Why Linux is NOT an answer (But it could be)
People thinking that Linux will solve all the issues with Windows 11. However the common consumer doesn’t even know Linux exists sometimes.
TL;DR: There needs to be ONE Linux flavor to rule them all (Debian seems to be the top one), run Windows programs without flaws, have superior driver support for things like VR, needs to be simple and baby, and the community needs to not be whiny techbros.
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The problem with Linux is that it can’t do Windows games. yes Proton exists and helps, but it can’t do games with nProtect and other DRM garbage.
Linux can’t do drivers for popular tools. I know the VR especially Oculus support is very much lacking and/or broken. Not even sure my LeapMotion will work.
Proton isn’t an option because I’m betting it’s not a “One click install and works”. Which is what the average user of Windows 10/11 needs. The culture of Linux is also one of “Well they just need to learn CLI and how to do it!” This turns people off and makes Linux look like an arrogant “hobby project”.
Another of what’s bad is all the Linux flavors. Too many and the various setup guides for people that might want to switch are for that flavor. NPM, Yum, Apt-get? If it doesn’t work on their flavor then they just toss it all as ‘too hard’. You want this program? Run a Docker instance? What’s that? Here’s a wall of text and even then it’s not 1 click install.
I too suffer from this. Look to see how to upgrade/fix/install a program and it’s written for Red Hat, Arch or some other flavor. I hate to say there needs to be one flavor and it needs to be stuck to, but that’s why people use Windows. Windows is Windows is Windows. (I know there’s a difference but installing on all windows is the same)
Why do all these Linux people assume that the common consumer understands how to get and install Linux? Most people I know don’t even know how to turn Windows Updates off since it’s a more involved process now.
In regards to people going to throw their computer away when it’s no longer supported.
If the computer can’t be upgraded and isn’t supported by software devs, then they consider it effectively “Obsolete” and they “Need a new computer”. So they shove the one they have in the dump and go buy a new one.
I’ve seen my parents do this before when the computer starts just slowing down. Toss the old, get a new.
Then we get into the Linux community itself which has treated new users with hostility and “RTFM”. Windows users don’t RTFM. Yes they want it babyfed to them and there’s nothing wrong with that. They want to “1 click install, 1 click upgrade” and having a Mint install eat itself alive to where I had to format and reinstall IS NOT AN OPTION. You can’t have a catastrophic failure like that and telling people to “Backup before update” is only for people who have the luxury of money for extra storage and cloud. (Let’s not even talk about the misogyny and racism that goes on)
Yeah I want to see Linux as a defacto too, but like.. the community around it has got to change and there needs to be a flavor you can install no probs..
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