[mimixco]

I don't think the problem is too many options. This is one of the great benefits of the free market.

The biggest problem with Linux distros, IMHO, is that nobody has really created a packaged install that's simple for users to get running. Ubuntu is ahead of the pack but there are still many issues... creating a USB boot stick, using Ubuntu under Windows, accessing your network with a VPN -- those a just a few I've experienced.

Until a Linux distro gets to the level of packaged, simple installation like users enjoy with Windows and Macs, the operating system won't take off on the desktop. And that's a real shame. We need open source software more than ever.

Perhaps there's room in the market for just one more distro that can solve this!

[flukus]

> Until a Linux distro gets to the level of packaged, simple installation like users enjoy with Windows and Macs, the operating system won't take off on the desktop. And that's a real shame. We need open source software more than ever.

I haven't tried with Windows 10, but Linux installation has been as easy (often easier) as Windows for decades. If you keep it simple and take the whole disk they're about on par, if you want to do anything complicated like dual boot then windows won't even let you. Both have room for improvement on the partitioning UI's. We don't need another distro to solve it because it's a simple as it can get.

But most people don't install windows, it comes with the machine.

As for TFA, I wonder if their concerned about the amount of effort wasted with so many competing phone, laptop and car models.

[jcastro]

> simple for users to get running.

This doesn't matter. Most users don't install operating systems, they just use what comes with their computer.

The real issue for most people is "Why would I use this"?

[mimixco]

That's a very good point.

[dugite-code]

Am I alone in finding the linux install process much simpler than windows? At least windows vista and older were always a pain to install, debian, ubuntu, elementary and solus have all been dead simple to install. Heck even IpFire is so simple it hurts.

Sure you need to make a usb boot stick but there are so many graphical utilities to do just that I've never had to think much about it.

[jschwartzi]

No, I have a much easier time installing Linux on a machine than I do Windows. I recently had to clean install Windows 10 on my laptop and it brought back a lot of painful memories of having to find all the drivers for my particular hardware, store them on a USB stick, and make sure to install them in the proper order with proper restarts in between installs.

In contrast installing Ubuntu just involves popping a USB stick into the same laptop and letting it run for a bit after answering some basic questions.

And don't get me started on how much productivity I've lost to Windows 10 quietly "updating" drivers and breaking my programs in the process.