I don't think Linux will e... okay, probably ever, be a replacement for Windows or MacOS. Linux is Linux no matter how you dress it up. The first time a non-crazy person has to decompress and unpack a .tar.gz to install a program that usually comes in a .msi they're done. Forget about the fact that they'll be running down dependencies and the programs themselves don't usually work as good. What is the benefit they get for all that time and frustration? Then one day their keyboard will randomly stop working or they wont be able to get connected to the internet because of an update.
Smart people do dumb things sometimes. Trying to get the general public to use Linux is a perfect example. It's not even Linux under the hood. It is Linux.
> The first time a non-crazy person has to decompress and unpack a .tar.gz to install a program that usually comes in a .msi they're done.
Can we put this myth to bed yet? I use Linux full-time at home and on my laptop and I can't remember the last time I had to do this. Hey, I only see a command line because I can do stuff much faster there, not because I need to (I live in a command line on my Mac at work, too).
Between installing software, editing configuration files as sudo in vim, partitioning drives, mounting drives, copying files to a directory where you need sudo, etc. any user on a Linux system will spend plenty of time at the command line.
We should do a test and see if it really is a "myth". Get 10 normal users to install 10 programs not already in the repositories and see how well that goes. Just the other day I had to unzip a .tar.xz from the command line.
The point is, normal users will rarely/never need an application not in the repos. And installing something from a repo is simpler than installing something on Windows.
Sigh, well maybe we could have a real discussion about this if you would admit that you're wrong and stop downvoting every single one of my comments.
You're wrong twice in your first sentence. Normal users need to be able to install software and generally use their computer otherwise you're pushing a curated experience with zero third party support. But also, no, what I said IS the point. It's Linux. Its not magically not Linux no matter how many times you downvote my comments.
I'll check back in a year so you can explain why this flavor of Linux didn't sway a single user away from Windows or MacOS.
Linux in the form of Chrome OS seems to be capturing a lot of market share lately. Likewise Linux is also by no small margin what runs of most people's mobile phones or tablets. And the remaining ones run a fruity flavor of BSD. So most of what users is using is already unix and most of that is in fact Linux. MS is of course still pushing their own kernel but they seem to be insisting on that less when it comes to servers and all but gave up on mobile.
The problem with 'traditional' linux distributions is not Linux the kernel but the notion of window managers and other stuff that just isn't very good or user friendly. With Chrome OS, basically Google decided to cherry pick Linux for stuff that they could use/savage and scrap/replace the rest. Given how successful they are with that approach, I'm very confident in predicting that KDE vs. Gnome is never going to end in a victory for either. At least not in the form of world dominance. If anything, I see a lot of techies using alternative, lighter weight window managers. Even the target audience is opting out of using either.
Elementary OS looks like straightforward rip off of OS/X before they dropped the whole aqua look. That is to say a bit dated, not very original, and not that impressive or tempting to me.
Fair enough but this is definitely not the first project to try and make Linux easy. Without significant internal and third party resources it's still just Linux and you will still run into Linux problems, of which there are many.
When was the last time you used a Linux distro? I haven't unzipped and tarred a file to compile a program in a long time. Everything you need to get on something like Ubuntu you can get from a GUI.
I honestly see very little about your argument that is constructive, and in fact "It's not even Linux under the hood. It is Linux." makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Right now I'm using several different distros on a fairly regular basis (all debian based but I'd like to do an Arch Linux build just to learn more). I still have to open the command line constantly, even on Ubuntu. Just the other day I had to do a .tar.xz manually.
Which makes no sense, because there are distributions that have packages. In other words, it's not what I'd call a massive effort - it's already been done.
But even then there are endless issues with drivers. Like research your chipset, find a repository on github, and then clone and build it yourself kind of issues.
Trust me, I like the idea and would love getting past our two party system. But Linux will never be easy.
You are stretching now. There probably are some chipsets that have issues, but most drivers are built into the Linux kernel. There are always going to be issues with drivers, but this is not across the board.
Your argument is that Linux cannot be easy, not that there isn't any issues.
Anyway, I'm cool if you don't want to use it and if you want to maintain your worldview, but you haven't presented me any real arguments or evidence to back this worldview.
I'm stretching? So all printers, scanners, wifi cards, webcams, wireless headphones, fancy keyboards, etc. just work out of the box in your experience with Linux? I was literally installing a third party driver that had to be manually made while I was tapping my last measage to you.
For the I guess third or fourth time I use Linux regularly. I'm not telling you Linux is hard because I want it to be hard. God knows I wish it wasn't so hard. I'm simply stating my observations as a user of multiple distros over several years.
In Linux you always end up in the command line. The Linux community is hostile to newbies. CLI programs are inconsistent, constantly changing, and often obtuse which means if you want to use Linux you will need to learn it.
Ubuntu did a great job making Linux easy, relatively speaking. If they hadn't cancelled Ubuntu Touch I'd be tapping to you on that right now. But even in Ubuntu you will not get far without the command line. Say you want to setup a VPN in Ubuntu. There's a good chance you're going to be doing some non-easy work in the command line vs Windows or MacOS where it's just point and click.
I have to wonder why you insist on pretending that Linux is easy. Windows is easy. That's why its popular. Linux is difficult. That's why it doesn't appeal to people who want a computer that "just works".
In my opinion the way to make Linux easy is to do the hard work of documenting and integrating all of the open source software that makes Linux great. It's not glamarous but seriously, someoene needs to do it, lol.
Smart people do dumb things sometimes. Trying to get the general public to use Linux is a perfect example. It's not even Linux under the hood. It is Linux.