[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.