[lemoncookiechip]

I'll probably get downvoted for this, if not push-back, but. Linux is great for customization, and freedom of expression, but it's also not so great if you don't like troubleshooting every time you want to use some new software or when something updates and breaks your system.

Obviously not all Distros are the same and some are more reliable than others, but my experience with Linux is just many hours of troubleshooting why XYZ doesn't work out of the box, granted this has gotten better over the years, but I dunno if a non-tech-savvy user would be able to fix these problems (if they occur) without calling me every month.

[999900000999]

Even if your an experienced software engineer, Linux makes somethings impossible.

Want to play some Call of Duty or The Finals, nope anti cheat only works on Windows.

I'd probably tell most people to just buy a Mac if they don't want to play games. I like Linux personally, but I don't find myself using it as a desktop OS unless I want to tinker with something.

I do find Linux great for programming through, no temptation to jump into a game.

[faeriechangling]

What I'm seeing is the most popular Linux distro, ChromeOS/ChromeOS Flex, absolutely demolishing Windows marketshare.

It also has even worse support than Windows.

I think most modern users don't care about their operating system anymore because the browser is the operating system 90% of the time. Which I suppose why it's a shame Windows 10 is seeing end of support because it's really, for 90% of users, just as good as Windows 11.

[ttt3ts]

Windows UI has gotten considerably worse for casual users who just want a web browser. There are so many ads and pop ups in the OS now.

I installed Ubuntu on my grandma's machine after she installed malware on her windows machine. I get less questions because it doesn't update with "features" constantly.

[rootsudo]

You’re conflating UI and UX. People don’t care. There are ads on the internet, why aren’t there ads in the os?

99% of people can’t tell what an ad is. Is a trial software an ad? Is a shortcut on the start menu an ad?

People want a bmw, they don’t care that heated seats are now a subscription service. People use YouTube, they see ads as part of the entertainment.

For majority of people, they don’t know there’s better so they don’t care.

[ttt3ts]

What are you talking about people do notice and care?! e.g. https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/7/23863258/bmw-cancel-heated...

[Barrin92]

>when something updates and breaks your system

I don't think an update on a Ubuntu LTS release in like 15 years has ever broken the system. Don't install arch on your grandmothers laptop.

As for apps, yes there's an uncanney valley to it where mid-level users, like say gamers, will run into more problems on linux, but most people these days live in Chrome. My 60 year old parents happily browse away on linux. It's functionally a chromebook for them. Exactly the use case OP was talking about. Old laptops that they'd have thrown away are snappy again.

[faeriechangling]

Even the Linux games situation is changing a lot. If I can run 90% of games jut fine on Linux, I'm going to be inclined to use Linux and 90% of games on the market, rather than Windows and 100%.

I see new awesome software being released on Linux first every year. Every cool Windows software project I can even name started maybe 10 or 30 years ago. The amount of development dollars going to Android gaming has long since surpassed the dollars going to Windows gaming, and the revenue is already in Android's favour, but there are still more quality games on Windows. That will flip one day and when it does things like Proton will make more and more sense.

For me, Linux feels like the future as flawed as it is, while Windows feels like the past. The only way Microsoft could possibly save Windows at this point would be to open source it and rescind their monopoly to it and adopt the Red Hat business model, and that might not be enough, and I don't see it happening.

[smackeyacky]

I feel like Proton is a weird backwards step for Linux, but in the end it will be a major part of people finishing up with Windows.

[squigz]

Personally, I have more issues with Windows than I do with Linux. Granted, I know how to troubleshoot either OS, but the implication Windows doesn't have issues is... confusing to me.

I am curious when your last experience with Linux was, and with what distro(s)? As you say, the general Linux experience has gotten better over the years, to the point where I think a non-tech-savvy user would have the same issues on Ubuntu as they do on Windows - which is to say issues they'd have on any OS, because they're not savvy :P

> I'll probably get downvoted for this, if not push-back

Nothing wrong with "push-back"; I'd hope you'd be happy to hear opposing views

[tmtvl]

This very week I had major issues with both: on my roommate's W11 laptop all her pictures were deleted after I removed them from her OneDrive because she had gotten a warning that her OD was nearly full (so stupid, why try to sync files from a 1TB SSD to a 5GB OD? It's batshit).

The next day I installed OpenSUSE on my PC and couldn't connect to the internet. Eventually I found out that the problem is that the rndis module is blacklisted and AOSP can't use CDC ethernet*, and I can only connect to my internet by using USB tethering with my smartphone.

* <https://jordemort.dev/blog/why-android-cant-use-cdc-ethernet...>