No it isn’t, but neither is it the God-Send-From-Heaven that many portray it to be. With some it works and with some it doesn’t, plain and simple.
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Linux tries to be everything to everyone. … as I said general purpose machine.
Therefore it is bound to be less suitable for some particular purpose, compared to an OS like Windows that is specialised for that purpose. The specialist desktop OS will always win over Linux… unless Ernie succeeds in getting someone to make a highly specialised variety of Linux just for new users on desktops.
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I think I my motives for initiating this post may have been misunderstood. Sure, I’d very much like to have GNU/Linux take the world by storm, but I know that’ll probably never happen. What I’d like to see though is for GNU/Linux to become a viable alternative for Windows when Windows 10 support comes to an end as well as for Windows users who become disillusioned with M$. I’d also like to see a steady improvement in hardware support so it’s easier to purchase new/upgraded components for PCs. An ‘Official Linux’ distribution could offer that alternative and perhaps entice hardware manufacturers to provide better support, but such a distribution would have to be implemented correctly. I’d want it to live up to everything the Open Source community stands for and I’d want it to provide a welcoming portal into the world of GNU/Linux and the Open Source community. I’d also want it to provide an easy path back to the Windows world if the user decides GNU/Linux is not for him/her. I know this is asking a lot and that’s a large part of the reason I like the idea of an ‘Official Linux’ distribution so much.
My2Cents,
Ernie
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We have not lost sight of that goal Ernie.
To a certain extent it might just happen without us having to develop a special new user distro. People with computers that will not run W11 have nowhere else to go but linux.
A better distro would undoubtably help… it has to deal with hardware issues and new user friendliness.
I suppose an easy path back to windows would mean a dual boot. That could be tricky… a dual boot install is not easy for newcomers.
If you want to push this, we need to make a proposal to one of the Open Source bodies.
That will be the hard part. it will take a lot of discussion to decide what will be proposed. Perhaps a good start would be to open a new discussion thread where anyone who wants to participate can offer suggestions and ideas.
What do you think, Neville?
Ernie
I think we should talk to Abhishek.
He needs to be onside if we go any further
I think any proposal has to deal with the install problem… everyone seems to agree that the install is 90% of the difficulty for newcomers.
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Let’s destroy Microsoft and then dance on their ashes! lol jk
I’m interested. But I do agree with Neville that we should get Abhishek in on this as well.
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M$ is shaking in their boots!!!
I agree. @Abhishek, if you see this, please respond with your thoughts,
Ernie
I have been following the discussion. At one point I was afraid that it could become a heated discussion but I am glad that did not happen.
Now, the concept of an ‘official Linux distro’ probably from the Linux Foundation sounds like a good idea in theory but I don’t see its possibility. The community itself is fragmented. If LF chooses Debian, people will ask why not XYZ?
Also, Linux Foundation’s unwillingness to support any desktop Linux project is another major issue. I met Jim Zamlin, LF director in 2017 and I asked him why LF doesn’t do anything to popularize desktop Linux. His answer was it’s already popular because Chromebooks are using Linux underneath.
Basically, LF is just interested in the kernel and the money/corporate side of Linux.
Now coming to the proposal about Linux being an alternative to Windows… I am not clear on the point (just drinking my morning tea 
). More details please.
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I think that nails it. Wrong organisation… they dont care about desktop linux
Forget about the Linux Foundation endorsing anything
I think we would be better off concentrating on the technical issues behind the new user problem. They are
- install issues
- hardware compatability
- default install needs to be secure
- how to get people to make elementary use of the CLI
- a GUI that works for newbies
- better apps.
- awareness that Linux is an option
If we could solve just one of those , we would have something to market.
Putting a name on a distro and endorsing it does not solve any of the above. There has to be some real newbie merit underneath the name.
Dont give up Ernie, just shift your focus
Cheers
Neville
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I get your points. I didn’t realize that LF was so narrowly focused. Since changing that will probably not effect any real change, I’ll adjust my focus and consider Neville’s points. They all make sense to me. Hopefully this discussion will continue to get reactions, and perhaps a few great ideas. I think the basic concept is a good and valid one. Since Open Source is about freedom and choice, I’d prefer that GNU/Linux becomes the source of those concepts to disillusioned Windows users, and I think that’s important so when/if I come up with anything new, I’ll update this thread, and I hope everyone else will too,
Ernie
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Frankly from my view-point this is totally the wrong way to describe Windows users. In no way are Windows users disillusioned with Linux, Windows users pay for a product, and expect it to work, and most times it does, Windows users install Linux, and expect the same, sometimes it does, but most often it will need help.
You provide a product from Linux, that will do the same, and I am sure a lot of Windows users will follow, but until then, it seems that this is going to be an up-hill battle.
Like the old saying “put your money where your mouth is” it seems like the one’s that are really in charge and control the linux kernel have already spoken.
I wish you luck @ernie but this topic is as old as Linux as Linux.
Nice comments.
I highlighted the items I think are most important for a new user. It has to be easy. Part of that is it has to work on as many combinations of hardware as possible. Once those are solved you can get new users in the door, but they would only attempt it to begin with and would only stick around if there are enough applications to satisfy them.
The last item might be more important than I originally thought too. Awareness is important. If new users have to just stumble across Linux that’s not going to get us anywhere.
Sound about right?
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why not use ntfs for installs so Windows and Linux can share the same format?
for the most part is a joke!!
are users willing to pay?
most Windows users could care less!!
I think anyone supporting the notion that open-source can compete with paid-for-software are maybe in a different dimension. Sure I like free-stuff but in reality is anything free, only what some higher-up, makes the decision to let it be “free”.
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Because NTFS is closed-source, proprietary format, which works on Linux only as a result of (still not 100% complete) reverse-engineering process. It does not support Linux file-security, and using it as default FS for a Linux system would be a really-really bad idea.
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Yes.
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OK, install a driver for Canon Lide 60 scanner in for Windows 10…
(you can’t it’s dropped…)
Try to install Windows on a Raspberry Pi zero (oops, no hardware support for that on Windows??? 
)
As I already mentioned, hardware vendors support Windows, and not Windows supports hardware. Linux has way much better hardware compatibility than Windows, if you look at them on their own, not counting drivers provided by hardware vendors.
This means of course, newly appeared hardware components may not work with Linux, until enthusiastic developers make drivers for Linux for that particular hardware - this takes time.
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Is that why the wubi installer was dropped?
Never said it was not, are you willing to pay if it becomes a paid-for-linux-os?
And that is why I have drivers for the hardware I need stored away, and depending o the Windows platform, I am using, the drivers still work.
You have pointed out the main reason the Open Source community needs to step up to provide that easy rout to becoming a GNU/Linux user.
Thank you for the good wishes. I agree. We ALL should put our money/effort where it will do the most good. What I’m doing with this discussion thread is searching for the best place to put my effort.
Ernie