Linux used to be for nerds, programmers and tech people.
Now, it's probably easier to use Linux than Windows.
this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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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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I have my Boomer dad using Linux Mint on his laptop, but he was still using Windows on his desktop PC.
Then it updated to Windows 11 and he HATES it and asked me for help to put Linux Mint on his desktop as well.
This is a real estate agent in his 70s who needs help making scans and downloading email attachments.
@thebardingreen @thefrankring Good on you. The Linux community if they want to being people over needs to make efforts like this to be inclusive and open to people that just want something simple and easy to use. I am a very basic user, with all of 1 intro coding course (LOVED it, but nonetheless) and I've had POP OS dualboot on my laptop and desktop and it's been fantastic.
Yeah, I think Windows is becoming overly designed and optimized.
Leading to unnecessary complexities.
And 99% of computer use for most people is in a browser. No need for an overly complex OS, with constant stupid pop-ups to ruin that browser experience.
Defintiely! I recently bought a used Thinkpad and slapped Pop!_OS on it for my father-in-law. He's 73 and he's loving it! He proudly tells his friends that he is now "a part of a computer revolution".
lmao, I wouldn't call it a revolution. Simply different options, alternatives and/or values.
Why is it that people think Linux distros are for programmers or tech people only? This is the reason why we don't get many people on Linux distros.
Terminal inputs seems like coding. Back in the day you can mess with everything by coding. Having to spend time on forums and searching Google to fix problems that are Terminal inputs only is not something people want to do and what people are passionate about a thing or it is their hobby do.
Most people use what is in front of them, works, and what they are use too. I don't have time to fix the wifi issue on my 10 year old linux laptop I just plugged it in. Other option is to reinstall windows every 6 months
Because installing a different operating system than the one that came pre installed is a non zero amount of effort.
I think this here is probably one of the larger reasons. A large portion of users barely know the difference between a browser and a search engine, let alone the operating system they are using, and nor do they care. People just use whatever their computer comes with out of the box. Most people probably couldn't tell you the difference between Windows 11 and a Linux distro customized to look exactly the same.
Because they live with old news and don’t update tech news knowledge as often as tech savy people do.
I dislike the paradigm that there are "techy people/programmers" and "tech illiterates/non programmers". Anyone can develop the skills to properly use unix interfaces given proper training; and I know that's true because the whole world used to run (mostly) unix on the desktop before corporate took over. Unix doesn't need to be windowsified/macosified to get people to move over; people need to unlearn the interfaces corporate has brainwashed them with for generations. There are so many more interesting user interfaces than just what Windows and MacOS provide; graphical or otherwise.
I don't know any programming languages but can navigate around Linux, both TUI and GUI.
"Workflow". There it is.
I started using Linux prior starting programming..
But knowing some programming languages will not help much maintaining a linux distribution, tho
The problem solving though?
Hmm, maybe, but I would say understanding normal behaviour of bash commands and what drivers are does not directly involve knowing about coding.
Wait ... is there a perception (or reality?) that most Linux users are programmers?
I'm an introvert, but all programmers I know use Windows (and badly in the sense they aren't power users).
That's a logical fallacy, all dogs are animals does not imply that all animals are dogs. Even if all programmers you know use Windows that could still mean that all Linux users are programmers.
That being said several relatives use Linux because I refused to help with IT unless they had Linux, and since then they mostly hadn't needed IT support. So it's not true that all Linux users are programmers, but a good percentage of us are.
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I'm also not a programmer but here's why Linux is my daily driver:
I like it.
I have no formal tech background, but I'm pretty damn good with it. And I like Arch and Debian with XFCE.
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Linux, on the other hand, can easily boot up on a 10-year-old laptop with just 2GB of RAM, and work fine.
I'm not sure a modern day browser would be just fine with "only" 2GiB, unfortunately.
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I feel like Linux would be easier to pick up and use for a non power user starting from scratch like my mother-in-law. It's so much easier to download programs with the package manager and settings are so much easier to navigate
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Stephen Fry the comedian/tv presenter is also a huge linux advocate. Specifically Ubuntu. He's been using it for decades at this point.
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I can't program, but I only use Linux on both my laptop and desktop. All I really do on my computers is browse the web, light photo/video editing, print the occasional document, organize my photos, and play A LOT of video games. I was dual booting windows for a bit there for the games that won't work on Linux, but I soon discovered that those games weren't really worth dealing with the annoyances I had with windows for how often I actually wanted to play them... except CoD, but I have an Xbox so I just play that there. Deleting my windows partition was a great choice.
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I’m not sure if this is part of the “frequency illusion”, but I’ve noticed a lot more mainstream media talking about Linux as a viable alternative.
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