Codex in ChatGPT desktop app for Linux is now in preview

Post by ekzy » Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 1:26 PM UTC

fg137 wrote: post #96

meerita wrote: post #34

What's the benefit of working with this app, which eats insane amounts of memory, instead of Codex CLI?

Outside Linux, on Windows/Mac, plenty of non developers much prefer the "desktop UI" experience over CLI. Some can't work with CLIs at all. Even with Linux, there are more people -- including many non software engineers -- that are installing Linux on their home computers and may be interested in this. Bear in mind that HN users don't remotely resemble the general population, or even employees at a tech company -- th…

Post by miohtama » Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 1:31 PM UTC

SyneRyder wrote: post #85

lucideer wrote: post #72

The most remarkable things about this announcement: - Electron based app: Electron is a framework sold on the basis of enabling rapid cross-platform development at the cost of performance. - Frontier AI company: AI is sold on the basis of enabling rapid development - App was released in February & took 6 entire months to port to Linux

I guess it's easier to solve Erdos problems and improve the lower bound of the Riemann hypothesis, than it is to solve Linux desktop app distribution.

Post by pjmlp » Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 1:37 PM UTC

fg137 wrote: post #92

BodyCulture wrote: post #19

This will make it much easier to trap people into installing it without any isolation just to their primary user account or even make it run with admin privileges by default. With the recent security related events we already see that it seems to be wide spread practice that many operators avoid the hassle of isolating their agents. It is just an incredible cultural experience to see how quick stupidity gets accepted…

At least on Windows/Mac, a significant number of users of this app are non developers, and you should tame your expectations about them handling things like "isolation". Even for developers working on Linux, you'll be surprised how many have never run a docker command in their life.

Post by telotortium » Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 1:38 PM UTC

TZubiri wrote: post #160

OsrsNeedsf2P wrote: post #31

I'd love to see the stats on how many Linux users want this. Most Linux usage probably comes from WSL/SSH'ing into servers, where they would use the CLI instead of a GUI. Even for the people who run Linux on the desktop, most probably prefer the terminal anyways

It'd be nice for sending prompts from phone, although it is a whole lot of bloat for just that feature. Par for the course for the AI era, in order to do a thing first you must import the universe.

Post by OroPla » Thu, Aug 13, 2026, 1:39 PM UTC

SyneRyder wrote: post #85

lucideer wrote: post #72

The most remarkable things about this announcement: - Electron based app: Electron is a framework sold on the basis of enabling rapid cross-platform development at the cost of performance. - Frontier AI company: AI is sold on the basis of enabling rapid development - App was released in February & took 6 entire months to port to Linux

I guess it's easier to solve Erdos problems and improve the lower bound of the Riemann hypothesis, than it is to solve Linux desktop app distribution.