Linux is a usable daily driver if you’re tech savvy enough. Some distros are even kind enough to be daily driveable by non tech savvy, at least for the normal stuff.
At this point, it’s possible, but no normie is ever going to know what distros are easy and won’t be getting through an OS installation anyways.
Pretty sure those users you’re talking about don’t understand desktop controls in general, and would be even worse on Linux. Because when we talk about tech savy we’re not talking about basic controls.
I don’t agree in a broad sense. Windows is much harder to use in some ways, like drivers are a mess compared to Linux (sans Nvidia). It’s harder to maintain over time, less robust, like immutable OSes are much more simple.
There are very few days I use windows and think “wow that was straightforward”. Maybe that’s just me though.
Nah, it’s not you. In their efforts to make Windows more dummy friendly, they’ve SOMEHOW managed to make it worse and keep it that way over several major versions.
We STILL have two different settings schemes in Windows, but don’t worry, they’re still ‘innovating’ with ads in the start menu!
Windows is actively regressing while Linux is only getting better.
Ironically, one of Windows’ biggest ‘innovations’ in years has been adding Linux to it with WSL…
Maybe but if you google (which most users use for their daily driver, even on IOS/Android) you get pointed to the manufacturers who have the driver installers as simple as possible. These also come with auto updaters.
I mean you could not use the tools the manufacturers are providing, but at that point I’d argue you’re trying to be a tech savy user when they offered a way not to.
And very, very, very few edge cases are more difficult than that. most are plug-n-play (which to be fair, Linux has as well)
If you try to google a result for Linux you get a bunch of results for distributions that might not be yours. if you try to google a result for your distro you might get a result from years ago that is strongly not recommended anymore (especially if it leads to that Ubuntutalks website). And then the absolute worst case scenario, where you google and don’t actually find what you’re looking for, because the manufacturer does nothing with Linux and nobody cares about the problem.
A lot of windows was made around things that non-savy users were breaking. Nowadays a lot of the major issues I see people talk about are because they tried to do something that was very clearly something that they didn’t want to be done.
I mean, if you’re biggest argument is, “they might Google the wrong distro”, then I think that really goes to show how few actual concerns there are against Linux.
Anyone who has to install the entire OS will know what distro they’re on. Hell, half of the distros come witha default background with the name on it…
To be fair, my husband is about as far from tech savvy as they come, and he’s been running Linux for years on his laptop. Every 2-3 years I upgrade him. Sometimes just within distros (Ubuntu 12.04 to 16.04 say. Other times, I’ve moved him distros (to fedora) or back to Ubuntu. Otherwise? I don’t touch his system. He’s been happy for years.
Is it really really easy to install? Several distros are extremely smooth experiences if you don’t have completely weird hardware to support, but their installation is still an actual OS install procedure. As easy as Windows to install, but almost no one HAS to install their Windows like with Linux.
If steam OS is coming with Wine et. al. already set up (and it’d be silly if it didn’t) that definitely gives it a leg up on most distros for normies, at least.
You’d have to check one of the side-distros. SteamOS itself has no official installer yet, only available pre-installed on steamdeck.
There are distros that are organized to recreate it for normal installation though.
Though to be fair, that’s pretty “normie” to not have to experience the installation process at all. Most people will just use what shipped with their PC.
Yea, install availability and upgrades gone wrong are areas Linux needs a bit more progress, though I stand by that Linux is plenty good for daily driving once you’re staring at a GUI you’re comfortable with on the friendlier OS’s
I guess also app availability… Snap packs fucking suck and even normal package repos aren’t the simplest thing to deal with if something is only available in EPEL or some similar situation.
Though is that really unique to Linux? As soon as you do something outside of any normal program, it’s all wizardry to normies.
I’d say Executables (for all their risks) make it pretty easy for less savy users to get apps not immediately made available to them, given there are definite security issues.
But I will be fair that I think Linux’s flatpaks are helping a bit with making apps more available without worrying about the distro. Plus proton/wine lets users grab some of the useful exe’s from windows.
It’s improving I do agree, but it’s something that will hopefully keep improving.
Linux is a usable daily driver if you’re tech savvy enough. Some distros are even kind enough to be daily driveable by non tech savvy, at least for the normal stuff.
At this point, it’s possible, but no normie is ever going to know what distros are easy and won’t be getting through an OS installation anyways.
A daily driver shouldn’t need you to be tech savy. There should just be an added benefit for being tech savy.
Windows is not usable if you aren’t tech savvy. See young people who grew up on iOS/Android.
I think Linux is very good already and only improving.
Pretty sure those users you’re talking about don’t understand desktop controls in general, and would be even worse on Linux. Because when we talk about tech savy we’re not talking about basic controls.
I don’t agree in a broad sense. Windows is much harder to use in some ways, like drivers are a mess compared to Linux (sans Nvidia). It’s harder to maintain over time, less robust, like immutable OSes are much more simple.
There are very few days I use windows and think “wow that was straightforward”. Maybe that’s just me though.
Nah, it’s not you. In their efforts to make Windows more dummy friendly, they’ve SOMEHOW managed to make it worse and keep it that way over several major versions.
We STILL have two different settings schemes in Windows, but don’t worry, they’re still ‘innovating’ with ads in the start menu!
Windows is actively regressing while Linux is only getting better.
Ironically, one of Windows’ biggest ‘innovations’ in years has been adding Linux to it with WSL…
Maybe but if you google (which most users use for their daily driver, even on IOS/Android) you get pointed to the manufacturers who have the driver installers as simple as possible. These also come with auto updaters.
I mean you could not use the tools the manufacturers are providing, but at that point I’d argue you’re trying to be a tech savy user when they offered a way not to.
And very, very, very few edge cases are more difficult than that. most are plug-n-play (which to be fair, Linux has as well)
If you try to google a result for Linux you get a bunch of results for distributions that might not be yours. if you try to google a result for your distro you might get a result from years ago that is strongly not recommended anymore (especially if it leads to that Ubuntutalks website). And then the absolute worst case scenario, where you google and don’t actually find what you’re looking for, because the manufacturer does nothing with Linux and nobody cares about the problem.
A lot of windows was made around things that non-savy users were breaking. Nowadays a lot of the major issues I see people talk about are because they tried to do something that was very clearly something that they didn’t want to be done.
You say this as if it’s good. On Linux you don’t install drivers, they are just included and work. (Except Nvidia…)
I mean, if you’re biggest argument is, “they might Google the wrong distro”, then I think that really goes to show how few actual concerns there are against Linux.
Anyone who has to install the entire OS will know what distro they’re on. Hell, half of the distros come witha default background with the name on it…
if you don’t think that’s an issue, you probably are in the tech-savy category
I meet people on a daily basis who can’t even say what browser they’re on.
Yes, but that sort of user is also immediately stumped when any program fails to update in any OS. Hell, they call others to connect printers.
I’m not sure it’s fair to judge linux by the standards of the least capable when they are equally stupid about any OS.
@AnonTwo
Ah yes, windows users googling drivers, that *never* caused them to accidentally download a virus, right?
@const_void @KpntAutismus @MotoAsh @AProfessional
Many distros are actually very easy to install and setup. The problem is that Linux is not preinstalled on most computers.
To be fair, my husband is about as far from tech savvy as they come, and he’s been running Linux for years on his laptop. Every 2-3 years I upgrade him. Sometimes just within distros (Ubuntu 12.04 to 16.04 say. Other times, I’ve moved him distros (to fedora) or back to Ubuntu. Otherwise? I don’t touch his system. He’s been happy for years.
It won’t get more normie than SteamOS, it is literally console kind of simplicity with the option to switch to a full blown DE.
Is it really really easy to install? Several distros are extremely smooth experiences if you don’t have completely weird hardware to support, but their installation is still an actual OS install procedure. As easy as Windows to install, but almost no one HAS to install their Windows like with Linux.
If steam OS is coming with Wine et. al. already set up (and it’d be silly if it didn’t) that definitely gives it a leg up on most distros for normies, at least.
You’d have to check one of the side-distros. SteamOS itself has no official installer yet, only available pre-installed on steamdeck.
There are distros that are organized to recreate it for normal installation though.
Though to be fair, that’s pretty “normie” to not have to experience the installation process at all. Most people will just use what shipped with their PC.
Yea, install availability and upgrades gone wrong are areas Linux needs a bit more progress, though I stand by that Linux is plenty good for daily driving once you’re staring at a GUI you’re comfortable with on the friendlier OS’s
I guess also app availability… Snap packs fucking suck and even normal package repos aren’t the simplest thing to deal with if something is only available in EPEL or some similar situation.
Though is that really unique to Linux? As soon as you do something outside of any normal program, it’s all wizardry to normies.
I’d say Executables (for all their risks) make it pretty easy for less savy users to get apps not immediately made available to them, given there are definite security issues.
But I will be fair that I think Linux’s flatpaks are helping a bit with making apps more available without worrying about the distro. Plus proton/wine lets users grab some of the useful exe’s from windows.
It’s improving I do agree, but it’s something that will hopefully keep improving.