I don't think it's the boomers holding us back. It's the lack of better alternatives to the junk systems we have today. We will see institutions switching from commercial crap to open source copies of that commercial crap. As if we're still living in the paper world. The users are just the victims.

Computer scientists maybe. But real scientists know the meaning of the word average. And that out of, say, 1000 users, possibly only one is average.

I guess it's hard to know the ratio of GUI to CLI users on Linux these days. Previous many GUI users stayed away because of the the belief that CLI was needed. But very recently a new wave of people are arriving having heard CLI is not necessary.

I don't work in IT. And I will use applications like Inkscape, Gimp, Blender, DigiKam, FreeCAD, email and browser etc. So CLI doesn't do anything that I need. All these apps benefit from full screen use. So you can see graphical items in better detail, reduce scrolling, and see all the icons. So tiling windows are not much help. Its important to launch and switch apps quickly. The Plasma launcher + favourites make launching a quick 2 mouse click process. And the mouse is used for productive operation of the desktop.

I'm lazy too. But my push-button espresso machine takes coffee beans instead of landfill. And has no paper filter. Only coffee grounds to go in the bio degradable waste.

Sure, a case for pods, is a seldom used machine in an unmanned hotel room. But that is better solved with sachets of instant coffee and a kettle. In someone's home, show visitors what a polluting jerk you are.

Pod coffee machines are a businesses dream. Lock in the customers. And then don't care about the plastic and foil waste per cup you create in order to do this. No surprise if they do other bad things. Visiting friends and they show you their pod machine? Ask them what happens with the used pod? Do them a favour and tell them there is a better way. Such as coffee machines that you put beans in. No not Heinz baked beans you moron! Coffee beans that produce only bio degradable waste. And freshly ground tastes great. No chemicals added.

Wasting your internet is trivial compared to the landfill waste created.

This is partly down to human nature. Some people make it easy for newbies and listen to them. And others get off on talking down to people. For them, a newbie is a great target. Worse if that newbie is not there to learn to be an IT pro. Just wants to use Linux as a user.

For example, just ask for a GUI solution to a problem, and you will see some CLI pros rush to answer. Even though they have no clue about the relevant GUI nor about usability. Thank them and say you really are looking for the GUI solution, and you will sometimes get a diatribe about that Linux is all about the power of the CLI, and it goes on to get quite tedious and gatekeepery. For some, the rejection is a trigger.

If you are an IT pro, you might not encounter this if you don't specifically ask for the GUI way. And maybe come to believe the community is all wonderful.

There is basically nothing for people's information today. The digital landscape is a disaster.

Lots of people require basic level functionality. Often one or more lists with a few columns and some adding up. Spreadsheets designed for serious users are not very good at that. As you need data integrated into other things not separated in another application. More than 1 list is a pain as you can't move them freely as cell sizes must line up so they mess the other one up. They can't be overlapped or separated easily. Most users are not finance wizards. But the world of open standards is so screwed up that there is no decent way to handle information. Silos are to be avoided too. So it's hard to find an alternative to suffering using the wrong tool. Microsoft doesn't care about users. And open source is focussed on the IT side and not on users.

Yes. I'm sure that will be the way they go in the end. But businesses want to do it as cheap as possible. Make a quick buck for the lowest possible costs as usual. On roofs is a little more complex. Legislation is probably needed.

But many Linux DEs are made to be similar to Windows anyway. They are serving generally the same purpose of supporting the file/app world. It's about time we moved on to a more streamlined user friendly world. But people's lack of imagination holds us back.

"I went into the shop and said 'do you sell pervert glasses? I wanna buy some pervert glasses'. So I bought a pair. And I was wearing ma pervies, and walking down the street. But they didn't work! Everything looks the same. All the people.. no different! Still dressed. I mean. What are they supposed to do? Bloody waste of money!"

Yes Ubuntu is a solid distro, except if you are a hater. Gnome is not suitable for me as a mouse user. Keyboard users like it though. So I use Kubuntu, as it has the Plasma desktop. Which works really well.