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Ubuntu is growing faster on Windows 11 than on native Linux PCs, says Canonical (www.windowslatest.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 20 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Funnily enough, Microsoft built WSL so developers could use Linux without leaving Windows. Instead, it turned a growing number of Windows PCs into functional Linux development machines, with Windows serving as little more than the launcher.

Does this suggest that more Ubuntu users are developers than typical non-technical people (or that they're about to be)? We need to pump up those numbers on average peoples' computers

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  • [–] 18 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

    My guess is not just traditional developers, but anyone doing any amount of coding, like data scientists, business analysts, etc.

    Especially if they're using AI, those tools work better on Linux, or as is the case most places, wsl2 inside Windows.

    I believe Windows is kept because of the Office tools. However, Windows needs 12 layers of security tools that constantly get in your way, so the path of least resistance is to just stay in your wsl2 sandbox.

    The knee jerk reaction to this from enterprise IT is often to restrict access to WSL. This solves the problem, but creates disgruntled users who will continue to try and work around it.

    What they should consider, in my opinion, is giving these people real Linux workstations that can be enrolled in group policies, SSO, and all that good stuff. Commercial vendors of Linux will support these use cases.

    Some places roll out Macs, which work almost as well, but the hardware is more expensive. Hardware and commercial software support may be better, though, I don't know.

    I think either is a superior alternative to Windows.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

    Unfortunately most people are intimidated and wary of Linux because "some of my programs might not work"

    Average people aren't going to learn a new system because the whole "devil you know" thing.

    Simply, the majority of people would rather stick with MS than install a new OS.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 weeks ago

    If containers, VMs, and dual-boot are banned in the workspace I kinda feel the fear of things not work is legit. When I'm forced to code on a Windows computer without WSL at university's Programming course in electrical engineering department. Everything I'm used to, bash, cat, cd, ls, nvim, sed, grep, ..., simply don't exist. And I end up find it easier to code in the small text box of the site they provide than any of the slow, non-Vim mode, IDEs.

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  • [–] 0 points 2 weeks ago* (1 child)

    Firstly, I use linux for self hosting, and have a love-hate relationship for any other purpose. I've been trying to make the full transition since about 2009(?) and always end up back on the spyware-riddled Microswamp ad-delivery system.

    I'm going to get downvoted for saying this, but if Linux could make hardware tasks as easy as Microsoft, namely printing, Windows would be a thing of the past.

    I could put Mint on my 72 y.o.mom's computer and she probably wouldn't notice the difference until she had to do something dealing with hardware (connect a camera, or god forbid, print something). inb4 just use cups - My mom doesn't gasf about dependencies, chown, and chasing terminal errors for 6 hours to print an agenda for the ladies' church meeting and then have it break itself the next day. This is why it fails. Linux purists who don't care that people don't have time for CLI will disagree, and that is precisely what keeps things in the current state.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Obviously I don't know your setup, but Linux is far easier for printing in most cases. The drivers are built in, and just work. No third party driver packages full of spyware and ink ads necessary.

    Hardware support, in general, has always been a struggle for Linux, but in the last few years, two things have happened to tip the scale:

    1. Technology kinda stopped advancing. Products are, more often then not, a rehash of last years model with no major changes. This means if Linux gets support for last year's device, it'll probably work with this years with minor to no changes.
    2. Growing Linux popularity has increased the profile enough that companies are at least trying a little to support Linux, even if it is mostly just making sure Linux developers have documentation on the device.
    3. And secret number 3, the tools and systems for reverse engineering USB devices have gotten better and more understood.
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  • [–] 1 point 2 weeks ago

    on average peoples' computers

    Average people don't have self-administered computers anymore.

    People have work laptops administered by their work IT departments, or they have phones and tablets running iOS/Android. Some children have school-administered Chromebooks, and may never own a normal laptop running a traditional desktop OS.

    The main people operating self-administered traditional computers are PC gamers (a dying breed during the current price crisis), freelance/independent workers in the fields who still benefit from a mouse and keyboard for productive work and aren't provided a computer by an employer, and tech nerds.

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