The true year of linux is not any specific year or a userbase percentage but when linux is widely preinstalled on consumer hardware without nerds needing to recommend to people to install it themselves
In my region (India), for a while, there seemed to be plenty of laptops available with Linux installed as an option. Then again in the last few years that seems to have withered down to almost none, sometimes even if the same model is available with Linux in some other regions. I am not sure what changed. Perhaps some deal with Microsoft. The good part is that the fact that they do support Linux elsewhere on the same laptop configuration generally means its easy to get it up and running yourself even if it does not come pre-installed.
In any case, as an old-timer, it’s very impressive to me how much hardware Linux supports nowadays without any drama at all. Not to mention all the progress made in software especially in supporting Windows-only games, which is truly magical work by the Wine / Proton teams. As far as I am concerned the “Year of Linux Desktop” is here already since I can use it daily without missing absolutely anything at all from Windows.
That was the same in Brazil, where I live. This scared the beejesus out of Microsoft, so they created special, cheaper version for developing countries to counter it.
The only thing I see holding people back is software availability. If it could run adobe and games natively I don’t see why anyone would want to pay for windows.
Software is definitely at the top of the list in terms of reasons. But the UX/UI definitely leaves something to be desired. I sigh heavily every time an application asks me to edit a text-based config file instead of giving me a GUI. It’s an unnecessary, error-prone process and most importantly I have better things to do than read yet another page of documentation. That doesn’t mean I want the config file to go away, it’s still very useful for a variety of reasons. But I shouldn’t have to mess around with it just to remap keys or other common tasks. Editing a config file should be a last resort for an end user.
You see similar problems when relying on the terminal. I don’t like this idea of the end user being allowed to mess around without a safety net or some sort of guidance.
tbh everytime i use a non linux OS im baffled by the lack of software availability… its basically a desert when it comes to good software, but of course if you want proprietary garbage you have all the choices XD
i love how the whole population is apparently a graphic designer XD not a dig on you but i always find hilarious this argument from non-professionals like " i need PHOTOSHOp to edit my grandmas pictures!"
I think it’s more about trying to change particular industries. If all of Adobes software was available for Linux in a supported and stable versions, you could see changes in the OS used in lots of design and creativity industries, which again would change what OS people use at home.
Also I think the force of being open source and spread over so many distros, is also a weakness in terms of getting the mainstream user to use it. My dad will call me or ask his friend about how you do this and that in Windows, but if our OS per default looks different from what others are using, he will not be able to get the same kind of help from his near community, and will have to rely on a more technical kind of support.
And things have to work out of the box. If I hear “You CAN get it to work” - I won’t use it. I need things to just work, I don’t have time to (nor interrest in) spending a night mingeling with config files to have simple things do the things they’re supposed to.
True, but Apple has already pivoted to being the “privacy-friendly” OS/devices.
i mean… for idiots… anybody with any knowledge in the fields knows its bullshit. So im not sure how is that a point… people are too stupid for their own good? yeah we knew that already
about the second part i think you just have no idea what you are talking about linux is capitalist as fuck sadly and its corporate as it gets.
Steam Deck is the first taste I get of Linux. I’ve always had this fear of not being able to fully utilize a Linux OS due to my lack of skills in coding, but I find myself looking into it more ever since I got a Steam Deck. It may just be the right excuse I need to git gud in coding.
Edit: Thanks for the clarification and encouragement guys. I’m going to make it a mission to move to Linux ASAP since it feels like Windows has been really pushing the limits of privacy these days.
You don’t gotta know how to code to use Linux. Maybe some basic skills in scripting will be useful as a tool but other than that it’s more about learning how the system is laid out and where to go to do things. Just becoming familiar with doing things in a Linux environment
you don’t have to know coding to enjoy Linux! it’s got a reputation of being techie-oriented thanks to users of Arch Linux (a very techie distribution of Linux) dominating the Linux community, but there are plenty of distributions for everyday users, like Zorin OS and Elementary
Honestly whatever Linux Distro takes over will almost certainly be an Android or ChormeOS style bastardization where you can certainly see the lineage but it’s so locked down and so far removed from the userland and tooling we expect that the whole point of “year of the Linux desktop” is lost
Yes and no. MacOS is basically the year of the Unix desktop for a while now and it’s still powerful and user friendly. Just fire up a terminal and it’s Unix. The benefit they have is hardware control so stuff just works and no driver hardware issues etc…
1-16 of over 1,000 results for “android laptop computer”
There is something of a blurry line between the two these days.
I get the “Android software isn’t desktop software” argument, but then, I can also fire up up emacs in Termux on my Android phone, so that’s kind of blurry too.
The true year of linux is not any specific year or a userbase percentage but when linux is widely preinstalled on consumer hardware without nerds needing to recommend to people to install it themselves
The steamdeck is the first step to that future
In my region (India), for a while, there seemed to be plenty of laptops available with Linux installed as an option. Then again in the last few years that seems to have withered down to almost none, sometimes even if the same model is available with Linux in some other regions. I am not sure what changed. Perhaps some deal with Microsoft. The good part is that the fact that they do support Linux elsewhere on the same laptop configuration generally means its easy to get it up and running yourself even if it does not come pre-installed.
In any case, as an old-timer, it’s very impressive to me how much hardware Linux supports nowadays without any drama at all. Not to mention all the progress made in software especially in supporting Windows-only games, which is truly magical work by the Wine / Proton teams. As far as I am concerned the “Year of Linux Desktop” is here already since I can use it daily without missing absolutely anything at all from Windows.
That was the same in Brazil, where I live. This scared the beejesus out of Microsoft, so they created special, cheaper version for developing countries to counter it.
Honestly seeing the performance of the steam deck right now I’d probably buy a steam machine if a modern one came out
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The only thing I see holding people back is software availability. If it could run adobe and games natively I don’t see why anyone would want to pay for windows.
Software is definitely at the top of the list in terms of reasons. But the UX/UI definitely leaves something to be desired. I sigh heavily every time an application asks me to edit a text-based config file instead of giving me a GUI. It’s an unnecessary, error-prone process and most importantly I have better things to do than read yet another page of documentation. That doesn’t mean I want the config file to go away, it’s still very useful for a variety of reasons. But I shouldn’t have to mess around with it just to remap keys or other common tasks. Editing a config file should be a last resort for an end user.
You see similar problems when relying on the terminal. I don’t like this idea of the end user being allowed to mess around without a safety net or some sort of guidance.
Right. I guess it doesn’t help that I haven’t used mint since it came out or when they switched to cinnamon.
tbh everytime i use a non linux OS im baffled by the lack of software availability… its basically a desert when it comes to good software, but of course if you want proprietary garbage you have all the choices XD
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i love how the whole population is apparently a graphic designer XD not a dig on you but i always find hilarious this argument from non-professionals like " i need PHOTOSHOp to edit my grandmas pictures!"
Tbf I am a graphic designer haha.
I think it’s more about trying to change particular industries. If all of Adobes software was available for Linux in a supported and stable versions, you could see changes in the OS used in lots of design and creativity industries, which again would change what OS people use at home.
Also I think the force of being open source and spread over so many distros, is also a weakness in terms of getting the mainstream user to use it. My dad will call me or ask his friend about how you do this and that in Windows, but if our OS per default looks different from what others are using, he will not be able to get the same kind of help from his near community, and will have to rely on a more technical kind of support.
And things have to work out of the box. If I hear “You CAN get it to work” - I won’t use it. I need things to just work, I don’t have time to (nor interrest in) spending a night mingeling with config files to have simple things do the things they’re supposed to.
doesnt spy on you, its a nice feature
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i mean… for idiots… anybody with any knowledge in the fields knows its bullshit. So im not sure how is that a point… people are too stupid for their own good? yeah we knew that already
about the second part i think you just have no idea what you are talking about linux is capitalist as fuck sadly and its corporate as it gets.
@stappern @BaumGeist Care to elaborate on the latter statement ?
https://project.linuxfoundation.org/hubfs/Reports/2021_LF_Annual_Report_010222.pdf?hsLang=en
just look at the board of directors XD
Steam Deck is the first taste I get of Linux. I’ve always had this fear of not being able to fully utilize a Linux OS due to my lack of skills in coding, but I find myself looking into it more ever since I got a Steam Deck. It may just be the right excuse I need to git gud in coding.
Edit: Thanks for the clarification and encouragement guys. I’m going to make it a mission to move to Linux ASAP since it feels like Windows has been really pushing the limits of privacy these days.
You don’t gotta know how to code to use Linux. Maybe some basic skills in scripting will be useful as a tool but other than that it’s more about learning how the system is laid out and where to go to do things. Just becoming familiar with doing things in a Linux environment
you don’t have to know coding to enjoy Linux! it’s got a reputation of being techie-oriented thanks to users of Arch Linux (a very techie distribution of Linux) dominating the Linux community, but there are plenty of distributions for everyday users, like Zorin OS and Elementary
You don’t need coding, don’t worry. :) It’s useful to start learning the Linux command line however.
Ba-dum-tss
So… About 2010? When Android phones became widespread.
That’s not a desktop.
Some would say desktops are not really consumer hardware anymore. Unfortunately. Sent from my useless black rectangle.
Androis uses linux, but that does not make it a Desktop Linux. It’s not invalid, just out of scope to this metric. It’s pretty simple.
Honestly whatever Linux Distro takes over will almost certainly be an Android or ChormeOS style bastardization where you can certainly see the lineage but it’s so locked down and so far removed from the userland and tooling we expect that the whole point of “year of the Linux desktop” is lost
Yes and no. MacOS is basically the year of the Unix desktop for a while now and it’s still powerful and user friendly. Just fire up a terminal and it’s Unix. The benefit they have is hardware control so stuff just works and no driver hardware issues etc…
I agree. Linux is great when one has the time but not the money.
However for a system that just works - MacOS is one of the best bsd distros of all time esp on arm.
Sadly MacOS also comes with the downfalls of a closed and proprietary ecosystem.
@const_void
Have you used Linux lately? It really doesn’t take any more time than anything else.
@FunkyClown
I’m not arguing this part at all, I agree with you.
I remember Dell had an option back in 2013 on the XPS laptops…
I bought one in 2022.
https://www.amazon.com/android-laptop-computer/s?k=android+laptop+computer
There is something of a blurry line between the two these days.
I get the “Android software isn’t desktop software” argument, but then, I can also fire up up emacs in Termux on my Android phone, so that’s kind of blurry too.
android is not linux for all the reasons that really matter.