this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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“Nobody cares” is how Linux will eventually win on the desktop. It becomes viable for most people when they no longer “need” whatever they were using before. As Linux is free, it will win when it becomes “good enough”.
Office use dominates desktop use everywhere in the world at this point. So, nothing in India sounds unique per se. In wealthier countries, Windows can be purchased because it does not cost that much and so it just makes sense to reduce risk and go with the flow. Compared to India, there is a reduced incentive to ask if Windows is needed.
In the USA in particular, there is a wealthy creative class that props up the macOS numbers. MacOS having 25% share in the US is an anomaly driven by software development, media production, and lifestyle. Economically, this is more of a hardware choice than an OS decision. The prevalence of Mac laptops drives these numbers.
Outside of office use, the next biggest category is gaming. Again, if money is no object and you are buying the latest NVDIA kit, Windows still has an advantage. This is changing though.
The Linux gaming tech stack is rapidly improving and NVIDIA specific issues are finally being addressed. I see the next 24 months as pivotal. Linux gaming is likely to be the vector that drives Linux adoption in the first world. That will be sticky adoption. Developers will follow. In the US, this will create enough exposure to push Linux to the mainstream. If Linux becomes mainstream in the US, the barrier to adoption drops all over the world. See first paragraph.
The largest barrier is the fact that the end user is expected to install the OS themselves. Having an OS work 100% of the time right out of the box with a default install is impossible. Windows and OSX have a huge advantage by being installed on the factory floor. The manufacturer guarantees that the drivers work for the hardware they decide to install and that the default applications on the OS work as they should.
Linux needs an equivalent to Microsoft or Apple that can put Linux on shelves at WalMart for average people that buy $600 desktops.
Microsoft spent millions of dollars and clout to lock their OEM out of offering Linux on the desktop. There's a good reason why you don't see Linux PCs on the shelves of Walmart.
I meant it quite literally. Another multi-billion dollar company needs to be willing and able to spend the same level of resources and time. Wal-Mart or Costco itself would have to be willing to produce their own hardware.
Yeah, I fully realize it's never going to happen. It's a hypothetical to illustrate just how high of a hurdle it is. It won't happen organically, there needs to be a strong driving force with the financial backing that rivals that of the competition.
Is it really so hard to find Linux computers in the US?
That's mindblowing for me, in Brazil it is super easy.
For example, these two below are two of the major retailers in the country, one is online only and the other one has brick and mortar stores all over:
https://www.submarino.com.br/busca/notebook-linux
https://www.casasbahia.com.br/notebook-linux/b
They are targeted for middle class to poor people so you won't find any great hardware but still.
You can see brands like Lenovo, Vaio (Sony), Acer, Dell, Asus, Compaq and Positivo (last one is a Brazilian brand), coming with pre-installed linux distros, Ubuntu, Debian and some other distros that idk. You can really find those irl stores not just online.
You can find desktops too: https://m.magazineluiza.com.br/busca/computador+desktop+linux/