this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2025
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This is gonna be an unpopular opinion here but telling people who have used Windows their entire lives to just switch to Linux as if it's that easy is entirely unhelpful and makes the Linux community look elitist and out of touch.
More like the "Tech Wizards" like Linus from LTT have the elitist attitude of being good with Windows means they should automagically be "Tech Wizards" with every other OS. Or the elitist attitude of just expecting the hardware you bought that's Windows compatible should be Linux compatible or it's a failure of Linux. No body does that when switching from Windows to Mac or Mac to Windows. When upgrading to the latest version of Windows and suddenly your hardware is not compatible anymore, nobody says, OMG all of Windows is a failure. It's Microsoft's vendor lock-in strategy that has forced companies to spend their engineering dollars primarily on Windows.
I think people are pretty lucky today, that there is a high probability that their hardware will be supported out of the box with Linux. It never used to be that way. You just bought Linux compatible hardware, just like people bought Windows compatible hardware and Mac compatible hardware. If it wasn't for the BSOD situation in Windows caused by crappy Windows drivers that forced Microsoft to develop and enforce WHQL certification. OEM manufacturers wouldn't have all unified around the same IP's for the components in their machines. This allowed the IP vendor to do the Windows and Linux driver support. With out that, all these Windows users would be stuck with Windows10.
So how about a these "tech wizards" take a bite of humble pie, learn the Linux way of doing things and go to their local LUG and get help, so it is "that easy". So they spend 20 minutes getting setup and learning the ropes instead of assuming they know everything and expecting everything to be done the Windows way. That's what we did, twenty and thirty years ago.
I think I understand your broader point as saying that a switch to Linux being as simple as switching from Coors to Miller is underselling the fact that Linux is a fairly different environment/ecosystem. You’re right on that. But as someone who’s made a switch to Linux (Ubuntu) after a lifetime of other OS use, I have to say that I think it’s worth it, even with the learning curve.
I have been exclusively a Mac user and Apple cultist for at least twenty years now and only knew Windows (3.0-ME) prior to that. I have a few 2011 Intel Macs that I use for work and home exclusively (two of which were hand-me-downs) and have not been receiving updates for awhile now. I’m not in the financial position to buy a new computer and I randomly read that Ubuntu runs great on these old Macs. So I decided to give it a try. It was a bit of work that was bolstered by the fact that I do have a bit more computer know-how than the average person (but nowhere near most of the people I see on the Fediverse). But I’ve come to love it and am now working my way over to this being a permanent change.
I’m only sharing this as an example that even deeply entrenched people can learn to use this stuff. And I was a Mac guy! Apple holds your hands and does so much thinking for you! I’d think with Windows, the switch over to something like Mint would be fairly easy, given the GUI (I specifically chose Ubuntu over Mint because Mint’s GUI is described as “Windows-like” and I personally hate all things Microsoft—which is definitely a “me problem” lol—but I’m probably going to load it onto an older ThinkPad of my wife’s that we want to set up for our son).
I mean... they are out of touch. I'm sure its possible to have a pain free switch over but when I had trouble the advice was interspersed with quite a few caveats. In essence Linux is 'easy to setup but...' Still gonna try again though, also guys that laptop you all said was dying because linux made it crash is still working fine on windows with no sign of trouble.
Life is a long learning experience. Installing (or asking that nerdy relative to install) a Linux distro is no biggie anymore and when picking a good all-around distro like Mint, for example, pretty much anyone who has some basic experience on computers can do it.
I do agree that life is a learning experience, but I might say that you're overestimating what "basic experience on computers" means, and I tend to find that this is fairly typical of people who have more advanced skills because this stuff is basic to us. But we can sometimes lack perspective in that regard.
Basic experience on computers for most people means "can use Office apps, can send emails, can more or less use the internet". Essentially, they can use the computer for their work or for some light entertainment. It certainly doesn't mean that they know how to or that they even can configure the BIOS to boot from a USB, or for that matter what the BIOS is or that it exists. It doesn't mean that they can use the terminal, or use WINE to run their favourite Windows applications or troubleshoot an operating system that is entirely alien to them. I'd even go as far as to say that most people don't even know what an operating system is - to them, Windows is the computer and they don't know or care about anything different. This is the kind of person I'm talking about. Everything you said might as well be Ancient Greek to that person.
Relevant XKCD
I get it. That's why I included the part about "the family tech guy". And I think some sparkle of interest must be had in order to learn about that stuff. Or any stuff, like learning Ancient Greek. One has to be able to use a web search (or write a prompt to an LLM) for "beginner install linux" or some such. If the spark isn't there, maybe buying a new Windows/Mac is the correct way to go.
To a newbie, Windows is just as alien as Linux. If someone has no computer experience, they have to learn Linux, Windows or Mac anyway. May as well get them started with the software that isn't actively trying to invade their privacy and paste ads in their face.
A friend of mine was a console gamer and we convinced him to game on a PC.
We walked him through an Arch install, via the terminal and the wiki for his first build. I think it took 6 hours to get him to the point where he could reboot into a GUI. He broke something within a few days (an incompletely typed chmod -r command). Then we showed him EndevourOS's installer and he was back up and running in about 2 hours.
He knows how to use the Arch wiki, he can enable Steam debugging in order to Google any errors that occur, he isn't scared of the terminal (though he prefers a GUI if possible.
Previously he'd only ever used Windows to run Microsoft Office in a corporate environment. Now he has, on his own, installed a NAS with an ZFS array running Docker, Jellyfin, Sonarr, Radarr, etc. He doesn't even have Windows installed (and would probably have a hard time learning it now)
Most people who are really against Linux are Windows users who have spent years learning Windows and don't want to spend the time to learn something different. Sure, it takes some time, but the skill is well worth the time that it takes to develop.
It’s easier to use than Windows
Just give GUI troubleshooting instead of CLI
LOL, good one!
I especially loved the user friendliness of my distro randomly disconnecting my BT mouse and refusing to reconnect. Had to edit grub to get it back to working order.
Or how I changed the lock screen image through settings. Now I can see it - in Settings. Only. Because if I lock my device, I still see the old one.
Or how on Kubuntu, my previous distro, the applications' menu (the one with "File", "View", "Help", etc.) just disappeared from all apps. Spent two days trying to sort it out and ended up switching to Tuxedo OS.
Such an easy to use OS, especially for those who've never done one bit of troubleshooting themselves!
Spoken like someone who hasn’t had to troubleshoot Windows
Here's the problem with sweeping statements on the Internet like the one you just did - you never know who you're talking to.
You have no clue how hilarious your comment reads from the perspective of someone who's worked in IT for the past 20 years. :D
Here's the difference between Linux and Windows TODAY (that's a CRITICAL point) - the average user gets the OS installed, fires it up and just uses it. If there's a problem, a reboot will fix it 99% of the time. For that 1% there's a bajillion different forums where they'll find help.
Now, Linux? You install it, fire it up, and it runs without issues. Or it doesn't! You use an app, and it works - or it doesn't! You start searching for solutions online and find that the issue you've had has been resolved but on a different distro, things look different on yours and you have no clue how to proceed.
Windows is not a perfect OS, but it's as good as it gets (next to MacOS) in terms of "I'm John, this is my first computer, I just learned how to log in and now I want to have some fun". Linux is FAR from that, still.
Could that be because he's had fewer issues with Windows and hasn't had a need to troubleshoot it?
Windows 11 is a shitty version of Windows, but it's not Windows ME or Vista. It sucks because of the arbitrary CPU and TPM requirements, plus having AI forced into a user's desktop. Not to mention Microsoft is dragging its feet fixing performance issues in Explorer.
It's still very stable on good hardware with stable drivers. Point out the actual shit parts of Windows, not lazy callbacks to the days of Windows 98.
It's actually the opposite. Worked in IT for 20 years, had to troubleshoot every conceivable issue with Windows.
Here's the difference: 90% of the time, once you've installed the OS, it's smooth sailing*. If it's not, reboot, and it will be fine. For the fringe cases, just search online to find help.
This last bit is what kills Linux as "user-friendly OS" - you have one distro, but solutions you find are for five different distros and each one looks and feels slightly differently, so things are in different places.
EDIT:
* I should've added: TODAY. It used to be VERY different, but these days? It's mostly "fire and forget".
2080 ti and 128gb of ram - it is definitely not stable and unlike Linux isn’t ready out of the box
You seem to be confused. We're talking about an "OS for the masses". What you're talking about is so far beyond the "high end for the top tier enthusiasts" that it's not even funny.
Steps to troubleshoot Windows:
See? Here's your problem. You're doing random stuff without understanding what it does or even without a guide. Try that on Linux and tell me how well your OS works. :)
In general, seems like you've been sheltered from Windows for the past, I don't know, 15 years? In terms of reliability and stability, 10 and 11 are on par with MacOS.
Sfc /scannow
Dism something
Are the most common troubleshooting steps and that’s in command prompt
If that doesn’t work then registry
If that doesn’t work reinstall the whole OS
If that doesn’t work just accept that x not working is part of the experience
Looks fairly similar to what you would do on Linux. Change registry to config file (unless you're using Gnome, then it's both). You're right though, on Windows, people don't usually have paragraph long commands to paste into the terminal to fix some issue. Instead, on Windows you have Microsoft support posts where a "Microsoft Community Support" non-employee pastes non-helpful boilerplate tech support copypasta which are somewhat adjacent to the user's issue.
Linux at least gives us useful logging and the software packages have documentation that is accessible without paying for a Microsoft Support contract.
The Linux community support can actually fix your problems without boilerplate copypasta and doesn't cost anything but you'll get the customer service that you pay for.
Mate, don't take it the wrong way, but you're living in a fantasy world if you think an average user has any semblance of idea as to where logs are or how to read them.
LOL, nice one! :D
I've read "just recompile the kernel" together with "just switch to [distro_x]" more times than I can count to... :D
I'm not talking about the average user. I'm talking about how the software is useful to me and other people like me.
The average user needs to be coached on how to double click or to open a PDF. Holding a conversation about any software or technical topic from the point of view of an average user is a fools errand.
Sure, ignorant people exist. If someone posts about a Windows problem they get the same generic advice as well.
The difference is that even given access to an expert, in Windows you're limited in how much information that you can get about the problem. If you're lucky you get an error message that matches an article in a knowledge base which will contain some rote process that allegedly solves the problem. You usually don't get logs and you have no ability to debug (because the source code is proprietary). If that fails you can open a support ticket and hope, eventually, that someone competent can solve your problem.
Given access to an expert in Linux, you can trace the problem down to a specific line of code in a specific library and know the name and email of the person who wrote it.
In both cases, if an average user was involved they'd immediately give up and post on Reddit about how their computer is dumb.
But... Everyone else is?
The OP is about Linux replacing Windows. That means: "Linux for the masses". THAT means: average users having to deal with all the Linux shit.
Correct. Which is why the issues I listed in my comment make Linux impossible for the average user.
THAT is also part of the problem. If I'm a noob but know someone who "works in IT" and "uses Windows", they'll be able to help me.
If I'm a noob but know someone who "works in IT" and "uses Linux", I might get help, but I might be shit out of luck. Maybe my issues is unique to KDE and they use Gnome or Xfce? Maybe I have a problem with my Ubuntu, but they've been sitting on Fedora for the past 20 years?
That's false. And, again, I'm saying this as someone who's worked in IT for the past 20 years - if you have a problem with Windows (nowadays - this is critical), 90% of the time rebooting fixes it.
And sure, a lot of people post about how their computers are shit, because something happened, but the amount of people who can help in the case of Windows is just immeasurably larger than in the case of Linux - because of the massive fragmentation between DEs and distros.
Yes, if you take memes as literal implemented public policy it can seem like a silly thing.
I'm not going to defend the position that every grandmother and office worker should dump Windows for Linux because it's a dumb position.
I'm not sure why you would built an entire argument on top of that premise.
Rebooting Windows doesn't remove the advertisement, data collection, AI integration or TPM requirements... which is driving people to switch to Linux.
Windows never has issues, does it?
Not like that, it doesn't.
I've never heard of someone using bcdedit to change a boot flag, so a Bluetooth adapter will behave.
The lock screen problem I've seen myself a while back. At least in my case, I did not have permissions to the session manager config file, and the gui tool did not account for that. But I think I had to install the tool from the repo. It wasn't part of the base install.
The menu problem could be a Kubuntu or early plasma issue. Either way, not something I've ever seen in Windows.
Hey, thanks for being the voice of reason in this thread!
Windows is, by all means, not a perfect OS. But people claiming that it's "easier to use" for the average user are just detached from reality.