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Am I the only one who never promotes Linux?
I’m currently holding an opinion that everyone who can enjoy Linux will eventually try it on their own.
I think, despite what many people say, an average user still has a very rough time using it, and in my opinion you need some level of nerdiness in order to overcome adaptation pains, and such people already use internet in a nerdy way and will try out Linux on their own eventually.
I think this depends. People who need basic computer functions can get on very well with linux.
My classmate in highschool had ubuntu on his home pc as long as I remember, because someone preconfigured it for them and it was mainly a browser - schoolwork machine. He gamed on XBox. There was no hassle, it was fine.
My mom on her run down laptop has mint now, because I configured it for her. I haven’t heard any complaints.
E: Also many hospital here run Linux and it is just fine, and trust me, many of the medical staff are barely tech literate enough to register for email themselves.
Linux is a problem for people who come from windows and need more than basics but are not tech savvy enough to get their hands dirty. Then once your comfort level with tinkering goes up again, Linux is once again not a bad recommendation. It really kind of is the bell curve meme.
Linux is a problem for people who come from windows and need more than basics but are not tech savvy enough to get their hands dirty.
Spot-on. For people with minimal to no computer skills in the first place Linux will serve them well.
The one who well struggle the most ironically are Windows “Power users” and other intermediate/advanced users who don’t have the equivalent skill already in Linux or time/willingness to learn Linux systems.
That’s exactly where I feel I’m at. I’m no tech expert but I’m the guy family calls to help with computer stuff and I know enough to realize I don’t like the direction Windows is going. I’ve gone as far as to install Linux on a single device I use but now I just use that device less cause I can’t be bothered to figure it out when I’ve already got other machines that I’ve got working just the way I like.
Feel like I’ve come to a wall that yeah, I could overcome and climb, but this side of the wall is still livable and I’m not even sure the other side will be much better.
I’ve already given a similar answer somewhere in this thread, but my point is, yes, it works well for advanced users (stack overflow enjoyers) and total beginners (Where do I click to get to Facebook?), while average users are in the middle, and are simultaneously require more features than beginners, but do not have the means to solve them.
The only reason it’s like that is because devices come preinstalled with Windows. I would love if we had the Linux option that makes the device cost less
I don’t either (despite the fact that I use Arch BTW). The average adult in my country is barely able to use their computer for basic tasks (think Word/Excel, basic internet usage). Having all these people on Linux is a nightmare scenario I don’t want to imagine. I would love nothing more than Linux becoming the norm in the not-so-distant future, but the computer literacy in the general population is just too low right now.
It doesn’t seem to be the case with distros like Mint. I even know folks who have Mint but they have no clue about tech or computers at all. As users they can hardly tell difference. And It’s actually easier on them because it doesn’t get all messy as Windows does for non tech folks, so there is almost no maintenance needed. I very much recommended it for granparents and such, so you don’t have to go fixing their Windows PC each visit because they downloaded tons of random danger ware by not understanding what they do.
Yeah, that’s the thing. Two categories of users can properly enjoy Linux (in my opinion):
- Technically advanced users who can figure out a lot on their own
- Technically illiterate users (“Show me where to click to get to Facebook”)
While average users are the ones to suffer. They are technically picky enough to require more advanced features than “click to open Google”, but not nerdy enough to spend hours reading stack overflow to make something they need work.
Most average users will be actively displeased that their settings menu is now different and confusing, office tools have slightly different UI, and some specialized software is missing.
Average user does not spend hours learning GIMP, they blame Linux for not having Photoshop and quit. Sad but true
Honestly, both of those groups would be doing fine using windows, too
I would not actually recommend it to anyone IRL, but on the internet? Sure. You are not happy with the lack of privacy on Windows? I have the solution for you! Also I setup my dad with Mint after Win XP support ran out. He uses nothing but Chrome and Thunderbird anyways. Just taught him how to do updates and he is good to go.
You are not, I even warn others before they decide to try it or someone recommends it
I do both. When someone comes to me regarding their laptop overheating and slowdown issues, I recommend them Linux, right before fixing their Windows. And when someone asks me which one to use, or what to start with, or how to install, I warn them about the difficulties (because one who potentially can use Linux, will ask different questions).
Just wanted to add that i know folks who have no problem using distro like Mint but are extremely non tech. To the point they can’t set up their new TV. In fact it’s safer for them than Windows since they can’t just go clicling yes to all dangerous operations like on Windows.
I thinkbeginner friendly distros are more difficult not for total noobs but for users who are slightly experienced with PCs and want to do medium level operations like installing specific soft outside distro repo .
In that case, it seems to be a good idea to setup a linux installation yourself for the user and not give them sudo (or root password) and then make a service allowing them to use the app store and updating their system without requiring root privileges, but not letting them add a repository.
“I’m having trouble with this game on Linux”
“Just install Windows, nerd. Stupid zealots.”
Goes the other way too. :p
Or get Proton and Let Valve do the rest.
Proton or Valve won’t magically make anti-cheat working on Linux. I do most of my gaming now on Linux, but for specific games I still boot into Windows.
Serious question. I’m planning on switching from windows to some distro, but it will be the first time I’m daily driving Linux. Are there any solid beginner-friendly resources for getting started? I’m familiar with simple bash commands, but that’s about it
Raspberry pi os was built for education, it’s a fork of debain and can run on computers that aren’t raspberry pis. They also have a digital bookshelf with many ebooks that can also be downloaded without the OS as they’ve been released as creative commons.
No thanks i’ll keep complaining that the game does in fact run on linux but the anti cheat has linux support disabled
Ahem rainbow 6 siege
Well, as a Linux user myself, I used to do this kind of thing when I was getting started and was too damn hyped about FOSS and everything. Now, I simply ask people what they want from a computer and how much are they invested into tech.
Do you want things to be as simple as possible? Use Mac or Windows.
Do you want to learn more about how things work under the hood? Use Linux.
Gaming? Use Windows (and yes, although I’m a proud Proton user, some games just won’t work, like Valorant and PUBG).
I haven’t owned a Windows machine in over a decade. If someone wants help, this is my response because I have not kept up with the changes, for lack of any need or desire to do so.
“Can you help me with my computer?”
“If it is running Linux or BSD, or you want it to, sure. If not, I’m not the guy for the job.”
But in reality, you really only recommend it to strangers. If you recommend any piece of tech to someone you know, you iust changed your status to tech support.
Tech support has been my status since I was 12. Honestly, I enjoy being able to explain stuff like this.
Yeah, same, stuff like why is Linux on my computer now, why are ads blocked, where is Chrome, etc - listen, I’m the only tech support you have, you get what you get, and you get FOSS.
Honestly it worked fairly perfectly for me over the decades.
“My Linux computer has problems!”
“Just compile from source”
It failed compiling
“Just make your own OS”
I use Arch by the way
😅 That’s what i thought as well but it also depends on distro and their community. I’ve never got such a support from MS or Google as i did from these non payer dudes who do it in their free time.
It’s all fun and games until you try to use Linux and spend 3 months trying to figure out how to do something like setting up digital 5.1 audio or how to get your graphics drivers to actually work properly
Took you 3 months to type “sudo apt install nvidia”?
And this is why average joes hates Linux and its communities.
Your elitist attitude is off the chart dude.
It’s only natural, really. When you get used to putting the brainpower into learning it as if it were breakfast, you feel frustrated when someone comes around putting a tenth of the effort and acting like the world is weighing on them. Then you tend to forget that most people choose something else to put that effort into, same as they forget that you chose this.
Yeah because the Nvidia drivers work totally fine and have no issues whatsoever
As an IT professional with over two decades of experience I can say this meme is wholly inaccurate.
The first thing you try when you have computer problems is to turn it off and on again.
Then if it’s still broken, install a PDF reader.
You sir/maam/non-binary made me laugh, that was a good joke. Thank you :D
I do use Linux, and I’m usually glad about it, but I wasted an hour last night trying to figure out how to change my microphone port to a subwoofer port, and never did solve the problem. Linux is awesome, but sometimes basic stuff is ridiculously difficult or impossible.
If you’re using pipewire, try XDAJackRetask, I use it for that purpose.
Does the physical port actually have that capability? My motherboard has a lot of audio ports but inputs cannot be outputs and vice versa
Yes, and it’s trivial to retask with the AC97 HD Audio program in Windows, but I couldn’t find an equivalent program for Linux.
This but when people use proprietary apps.
I went back to my Windows partition due to some performance issues with a specific game and it’s pretty frustrating to deal with. Icons on my taskbar I can’t get rid of, os hassling me about signing up for Microsoft products and overall a bit of a less polished experience than my Linux install out of the box.
This is just anecdotal, but if they’re normal users and have a bit of money, advise them to get a mac. If not, they don’t need your help.
I have a friend who hates Microsoft in probably every way possible, yet still uses Windows, because he doesn’t want to use “the nerd OS”.
Linux is for nerds. Apple is for hipsters, posers, and narcissists.
And billionares
*99% of Lemmy
“Freind”?
What?
