore after saying that?

This but without the /s

Imagine using Linux and it isn't Hannah Montana Linux.

I can't even.

Yeah, if you want me to hear your endless removed, you at least need to invite me for drinks (or potluck, if you don't drink) sometimes. Even then, I might just offer some advice every once in a while. A little bit of tough love is sometimes necessary.

I'm an American worker. removed is pretty much the only benefit we get.

You sound like someone who needs more Linux in their life. Nothing else in life gives me more to complain about.

It's not a solution for most people.

I can removed about win11 all i want. The only machine that runs it in our house is a laptop i've debloated and have to keep my hand I professionally as i support it for my job. "Use linux" is not a fucking solution here

There is more value in complaining than there is in giving dumb "solutions".

Dumb "solutions" don't solve anything ever.

Complaining at least can lead to GOOD solutions.

Sure, they're just venting, but I just wanna talk about Linux all day. I'll listen to their problems, treat them with respect and understanding, but you better believe I will also squeeze in a little special interest sauce on my side of the conversation sandwich.

It's not about the nail!

There's a good ted talk for that: https://youtu.be/lg48Bi9DA54

What if someone who's never heard of Linux reads the thread and misses an opportunity to hear about Linux?

This is a false equivalence. OP's post is saying that nobody, ever, should try to suggest Linux as an alternative to the problems- ethical, moral, or technical, with windows.

And your stance is 'Well that seems about right, because there might be a post or two out of dozens or even hundreds that's slightly mean."

My man, that has nothing to do with anything.

OP's post is basically saying "I want the internet to be all about me. I don't like seeing people suggest Linux, it should go away, I don't want to hear about it, and everyone should do as I say." and that's not a stance that should ever be supported.

You say 'are you giving people the same level of understanding you expect to receive from others' and it goes both ways. Guess what, I don't want to hear about people whining about how much Windows sucks ass for the hundred thousandth time when there are easy, better alternatives that they refuse to use. I'm not sitting here asking to be the main character of the internet though and demanding nobody ever talk about Windows problems ever again because 'they know what Windows is' or some nonsense like he is.

Like, I get the stance you're trying to come from here, and it's a laudable one, but you're falling for the old trick of 'well, different views from mine can be valid! We should consider them equally!'

And that's true... up to the point where that view is trying to quash other views. That's the only view you can't consider- is a view that attempts to eliminate other views. Paradox of tolerance (or contract of tolerance) in action. Used for a far sillier thing that usual, granted.

and before anyone says, yes I know it's just a silly Linux post but I see this kind of behavior everywhere and I'm tired of it. It isn't exclusive to silly Linux posts, it's a general mindset that seems to bleed into everything.

The reaction to "I'm not your fucking therapist" being "Do you believe there is truly not a single valid reason to use windows whatsoever" is just as absurd IMO (though some of these threads show that, yeah, some people think that).

The scenario described by OP is they're just complaining about something about Windows/iOS/whatever just to vent and these people come in thinking they're being helpful by mentioning an alternative. I've come to find that there's 2 (relevant) personality types; people who complain because it's cathartic, and people who complain because they want their problem solved. Linux users are overwhelmingly the latter. So, from their perspective, they see someone who is complaining yet expects people to just sit there and listen, hence the "I'm not your therapist" comment.

I don't think any of that is new, except for maybe the OS part. As a kid I remember seeing a bunch of interactions like this and it's always been much more a personality than a culture thing.

True. I can say for certain that the community is the biggest dealbreaker for Linux for me.

I just don't want to be even associated with some of these mouth breathers, let alone call me one of them.

Do you believe there is truly not a single valid reason to use windows whatsoever?

Yes.

You're not a victim for using windows, you're a consumer. "I cant stop using windows because i have stockholm syndrome don't blame me" is like the most unhinged take ive heard so far and is super disrespectful to anyone whos actually been a victim of just about anything.

These are decent points, but if you would use Linux you would not have these problems! You would have different problems, but somehow blame others, like why didn't make X decent drivers for Linux, or why am I still forced to use Teams...

My takeaway from point 1 is to rephrase my advice as a complaint:

"Man, it sucks you have that problem with Windows. I've been struggling with a computer problem of my own actually. I've been getting really down down thinking about all the Windows users out there who just have no clue about how the power of Linux could change their lives for the better"

Its not the nail

More like "stop suggesting things that we do not have control over"

It is like suggesting switching to a parallel dimension just because you don't like the color of your shoes.

More like 50%

If people want to vent they should preface their rambling. Please most of us are on the autism spectrum.

Yeah, the original post gives a false dichotomy. It's possible to sincerely let someone vent about Windows/iOS and also suggest Linux tactfully.

Responding "use Linux noob" on every post isn't helpful. But chatting with a coworker and hearing them out, then sharing about your own experience ("yeah, I finally got so fed up I tried Linux. Turns out it was super easy and I'm glad I switched!") is helpful and adding something.

Just lead by example. Use Linux silently right in front of them, in public even. Make lingering eye contact as necessary.

Yeah, suggesting Linux to every computer problem makes users want to stay away from it.

Very good marketing, no wonder the year of Linux is around the corner.

There are a fair few troubleshooting things I've seen where I could have smugly pointed out a clever way Windows avoids the same problem or an easy way it provides to solve it, so it doesn't even always need the lol at the end. It's just an annoying thing to see when you're already annoyed at a disobedient computer, unless learning the technical details would be an interesting distraction, so should be saved for when you know your audience and know it's interesting.

"Install this bloated spyware in exchange for a little bit of convenience" is like 80% of modern tech and I don't know how people are just ok with that

Complaining about how you think other people shouldn't be allowed to complain is wild. Yes, actually we are all entitled to complain from time to time. And we should, it's good for us to vent. I hope you are able to break away from that horrible mindset, you should feel allowed to complain.