this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2024
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The terminal is not an accessory like on Windows, it's apart of the daily Linux experience
It shouldn't be though. A command line interface is not user friendly for entry-level users, and until Linux UX designers realise this, Linux will never gain a greater market share. And we have seen this with Ubuntu, Mint, and other "user friendly" distros gaining popularity. I'm not saying that we should necessarily aim for broad-scale adoption of Linux as an end in itself, but more users means more support for Linux which means a better experience for all.
Linux was never meant to be "user-friendly", Windows and Linux are 2 differents things, but i know this fact is hard to accept tho.
its only user unfriendly if youre used to having a gui for everything like windows and mac users in all reallity the real issue comes from children not being taught how to use computers growing up and instead relying on shitty non foss bloatware like windows
So user unfriendly for literally every regular user.
That is the definition of not being user friendly.
nah only for ones with incompetent parents
But that is the reality of most users today. They expect to have a GUI because it gives them the options right there, rather than having to go and learn what commands this particular system accepts. If you don't cater to those users, like my parents, my friends, my grandparents, my teachers, and basically everyone I know who isn't a computer nerd, and then expect them to "come to their senses" you will be very disappointed. Good design meets users where they're at, it doesn't expect them to "educate themselves."
right but thats not an os issue thats a societal issue you wouldnt expect someone using a car not to understand how to swap oil or replace windshield fluid right?
If Linux wants to ever have adoption outside tech people then it can't be. If a normide has to open up a terminal then that's already one less Linux user.
I have used Linux for my main PC for a very long time but I have also worked in tech support and your average user will never ever use an OS where using the terminal is mandatory.
I my opinion there should be some hobbyist distros where the terminal is your daily experience like Arch or Gentoo but the main focus should be accessibility for the average user if adoptability is a goal.
If you don't like using the Terminal use Mint, but even this one require some basics terminal skills that everybody could learn fast. Linux is made this way.
Oh, there are tons of distros where you don't need to use the terminal for anything, even Manjaro, an arch based distro, doesn't need you to ever open the terminal. I was just saying that if adoption is the goal then using the terminal can't be a requirement for a normal user experience.
Wrong example, Manjaro is probably the less stables distro i've tried, and thoses issues seems to be common when you look at the forum
What I mean is that using the terminal isn't mandatory in Manjaro while Arch and Arch based distros all require it. So for that it's an excellent example.
As for stability it's a bit more stable than Arch itself from my experience but I still has issues. The most stable distro I have used was Pop OS, I didn't have a single issue there for like 3 years straight, I only switched because of a hardware change and Pop OS's Mesa version was unstable on the new hardware.
My central point is still that you will never in a million years get the average computer user to use a terminal.
We used to back in the 20th century, when computer didn't had GUI
No, we didn't. Average computer users didn't exist then, only tech people.
Yep as you said not everybody is made to use a computer, but everybody can learn how to with a minimum of will
Wait, so you think computer usage should go back to just large companies and a few niche enthusiasts?
Im just saying everybody can learn basic terminal commands, because on Linux you're on your own
Yes, they can but an average user never will and for Linux to get any adoption beyond the enthusiast space it also can't be a requirement.
Like it's fine if you believe Linux should never get mass adoption and be a niche desktop OS. All I'm saying is that I want Linux to get mass adoption and for that terminal usage can't be a requirement because your average computer user, who's most advanced computer use is installing an ad blocker on their browser, will never open a terminal.
If more casual PC users got on to it, i wouldn't call it a daily experience. Yeah you need to use it some times but once everyone is set, you dont really need to mess with it
I switched to Mint a few months ago and to be fair I have only messed with it a couple of times mainly just after the initial installation