Some are forced to use windows due to workplace requirements or software only running on windows. I run linux everywhere I can, but don’t always have the choice.
As a long time Windows user (~30 years), it comes down to “can I fix this if something goes wrong?”. This applies even more so when I’m talking about a computer that my wife might be using.
99.9% of the time, the answer is “yes” when it comes to windows.
Every time I’ve tried Linux, some experience breaking issue comes up within hours/days of starting it up, and I simply don’t have time to troubleshoot it.
No matter how “stable” and “easy” someone claims Linux to be, I’ve never had a stable or easy experience in the last 20 years of trying to use Linux. I hate that fact, but that is a fact for me.
I assume you’ve never used Linux long enough to get a grip. You would get there if you use it long enough.
However, operating systems are just tools. Use which one is easy for you. If you have no spare time to learn a new OS, just use what you know. Though Microsoft’s latest shenanigans really force some people to switch to other OSes.
Unfortunately, Linux isn’t quite there yet for casual users. I tried it every year, and there was always something that was annoying enough that I switched back to Windows with O&O ShutUp10. This is the first year that I’ve been happy enough with my install that I’ve started using it as my daily OS. But even this year, I had 2 really annoying issues that I had to spend time searching to fix.
After putting my computer to sleep, it would immediately wake back up. Eventually found out it was my Logitech wireless dongle that was causing the issue. I had to create a script that disabled USB ports during sleep and a systemd service to make sure it activated on every boot.
After waking from sleep, my screen was black with only my cursor visible. Running sudo systemctl restart display-manager sometimes worked, but that wasn’t a solution. After searching the web some more, I found an arch wiki explaining that it was an issue with my Nvidia GPU. So then I had to edit a modprobe file and finally I was happy with my install.
I’m super happy that I can finally use Linux full-time, but the fact I had to mess around in terminal to fix the issues associated with my hardware means most casual users will just go straight back to Windows. I’ve seen a lot of Linux users say, “just don’t use Nvidia”, but buying a new GPU isn’t a solution for most people. My hardware isn’t even that weird: AMD 5800x3d, x570 chipset, Nvidia GPU. Linux is getting there, it’s closer than it’s ever been. But it’s not there yet.
My 75 year old father have been running linux for 20 years now. All in all, i know about 7 super casual users that are running linux only, without any real issues.
Its definitely there for the casual users. Its just not really there for the Windows "power"users lol
It still depends on the hardware you have. If you have hardware that’s fully supported by the kernel version your distro is running, then it’s easy. But as soon as you add a piece of hardware that isn’t, there’s a good chance you need to spend a lot of time searching how to fix it. Buying a new mouse and all of a sudden not having sleep work is not a power user problem IMO.
After putting my computer to sleep, it would immediately wake back up. Eventually found out it was my Logitech wireless dongle that was causing the issue. I had to create a script that disabled USB ports during sleep and a systemd service to make sure it activated on every boot.
Thanks for this. I’m going to look into it. This happens on my computer, but it’s been happening for years, which includes a long time on Windows. I had pretty much given up on it because I’ve tried unplugging just about everything and it still happens. It might be something else for me.
For the Nvidia issues, that hopefully shouldn’t be an issue soon after the open source drivers. The few mostly solvable issues with Linux are quickly dissolving.
If you stumble open a problem like that, Windows, even macos, are also that diddly. Even more so, because they are designed to hide the internals from the user. I had to use my old MacBook for something. While sleeping, it wakes up, connects to my bluetooth headphone, I hear “device connected”, then disconnects 10 seconds later, “device disconnected”, and repeats 20 seconds later. Searched, “how to disable Bluetooth while sleeping”.Turns out there is no official way and the answer is competing with Linux shenanigans. Just look at this!
Also it launches Music app whenever I connect my bluetooth headphones. And guess what, it is impossible to disable that behavior. I had to install an app called NoTunes to stop that.
People just accept the quirks of windows and macos. when something similar happens on Linux it proves Linux is unusable by “normal people”. But you are also right. Linux is not there yet. I did need to use my old MacBook because something I need to do was impossible on Linux.
but the fact I had to mess around in terminal to fix the issues associated with my hardware means most casual users will just go straight back to Windows.
It’s easier when all they do is browse the web, and you can just install linux for them (after they have agreed of course) with the necessary fixes applied by you. They won’t want to go back, because it works fine. Especially when they asked your for maintenance and speeding up the machine, agreed to getting an SSD, and keeping windows on the HDD.
windows users will do anything but switch to linux
Some are forced to use windows due to workplace requirements or software only running on windows. I run linux everywhere I can, but don’t always have the choice.
As a long time Windows user (~30 years), it comes down to “can I fix this if something goes wrong?”. This applies even more so when I’m talking about a computer that my wife might be using.
99.9% of the time, the answer is “yes” when it comes to windows.
Every time I’ve tried Linux, some experience breaking issue comes up within hours/days of starting it up, and I simply don’t have time to troubleshoot it.
No matter how “stable” and “easy” someone claims Linux to be, I’ve never had a stable or easy experience in the last 20 years of trying to use Linux. I hate that fact, but that is a fact for me.
I assume you’ve never used Linux long enough to get a grip. You would get there if you use it long enough.
However, operating systems are just tools. Use which one is easy for you. If you have no spare time to learn a new OS, just use what you know. Though Microsoft’s latest shenanigans really force some people to switch to other OSes.
You can’t be serious. Being able to fix anything is the raison d’etre of open source.
For sure, but when every problem has 100 potential fixes, I no longer have time to experiment with trying to fix them.
Every fix in Linux seems like a hack that requires extensive terminal knowledge of small, random patches that seem to be strewn all over the internet.
Every fix in windows is usually self contained, and you just need to know where to look to access it.
In my teens, I would have loved the challenge to mess with Linux. But I have no desire to do that now.
I will get the itch from time to time to try a new liveUSB distro, and if Microsoft angers or annoys me enough, I might just stick with Linux.
yeah but at least we’re not told to run sfc /scannow followed by “format your pc” when that inevitably fails to find anything
I can honestly say that I haven’t had to reformat a windows PC since the early 2000s because of a problem that couldn’t easily be solved.
Even a BSOD is exceedingly rare.
Stability has been excellent, but the threat of advertisement creep is beginning to annoy me.
Unfortunately, Linux isn’t quite there yet for casual users. I tried it every year, and there was always something that was annoying enough that I switched back to Windows with O&O ShutUp10. This is the first year that I’ve been happy enough with my install that I’ve started using it as my daily OS. But even this year, I had 2 really annoying issues that I had to spend time searching to fix.
After putting my computer to sleep, it would immediately wake back up. Eventually found out it was my Logitech wireless dongle that was causing the issue. I had to create a script that disabled USB ports during sleep and a systemd service to make sure it activated on every boot.
After waking from sleep, my screen was black with only my cursor visible. Running
sudo systemctl restart display-managersometimes worked, but that wasn’t a solution. After searching the web some more, I found an arch wiki explaining that it was an issue with my Nvidia GPU. So then I had to edit a modprobe file and finally I was happy with my install.I’m super happy that I can finally use Linux full-time, but the fact I had to mess around in terminal to fix the issues associated with my hardware means most casual users will just go straight back to Windows. I’ve seen a lot of Linux users say, “just don’t use Nvidia”, but buying a new GPU isn’t a solution for most people. My hardware isn’t even that weird: AMD 5800x3d, x570 chipset, Nvidia GPU. Linux is getting there, it’s closer than it’s ever been. But it’s not there yet.
My 75 year old father have been running linux for 20 years now. All in all, i know about 7 super casual users that are running linux only, without any real issues.
Its definitely there for the casual users. Its just not really there for the Windows "power"users lol
It still depends on the hardware you have. If you have hardware that’s fully supported by the kernel version your distro is running, then it’s easy. But as soon as you add a piece of hardware that isn’t, there’s a good chance you need to spend a lot of time searching how to fix it. Buying a new mouse and all of a sudden not having sleep work is not a power user problem IMO.
@Untold1707 As opposed to the hardware requirements of windows, who force you to buy a new computer for every new windows version just because?
Thanks for this. I’m going to look into it. This happens on my computer, but it’s been happening for years, which includes a long time on Windows. I had pretty much given up on it because I’ve tried unplugging just about everything and it still happens. It might be something else for me.
For the Nvidia issues, that hopefully shouldn’t be an issue soon after the open source drivers. The few mostly solvable issues with Linux are quickly dissolving.
If you stumble open a problem like that, Windows, even macos, are also that diddly. Even more so, because they are designed to hide the internals from the user. I had to use my old MacBook for something. While sleeping, it wakes up, connects to my bluetooth headphone, I hear “device connected”, then disconnects 10 seconds later, “device disconnected”, and repeats 20 seconds later. Searched, “how to disable Bluetooth while sleeping”.Turns out there is no official way and the answer is competing with Linux shenanigans. Just look at this!
Also it launches Music app whenever I connect my bluetooth headphones. And guess what, it is impossible to disable that behavior. I had to install an app called NoTunes to stop that.
People just accept the quirks of windows and macos. when something similar happens on Linux it proves Linux is unusable by “normal people”. But you are also right. Linux is not there yet. I did need to use my old MacBook because something I need to do was impossible on Linux.
Black screen with cursor can be bypassed by pressing ctrl+alt+del, at least on my HP laptop with Mint and KDE Plasma 5.
It’s easier when all they do is browse the web, and you can just install linux for them (after they have agreed of course) with the necessary fixes applied by you. They won’t want to go back, because it works fine. Especially when they asked your for maintenance and speeding up the machine, agreed to getting an SSD, and keeping windows on the HDD.