this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2024
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Simple Answer: No
The moment you need to think about what distribution you need to choose from is where it'll stop any (dumb)user. Most people want a simple process with very little thinking.
If you are interested in learning linux and willing to take the time to understand the entire process that comes with it then yes.
I wonder how these people function in a supermarket
Simply put, I need to buy groceries.
It's not that I will have issues learning or researching, it is that I don't have the time too.
If the barrier to using Linux is needing to spend time troubleshooting and researching to do simple tasks, I just won't.
So far this thread has been very enlightening to me, I'm excited to try something new. But my OS is not my hobby.
There's certainly a learning curve as it's a completely different OS. That's going to take time for sure. The problem is that people are so used to Windows or Mac that they forget they had the same learning curve when they started with whichever one they're using.
Those are decisions about things everyone already understands, choosing a distro for a new user is like deciding what your favourite photo is from a blurry, black and white album
It's more like buying a car. Try a few out and settle on the one you like. You can even try them out online at distrosea
Problem is buying a car most of the different brands are quite different, there are so many distros that are just Ubuntu underneath that are basically identical with a different desktop
People learn how to do that while growing up. The same doesn't apply to software, people usually choose what they know.
It's the same process as choosing which loaf of bread you like, or which car. You try a few out and decide which one you like. It's not hard.
No, it absolutely is hard, and those are bad comparisons. Growing up you interact with bread and cars, and you build a preference based on what you're taught and what you experience. If I go into a new store and see a dozen types of bread I've never eaten, I can still make inferences about their taste, texture etc. This is not the case with Linux distributions - if I've never used Linux before, I literally don't know what the hell I'm doing.
And it's absolutely unrealistic to expect your average person to try a few out. They won't be able to decide on technical grounds, and they'll have to use the distribution for some time to build enough experience for a preference. Going back to your car example, it's like suggesting people buy a few cars and decide which one they like (since they don't have the experience to make judgements based on short test drives) - you're asking them to invest a lot of time for something they don't really need or want.
I disagree with you, I happen to think that the average person is intelligent enough to make an informed decision about their computing. They just have to forgo the learned helplessness that Microsoft and Apple have fostered since the early nineties.
I don't think it's unreasonable for someone who is dissatisfied to try a few out. Let's be clear here, if you're satisfied, then you're not going to even think about moving but more and more people are becoming dissatisfied, you can tell by the number of people on Reddit (yes I still lurk Reddit) asking about switching. Also, unless you're really a geek, it isn't going to be close to a technical decision - it will be purely gut-feel. I like this one, I don't like that one.
You seem to be fundamentally misunderstanding my point, as I didn't mention the average person's intelligence in any way. All I'm saying is that minimizing the effort required to really try multiple distributions is a terrible way of introducing people to Linux. It will only lead to frustration and rejection. Choosing your bread doesn't require investing dozens of hours.