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What if we made a distro called Doors as a replacement for windows, but don't call it a distro? We don't even call it Linux. We just called it Doors.
So basically what Google did with ChromeOS? (Being quiet that it just a Linux distro) Yeah, no. I prefer distro that is transparent that it is Linux and doesn't try to make out or as vocal that their still a Linux distro.
I can see where you are coming from and chrome os is a good and bad example of what I mean. It's a bad example because of the lack of transparency. It's a good example because it creates a "brand" around the product. Linux lacks brand recognition to the average person, and when we approach getting folks on Linux, we do one of two things. We pick a brand for them, or we explain what a distro is and that linux is actually the kernel and that its really GNU/Linux or GNU and Linux etc. I want to get to the point a non technical user makes the choice themselves
Outside of just buying computers with Linux one them, imo the best scenario would be if there was a recognized brand, like chromeos, which people could point to and say "you're good with computers and fuck windows. Can you install Doors?". You have to admit an operating system called "FuckWindows OS" would be appealing to those who utter the words several times per day.
I'm also not suggesting we go guns blazing into doing this so much as presenting a consideration why we are less effective than we'd like and what we could add to our focus to improve conversion rates.
TLDR: Linux, or our representation of it, is confusing to the average person. Could we address this with a distro whose purpose is to establish a stronger brand?
I agree not sweeping Linux under the rug is important, but what about something like:
Doors: Powered by Linux
After all, Linux is just the kernel. It isn't the operating system . Saying βPowered By" is both accurate, and the brand recognition horse shit people go for
Make no mistake. I don't like that brand recognition is an important consideration, but it's important to recognize what works for many people
We have that already, it's called Linux Mint.
Don't overthink it.
Rightβjust what I was about to say.
That's just Ubuntu, including their marketing strategy towards enterprise clients for desktop. (Without the pun in the name of course)
If you ever have to open a command prompt, you've already lost them.
I just set up a new computer that was deemed unworthy of Windows 11 on Linux Mint. I don't believe I opened the terminal at all, except to do ssh-keygen stuff for my server, which I would assume you skip on grandma's computer.
The wifi, wireless printer, etc all just worked.
Mint is king for old hardware but you wouldn't have been so lucky with a newish PC.
Bazzite
Have you used windows recently? Microsoft doesnt bother implementing anything, the last 30% of the product is controlled by pwsh cmdlets. I spend just as much time in the terminal on Windows as I do on Linux
Fedora GNOME is already this. And unlike Mint KDE, it actually looks like a friendly modern OS.
Isn't Fedora KDE more recommended now that Mint doesn't provide a KDE variant?
Great for Mac users, but too dissimilar to windows UI
Both me and my grandma switched to it from Windows 10 with no issues.
It feels too much like Mac for my liking
I hate the default style of gnome as well but it can be customized to look more like KDE, while still being much more stable and user friendly than it.
Ooh okay, I'll look into it then
Personal preference is fair enough
No.