Everytime Microsoft blunders, which is a lot and it is reported, it never fails that there will be numerous individuals proclaiming their switch to Linux. But I always feel like a lot of it is just simply clout, a pat-on-the-back feeling for deciding against the masses kind of feel.
And it always makes me beg to really see how those kind of people fare if they actually did switch and use Linux on a daily basis.
I’ll take anyone seriously if they actually switch and sometimes actually talk to me about how their Linux experience is going. Because more times than not, I always assume it’s some dual-boot user who could sneak their way back to Windows time to time and barely use Linux.
And I’ll see the statistics of the OS marketshare budge…slightly, for Linux. I’m proud that Linux at all that it is gaining more usage than it has before than where it had been 15+ years ago and earlier.
I could not give two shits what the reasons are and with which frequency someone uses Linux vs Windows say. If you use it you use it: welcome and enjoy your stay.
The community won’t grow meaningfully with gatekeeping and elitist behaviour.
I’m more bothered by keyboard warriors intent on gatekeeping.
Wish I could give you an award
A small act of rebellion can be revolutionary to the lives it changes.
no. and why does it matter to you so much? If someone wants to say they switched to linux then awesome, have at it, good job, have fun and all that. but then you roll in with “ok…how are you using it? show me!” who cares? you’re literally gate keeping an operating system.
you don’t have to commit to a damn operating system, it’s a tool. If I had a Brand A hammer and it really sucked I’d swap it for a Brand B hammer that was suggested to me. Now if Brand A suddenly started producing a better hammer and admitted their previous hammer was garbage then I would consider going back to Brand A.
If Microsoft came out tomorrow and said “you know what? we were wrong. We were wrong about AI, we were wrong about 11, we’re going to provide you with a better OS” I would consider going back to it. I’d at the very least try it. Or if someone came out with something brand new that wasn’t Linux or MacOS or Windows and it was a better tool than all of them I’d switch to that.
The point is I’m not going to lose sleep over someone wanting to switch and then not, why do I care? I got more stuff to worry about than some random stranger on the internet not using a specific OS. What DOES bother me more are people replying to comments where someone is having issues with Windows and says “just use linux” that isn’t helping anyone and you come off as a basement dwelling asshole that’s waiting on their chicken nuggies to finish heating in the microwave.
Nope - if there are swathes who say they want to switch to Linux but ‘don’t commit’, that just reveals there is a real gap where Linux needs to be easier for people to install and use on a daily basis.
Most people don’t want to be a mechanic, they just want a car
I use Linux because it works for me, does what I want (and doesn’t do what I don’t want) most of the time. For me, it works much nicer than Windows or MacOs.
What works for you, is your thing. I don’t care. That is I’m happy for you if you got an OS that works for you, and if it doesn’t, I’ll be happy to help if I can, but if you want to stay with Windows that’s fine with me. Linux has its own problems, which are different from Windows. Depending on your needs, I can understand why one would choose one over the other, for both choises.
Personally I don’t like people who give unasked opinions regarding which OS I should use. (Unasked being key there).
Does it bother me if people shout about that they are changing to Linux while they don’t? Not at all. Does it bother me if people shout that I should change to Linux? Yes.
Why should it bother me? It’s not like I have Linux corporation stock. I’m just a longtime happy user.
people performatively declaring they are going to Linux doesn’t bother me at all. its good press, builds its reputation. people try new things for deep reasons sometimes, but also for casual curiosity and fashion following, and that’s ok.
Here’s my analogy:
I’ve been in the culinary industry 37+ years and a lot of famous chefs have come and gone, a lot have been very disparaged by regular chefs in the industry.
But here’s the thing: those famous chefs promote your industry, which in turn offers you more opportunities. They should be embraced, and not shit on.
Anyone who shows an interest, even if it’s only ‘fashionable’ because MS fucked up again, should be given the benefit of the doubt and assisted (if that’s your thing) or encouraged to break away from the kings of enshitification.
Switching to Linux, if the person is actually switching, can be seen as a rebellious action against the corporate, capitalist dystopia we’re already in.
I consider this a good thing.
No.
People who say “I’m switching to linux” are like people who threaten to leave the country if [fill in the blank] is elected. I pay attention more to people who say “I switched to linux” or “I left the country”. Or those who revert the decision later.
To me it reads like “I’m going to move abroad if x wins the elections.”
Actions speak louder than words, but even then I don’t really care what you do in your personal life. Wake me if you need help or have something useful to share.
It was for me about ten years ago, but because of that brief dalliance, when Microsoft really finally started running toward this particular cliff last year, I was already familiar enough with Linux to be comfortable diving in completely; I don’t have a single Windows install in my house anymore. So it’s not always for nothing.
I mean I did not post anything about switching but have commented multiple times. Fact is I should have switched awhile back as I already knew it had gotten to the point it could do everything I needed it to. Windows 11 was the tipping point. I could no longer delay and it was already a massive pain to block the telemetry and such especially since updates would regularly reactivate things…
Even if they don’t end up fully switching it doesn’t matter. Some might switch, some might try dual booting. But saying they are going to switch is free press and may convince more people to try it so that’s still a win.
It’s free press if they post it in the windows/mac sub, not the linux sub.
