We need better PR, for linux and a massive amount more of available content that isn’t borderline un-catering as a lot of it can be.
Having people on the autistic spectrum explain why and how to use linux is not ideal for most scenarios concerning regular people. This is not an attack on autism, i personally prefer autists as they can be so much more less annoying than actual people in many cases. It’s just a way of saying, that such people may need some help in relaying what they know and how.
Regular folk, need some of those powers that people on the autistic spectrum naturally have and vice versa, so its a win-win for both parties involved.
You can do it, but it has compromises when trying to play high res video, desktop UI lag, etc.
I’ve got a Pi4 and PI400 and imho it is “almost” there to be properly usable without those compromises.
You could do it in a pinch now but it isn’t a great experience; and unless its a pretty great experience people will be less inclined to enjoy it.
It has the potential to be a great experience for these things with just a little bit more power. That’s when the PI will help really accelerate linux uptake imho.
More importantly, for kids, I think things like RetroPi, Pihole, etc. will be the gateway drug. The “oh that’s cool” thing that gets them playing with linux hardware, and then realising that (assuming the desktop UI performance above is better) it can actually be a competent desktop on the same cheap hardware.
Cheap hardware that works well that doesn’t run windows is the thing that will tip people over. If it runs windows well there’s no incentive to run linux on it for most people.
As a lifelong windows user ('95), I can relate to much of what you’re talking about. My main PC will remain win until I can run Skyrim with 20 gigs of mods without issue. I already use libre office and other open source programs. Gaming’s the sticking point.
I’m hoping the Steam deck get the ball rolling for modded gaming support on Linux.
Oh… A bit tricky, something might break but most should work I think?
Now see, now you’re just having unrealistic expectations here!
On a more serious note, I get what you mean, big 3D game with lots of mods makes for the worst companions, the only comforting thought is that Windows probably break these things quite a lot as well.
You still need to pay for windows, and in my experience some games actually run better under linux+proton than native.
Windows client OS will die eventually, as will the server platform.
Why? Because it costs money to maintain, costs a lot of money to license, and Linux is gradually getting better and is portable to any hardware.
Over 60% of workload in azure runs Linux, all the VR platforms other than HoloLens are based on open source platforms, all the NAS/SAN/network devices, etc.
Eventually, Microsoft will just offer the Windows Subsystem for Linux the other way around. A Windows compatibility layer for Linux.
Until Linux regularly comes on big box store PCs (e.g. Dell, HP, Acer) I don’t think it will start getting traction with the vast majority of users, simply because Windows is already on the machine.
I bet if a PC from the box store came with PopOS, Manjaro, or whatever a good portion wouldn’t change away from that either if it works.
Sys76 can do that but they still cant mass produce as much as they want. Also marketing. You want lots and lots of marketing budget. Like superbowl kinds of budget or something.
The biggest thing that would encorage users to switch to linux… work on fixing anything that makes you start a sentance or include in the sentance “open up the terminal/console/commandline and…”
Then you need to work on having to look up how-to’s for basic things, especially installing games.
If you manage the two above items then you are a long way towards getting linux be a viable option.
install a fresh version of windows with a microsoft account allowing all options.
install wireshark.
set it to scan the ethernet and leave it be for 20 mins.
after that do a couple of searches from your taskbar and end the capture.
then look at the pcap and show the owner how much data has been sent to microsoft.
I should clarify here.
You think copying and pasting the commands from a website into the console is easy, most general users are intimidated by it, and users like me think it should be completely optional, not the standard.
Edit:
Further to that, finding up to date instructions is very hit and miss, what is so hard about having a file you double click on, select where you want it installed, and have it automated doing the same things copying and pasting the commands into the console would do?
It is much more natural in the modern day to do that.
Android does it (APK’s)
Windows does it (MSI, Exe, etc.)
Apple does it (cant remember the file extension for this one)
Well… I won’t expect flawless performance from any OS. But I do expect to be able to “just run games”, which is my main reason for sticking to Windows.
I get that Steam gets things working better and better, but for me that’s the minority of what I use. And as long as DRM keeps me from playing the games I (and my wife!) play, I don’t switch over.
I know that installation and maintenance of pretty much every mainstream distro/Windows isn’t a problem (anymore…), which is great for the majority of non-gamers.
But anywhere where the programs (games or otherwise) dictate compatibility, it doesn’t matter what your preference is… You go for which works best. For me that’s still Windows
Yeah, sure, as a user you should never, ever need to touch the command line.
BUT, here is the thing… Anyone using mods in games is past “average user” mode. These people will EASILY jump through hoop after hoop just to get those “N00d sKinZ” to work. For those people, who will gladly accept editing .ini files, plopping down texture packs in a complex file structure or going into Regedit and flipping a few obscure changes, using the terminal is not an unreasonable request to make.
Now, is there a gap between “Just run games” on Linux and “Just run games” on Windows? Sure. But it’s not really nearly as large as you think. It’s just that you are blind to the hoops you jump through on the Windows side, since you’ve done that since forever.
Bottom line, if you want “Just works”, go buy an XBox, Switch, or Playstation. Building a custom gaming rig is never going to be “Just works”, though it can come pretty close.
Very true!
I love planning and building my system. And take quite some effort to make it all nice when I put it together.
And I will go into editors and such to fix things.
But my main problem is; most of the time I can’t be bothered to jump through hoops, but just want to start a game and play.
As long as DRM is an issue, I can’t do that.
And I can’t (and don’t) expect my wife to jump through the same hoops when she wants to play something.
I don’t want to micromanage her installing a game when she feels like it. Or her having to wait till I fix things before she can play. And that’s not an issue on Windows; she can just log in, install and go.
I would like describe to you how normies sees the terminal:
Its actually magic. And not just any magic, but the most forbidden dark sorcery.
See, the blackness of the terminal is the great black void of the abyss. The commands that you type are the words that you utter into the void.
What terrifies normies is that when Linux warlocks types their commands or rather utters their invocations, the demon from beyond the blackness of the terminal, answers in white arcane runes that flashes quickly on the screen.
Its terrifying to the normies that you know what those sigils actually mean. Because you, the Linux Wizard, been chosen by an owl at an early age and the normies too old for Hogwarts and just want to print their document.
Copy and pasting from the terminal is like dealing with the devil. You utter an invocation and offer a bit of your time as payment and poof. Some things happen. And at the end, you get what you want if things get right. Sometimes you try to twist the devil’s hand because you are in a warding circle and that you’re in command and type “DO AS I SAY”.
This is not perfect and I am not claiming it is, but this series shows it is not super bad either. Many titles do indeed “Just work”, but the success rate is around 60-70%.
True, but do you have to play DRM titles? If you know your elbow is going to break by twisting it a certain way, do you have to twist it that way? Not saying it isn’t a problem or that your argument do not hold merit, just that it’s like claiming an entire city is unlivable because there was one block that happened to be overrun by a mexican drug cartel. Yes, it’s a big problem; it doesn’t make everything else worthless.
As a counter example, I for one have had a great time with Cities: Skylines on Linux, and that has worked out of the box as a native title. Same with Stardew Valley and a bunch of other native titles. As for proton titles, the Tales Of series works flawlessly for me, some titles are hit-and-miss like the original KotOR and Soul Calibur VI, while some other titles are not working at all. Some were fixed by simply checking a box or changing how the game launched; others were fixed by installing Lutris. KotOR actually worked better with regular wine than Proton!
Of course I don’t have to… But in some cases it isn’t much of an option.
Like my wife plays Genshin and I didn’t choose that for her. I’m not going to tell her that she can’t play that game.
And for a more personal example; Blizzard was just insta-banning Linux players of Overwatch not too long ago. Even if the game runs fine, I’m not taking the chance to get banned for using a non-supported OS.
As long as those problems exist, then 60~70% doesn’t cut it.
For pretty much all my regular uses I could daily drive Linux, but not as long as gaming isn’t as much of a 1st class citizen on Linux as it is on Windows.
I say; use the most appropriate tool for the job.
For gaming on desktop, that’s (currently) Windows.
If I want a webserver, I have no problems picking Linux. But similar as to how I wouldn’t use a bleeding edge distro for that, but a more conservative setup because that suits the use case.
Regular people can and do use the terminal just fine if they need it to do something. Windows needs terminal use as well, and as @wertigon said, sufficiently motivated people can follow directions.
When those directions are “click here to copy this to your clipboard, open a terminal window and paste” instead of 6 screens of clicking various widgets… its often easier. And more user friendly.
