[fsflover]

> I don't need certification.

It does not matter what you need. The fact is, 99% of computers (and of course their hardware) receive Windows certification, because it's the monopoly that everyone uses. There is practically no way to change that.

> I can custom build a computer and pretty much not ever be worried about incompatibility with windows.

See above why.

I wish Linux computers were sold in retail shops. I have no idea why they aren't.

[deltaonefour]

>There is practically no way to change that.

This is irrelevant. The morality and ethics behind why something is the way it is doesn't matter. Users including me only want something that works. What I need matters because it's statistically representative about what most users need and therefore representative of what classifies as usability according to most users.

Linux is inferior from a usability perspective, and that is literally my only point. This point is factually true. The politics behind operating systems involve ideological battles that really only very few people care about.

If what you say is true and that this usability issue can't practically be changed then linux will always be doomed to be less usable than windows. This is the consequence formed from your logic.

[fsflover]

> Users including me only want something that works.

In this case I see no reason not to buy preinstalled Linux. Typically, they buy preinstalled Windows, so I do not see any large difference here.

> Linux is inferior from a usability perspective

No, it isn't. Proprietary apps on Linux may be.

> If what you say is true and that this usability issue can't practically be changed then linux will always be doomed to be less usable than windows.

Yes, although this has been slowly changing for years. One can hope that it's not forever.

[deltaonefour]

>In this case I see no reason not to buy preinstalled Linux. Typically, they buy preinstalled Windows, so I do not see any large difference here.

There are power users of computers who are not programmers who don't have a clue how to use linux. There are people who customize their gaming rigs and other hardware who are completely unwilling to deal with errors and issues with the OS.

The customization of a PC is made trivial with Windows. Literally anyone can plug in modules into slots on a motherboard and not have to debug a bunch of issues on windows. This is not so with linux. It is a huge difference. Tons of people love computers who CAN'T program. Just like how tons of people love cars and customizing their car but aren't car mechanics. Think of it this way. A lot of people like to tinker but they want that tinkering experience to be streamlined meaning they don't want to be hitting any unexpected or overly challenging issues.

Either way the streamlined experience is the experience you get when you build with a gaming rig with windows. Such is NOT the experience when you try to do the same with linux. In fact with linux, guaranteed something isn't going to work out on your custom rig without some actual troubleshooting. That's the keyword. People hate troubleshooting, but they love customization. Windows provides customization without troubleshooting, Linux provides both.

[fsflover]

> Literally anyone can plug in modules into slots on a motherboard and not have to debug a bunch of issues on windows. This is not so with linux.

This is so with any OS for which the modules are designed. Of course, if you try to use something in an unentended way, you get into trouble. No news here.

Yes, most things sadly are designed for Windows now, because it's a monopoly. Not a fault of Linux, but it does make it less attractive.

[deltaonefour]

>Yes, most things sadly are designed for Windows now, because it's a monopoly. Not a fault of Linux, but it does make it less attractive.

Yes all hardware is designed for either windows or windows and linux, never both and linux is always an after thought. That is why windows is superior from a usability standpoint.

Yes, it's not the fault of linux. But in the end that's not really what matters.