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Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

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Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#241

Post by wayneftw »

pjmlp wrote: post #216
wayneftw wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet another one of these comments. When XP came out, people were switching to Linux. When Vista came out, people were switching to Linux. When 8.x came out, people were switching to Linux. When 10 came out, people were switching to Linux. Now Windows 11 came out, naturally people are still switching to Linux. Guess what? People are going to continue switching platforms and talking about it. Oh and 25% of developers a…

Still good enough to power about 85% of desktop computers worldwide, one games console and game streaming service, all of which also need developers.

Oh, gee well I thought we were on a developer/techie forum.

McDonald's is also one of the most popular restaurants. I eat there once in a while. I still run Windows boxes to play games too.

And it's more like ~30% for Windows when you measure against all operating systems, not just the desktop ones. [0] Android is the top dog since at least October 2020 when it went to over ~40%.

[0] https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#242

Post by Zhyl »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #234
Zhyl wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like with the uptick in Linux gaming, Valve's investment in Proton, the Steam Deck, EAC/Battleye compatibility with Proton, modern desktops catching up to Windows look and feel, it's closer to being 'the year of the Linux desktop' than ever before. Sure, 'the year of the Linux desktop' is a loosely defined term that doesn't necessarily have any key metrics that you'd agree with, and it's not like any of the wo…

"The year of Linux on the desktop" is a meme for a specific reason. It'll take longer than a year. The claim is funny because you imagine the whole world switching to Linux, like, overnight. Which is obviously unrealistic. It's a gradual process. But last year Chromebooks outsold Macs. Chromebooks are Linux. Even if they're not "Linux Linux," there isn't much you can do with one that you can't do with most other dist…

I agree with this. It's hard to engage with people like GP saying things like 'the year of the Linux desktop will never happen', as they are using the term to essentially dismiss Linux as a platform, however in order to counter it or to highlight the progress that has been made, you are effectively having to sidestep bad-faith framing of the issue.

I don't think GP was universally dismissing Linux in the way that it is normally used (there are plenty of better examples in this thread, though), but it is similarly an inflammatory comment to make that detracts from proper discussion.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#243

Post by blakebreeder »

metalliqaz wrote: post #115
iso1210 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I went to linux around the time ME was on the shelf, not sure why I'd want to move to windows, I want something that just works.

Funny, that's why I still use Windows on my desktop.

Yeah, I don't feel that way at all about Linux and I daily drive it. Could you imagine our mothers troubleshooting any of the following things that have regularly happened to me on Linux in the last 5 years I've been daily driving it:

* Hm, my sound stopped working. * Hm, dhcp stopped working. * X has completely failed to start. * This website just straight up doesn't load. * Thia game won't load (pretend it's solitaire). * This update broke my boot. * Seemingly doing nothing broke my boot. * This update broke my browser. * This application does not work without configuration. * My monitor layout is broken.

Maybe things are better in Ubuntu land, but I doubt it's as seamless as Windows/Mac.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#244

Post by fidesomnes »

filmgirlcw wrote: post #186

Disclosure: I'm a developer advocate at Microsoft with a focus on Linux, I am typing this on a laptop running Windows 11 (it also has another SSD that runs Linux), and I'm a diehard Mac user. I hate this sort of SEO-driven clickbait that is trying to inflame wars that frankly, were settled two decades ago. Use Linux. Use Windows. Use macOS. Use Chrome OS. Use OpenBSD. Use Haiku. If you're a complete masochist, use GN…

> I'm a... at Microsoft

opinion discarded.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#245

Post by goohle »

anontrot wrote: post #218
goohle wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It will never be the year of the Linux desktop (and that's totally OK!) Android(Linux) is used by majority of users (40%), while Windows holds just 32.3%: https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share .

Desktop...

x86 Desktop, to be precise. On non-x86 desktops (e.g. Raspberry Pi 4), Linux holds it position very well.

Linux+ARM desktop can replace Wintel desktop.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#246

Post by Mikeb85 »

These articles are lame. If I were to give a reason to switch to Linux, I'd say it's because it's a full featured, nice OS and you can do nearly anything on it. But nowadays the browser is 90% of anyone's use case, games as well, and between browser standards, Steam making strides towards platform agnosticism, there's not really any major reason to use any OS over another unless you have a pretty specific use case (for Windows users that usually means Office or specific games, for Linux users usually something to do with dev environments). They all do mostly the same things.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#248

Post by simonh »

Zhyl wrote: post #242
AnthonyMouse wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The year of Linux on the desktop" is a meme for a specific reason. It'll take longer than a year. The claim is funny because you imagine the whole world switching to Linux, like, overnight. Which is obviously unrealistic. It's a gradual process. But last year Chromebooks outsold Macs. Chromebooks are Linux. Even if they're not "Linux Linux," there isn't much you can do with one that you can't do with most other dist…

I agree with this. It's hard to engage with people like GP saying things like 'the year of the Linux desktop will never happen', as they are using the term to essentially dismiss Linux as a platform, however in order to counter it or to highlight the progress that has been made, you are effectively having to sidestep bad-faith framing of the issue. I don't think GP was universally dismissing Linux in the way that it…

>they are using the term to essentially dismiss Linux as a platform

The original framing of 'year of the Linux desktop' from back in the 90s was predicated on the assumption that desktop OSes were mature, that Desktop Linux would soon catch up in usability with the proprietary ones, and then free would win. It was the precursor to Google's "open always wins" mantra with Android.

That is almost certainly never going to happen, and it's fine. The Linux desktop scene is very mature at this point, and we're all the better for it being there as a developer, sysadmin and hobbyist playground. If the traditional GNOME, KDE, xfce, etc style Linux desktop never becomes a mainstream option for high street users that's fine and it's not dismissive. It's just recognising the reality, after well over 20 years.

Re: Reasons to switch from Windows to Linux

#249

Post by Mikeb85 »

Zhyl wrote: post #221
filmgirlcw wrote: post #186

Disclosure: I'm a developer advocate at Microsoft with a focus on Linux, I am typing this on a laptop running Windows 11 (it also has another SSD that runs Linux), and I'm a diehard Mac user. I hate this sort of SEO-driven clickbait that is trying to inflame wars that frankly, were settled two decades ago. Use Linux. Use Windows. Use macOS. Use Chrome OS. Use OpenBSD. Use Haiku. If you're a complete masochist, use GN…

I feel like with the uptick in Linux gaming, Valve's investment in Proton, the Steam Deck, EAC/Battleye compatibility with Proton, modern desktops catching up to Windows look and feel, it's closer to being 'the year of the Linux desktop' than ever before. Sure, 'the year of the Linux desktop' is a loosely defined term that doesn't necessarily have any key metrics that you'd agree with, and it's not like any of the wo…

> modern desktops catching up to Windows look and feel

Honestly, ever since Gnome Shell Linux has been ahead of Windows in look and feel, IMO anyway.

That being said, the year of the Linux desktop isn't a thing anymore because honestly, desktops (or laptops) aren't that much of a thing anymore. For consuming media, phones, tablets and TVs are the main devices. For gaming, phones and consoles. Laptops/desktops are mostly for work, most people I know don't even own one.

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