[wastedhours]

"expected device maintenance" by whom?

Anecdata, but 90% of people I know have never installed Linux (and the few times I've had to try and find recovery discs, going to bet reinstalling Windows is at about the same percentage), and not sure I know anyone who's flashed a new ROM on Android.

I'm genuinely curious as to where this expectation that everyone should be au fait with OS tinkering comes from?

[jchw]

I didn't say everyone, the audience on HN is far from 'everyone.'

[wastedhours]

My everyone could easily encompass the HN audience too - there's this stock assumption (especially if you're a developer or tech inclined) that other techies are always tinkering and optimising. Buying a consumer electronics product and not having to mess around with it should be the standard (with an option to tinker if you so wish), whether you read HN or not.