Linux

"Nobody uses it so nobody can help me"

Bitch I'm standing right in front of you, also you can pay people or get free support on the internet. Linux users are way more helpful than the average Windows user...

The common excuse i hear is "I don't want to have to code like in MS-DOS."

People out here think linux is still 40 years ago

Solidworks not being supported.

The solution I'm working on is to connect to a Windows computer via moonlight for their solidworks stuff, hopefully freeing up the potential to do Linux on their main machine

TL;DR: Basically gaming compatibility and additional complications, on top of all what is new due to Linux.

I have a brother trying to convince him to use Linux over Windows (or at least dual boot). I could make him use Manjaro (back then when I was using Manjaro myself) on a laptop. That was his first experience and he is a gamer who likes multiplayer games. So the experience was a bit mixed. Later I borrowed him my Steam Deck for 2 weeks and it was a torture to myself, as it was the launch period of the hardware. And then I convinced him to buy Steam Deck instead a laptop.

He still loves the Steam Deck and uses it here and there, especially on vacation. But as lot of primary multiplayer games he play do not work on Linux and because of complications with some non Steam games and lot of applications he had, such as Discord, he went back to Windows on his new PC. Some complications arised because of the Steam Deck and its limitations, but that did not change the fact how games he plays are not working.

But he admits that SteamOS is the better operating system. And he understands why it is what it is, but as said, that does not change the fact he cannot play some of his favorite games on Linux. But that is not all. You have to understand that newcomers who experience LInux for the first time, and switched reluctant without research, don't know what Wayland is, don't know differences between desktop environments and has to deal with compatibility layers on top of all other new Linux stuff for them.

Why your sister felt she has less control is just a feeling, because she know less, therefore can control less. It makes sense from her perspective, so I would not say its entirely wrong.

“I don’t want to”

I use Mint for my streaming laptop and it works fine - great, even.

My main PC is still on Windows because from what I understand FL Studio needs WINE to run, and I could never get WINE to work on the streaming laptop. That plus 10 years of files and shit that I don't know if they will work or whatever if I did switch over. Pretty sure most or all of my Steam games would work fine, it's just too many unknowns for everything else. I'd be happy to be proven wrong but it's too big of a hassle for now.

I don't ask. I just point at Microsofts shit and ask why they haven't switched already.

Too lazy.

I did an update or something and it corrupted the bootloading for Fedora Silverblue. Had to just reinstall everything. Also was a time when the update url or something was broken and I couldn't update. That remains the biggest issue. But it might not be an issue for a professionally maintained distro like Ubuntu that has a company backing it. I feel like it's safe to recommend Ubuntu but not any other distros.

And it's definitely true that the average user has more control on Windows. You can download installers and random zip files with executables and they'll just work. Linux has such a messed up model for executables and libraries that they usually have to be recompiled for every Linux distro unless you use flatpak.

But I think it's mostly the learning curve of getting used to how linux desktops work and their idiosyncrasies that makes it hard for people. And tons of bad advice online telling you to run commands.

Linux actually has lots of GUI apps that can help fix issues and do things in Linux but people keep offering outdated advice about using command line tools and editing brittle config files.

And some things are distro-specific.

miracast doesn't work on linux.

The last Windows machine in my house is because of one program: Embrilliance. It's embroidery software that lets you make designs and send them directly to the embroidery machine. It technically works in WINE, but for some reason one of the cursors is missing, so when you try to draw freehand, you have no idea where the mouse is. Was thinking about trying Winboat for this eventually, but I haven't gotten around to it.

They have to work with Adobe. Or any of the big musical instrument sample libraries.

I "tried" Linux but never got it usable. I initially decided to run a vm on virtualbox to experiment. I tried Debian, arch, kali, Ubuntu and all ended up having an input lag of 1-2 seconds. Windows the system was fine. But I found my self unable to do basic tasks it was no bad. I don't mean I didn't know a command or unwilling to find a foss software equivalent, I mean it took several tries to get the mouse over the X to close a program due to input lag.

OK I then decided to try a docker container with Linux. It got so messed up if I open docker desktop it displays an error that the container was unable to start, if you close the error to edit settings or create a new container it closes docker desktop, no way to fix it.

I was able to get a wsl command line working but all I found it able to do is add 5 steps to everything due to having to start the command, start wsl, log on, elevate permissions etc.

My friend

• loves making and sharing home videos, but his entire workflow is tied to Windows Movie Maker
• his wife insists on using an iPhone and is tech-illiterate, so depends on him having iTunes for syncing stuff
• has bad memories of Linux from the 2000s and has grown comfortable with a copy of Windows that I've debloated

Premiere, Photoshop, Lightroom, FL Studio. They either don't work or work terribly on Linux. That one DAW on Linux from Ableton devs that's decent still has awful UX compared to FL and VST compatibility seemed spotty. I do use Linux daily (Debian flavor) though just not on my main PC but on my laptop, and also on the work laptop for work.

I love Linux. I use it wherever I can. I don't use Linux on my primary gaming workstation, for the simple reason that the display drivers, specifically mixed extended desktop and screen mirroring is just straight up ass.