Linux used to be for nerds, programmers and tech people.
Now, it's probably easier to use Linux than Windows.
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.
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 personally use windows (I play a lot of different games with friends, and setting all of them up in Linux is a lot of work) and I hate it.
However my mum only uses her laptop for browsing and zoom calls, so I installed Linux mint on that and it's been going great, there are soooo much less issues than with modern windows.
Really? I have migrated to Fedora Linux and have had 0 issues playing games. Literally just installed steam then heroic launcher for my games on GOG and Epic. I did have a little issue get ea games to load but that was as my as blocker blocked ea games from fetching the librsry. Which in fair EA faorness EA sucks and should be vlocked.
Had some issues with EAC and getting games to run OOTB which was an issue with spontaneously playing weird and obscure games. If I or we would plan our sessions properly it wouldn't have been a problem though
Fully agree on the EA thing, as well as ubishit constantly being buggy and a pain to work with though.
Why are so many Linux posts about "Why Linux" these days? We already use Linux. Isn't there news on Linux anymore or what?
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.
2007 was YOTLD for me. Yours, dear Windows-using reader, is 2024, if you want it to be.
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).
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.
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.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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