[eitland]

> I'd rather struggle with some Windows warts than reverse engineer my drivers.

I'd guess that any *nix user who reverse engineer their own drivers in 2017 does so because they want to and/or have a job that pays them to do so (most likely handsomely).

For the rest of us at least mainstream Linux distros are almost as easy as Windows if not easier in some cases (until you come to MS Office, AutoCAD etc which is a whole different story, mostly unrelated to drivers IMO.)

[mdekkers]

> For the rest of us at least mainstream Linux distros are almost as easy as Windows if not easier in some cases (until you come to MS Office, AutoCAD etc which is a whole different story, mostly unrelated to drivers IMO.)

I.E. Unless you need to use mainstream business software.

[eitland]

Agree, but even that seems to start thawing up as web based software spreads.

Right now I only miss MS Office and given recent moves from MS it wouldn't surprise if a preview is available within a year.

[Aldo_MX]

> have a job that pays them to do so (most likely handsomely).

Nope, that's just fiction, the awesomely rewarded jobs are boring banking systems written in plain old Windows Forms (or WPF/Angular if you're lucky).

Most jobs would send you with HR to have a serious talk if they found out you lost a week reverse engineering a display link docking station because your multi-monitor setup wouldn't run after installing Fedora in your job laptop.

But that's none of my business. Kids are free to believe in Santa.

> For the rest of us at least mainstream Linux distros are almost as easy as Windows if not easier in some cases.

You usually install Linux because you enjoy working with the terminal, not because it's easy to use, but I certainly understand where do you come from. Ubuntu has done an amazing job to lower the barrier to start using Linux.

[eitland]

> Most jobs would send you with HR to have a serious talk if they found out you lost a week reverse engineering a display link docking station because your multi-monitor setup wouldn't run after installing Fedora in your job laptop.

That would be reasonable, if Linux development isn't your job.

And if you do it for the fun of it I say of course you should do it on your own time.

> But that's none of my business. Kids are free to believe in Santa.

Unnecessary attempt at an insult IMO.

>> For the rest of us at least mainstream Linux distros are almost as easy as Windows if not easier in some cases.

> You usually install Linux because you enjoy working with the terminal, not because it's easy to use, but I certainly understand where do you come from. Ubuntu has done an amazing job to lower the barrier to start using Linux.

Plain wrong IMO: I can interact with a terminal all I want without installing Linux just by running putty. In fact I prefer gui for most things except sysadmin stuff.

[rjtobin]

Just in reply to your first paragraph, there is more than one type of well-paying programming job...