If we want to attract users we don’t want to give them a choice so big too complex and confusing end user would say why …
When buying a car you go to the dealer and they ask what colour giving 2 or 3 choices
Linux should be the same
Like
I play games so you need X
I am a student so you need y
I work for a large company in accounts so you need z
Simple you want to show you have money you want a Mac
I am a sheep so I need windows like everyone does
Extreme
I hate to say it, but getting Linux into the hands (PC’s) of most people is just a pipe dream. Meaning it will never happen. And why? Well, I believe the reasons are listed in your first post.
Maybe now this subject can be put to rest!!! If one wants to use Linux, then use Linux, if not then leave Linux alone!!!
It has happened.
Everyone adopted Android, not Microsoft, in phones and tablets.
Maybe we market an Android desktop?
My opinion - I DON’T CARE that (desktop) Linux isn’t more widely used.
While we’re in this limbo of being “niche” product users (i.e. Desktop Linux - it already won the server war a decade ago!) - we’re less likely to be targetted by trojans, viruses and ransomware (don’t say never!).
Happy to be a niche user…
I agree with @Daniel_Phillips - if you don’t want to use Linux - don’t… I’m not going to try and talk you into it.
But I’m loving what Valve / Steam are doing - even if I can’t buy a SteamDeck in Australia… I’m sure it will inspired some non-Linux users, who are lucky enough to own a SteamDeck, to try out Desktop Linux - and it has vastly increased the number of Top Shelf PC game titles, that will run on Linux (using Proton [which is basically optimised Wine]).
Not by choice… That’s like saying everyone else, who don’t use Android, i.e. Apple iPhone users, chose to adopt FreeBSD (and samething for Playstations - they run FreeBSD, and I think Nintendo use OpenBSD?). Android only uses the Kernel - it’s NOT GNU/Linux…
And there’s also Chrome OS and Chromebooks…
A very controversial subject, to say the least!!! Some say it is Linux, simply because it uses the Linux kernel!!!
Well Linux is a kernel. That is all there is to it. All the rest is
GNU++
I forgot a about Apple using BSD.
So we should all become fully ‘niche’ and use BSD or Gentoo.
Finaly something that makes sense!!!
The Linux kernel does not make Android GNU Linux!!!
No, but it makes it a Linux distro
But it is not classified as a Distro!!! It is really a propretary OS, just built using a Linux kernel. We can chose Linux distros, but if it is an Android phone, then it will have the Android OS.
You can get Android x86, for your desktop.
Is that not a distro?
Does not have to be FOSS to be a distro?
You should give it a try… might convert you off Win.
Now you are really dreaming. Have good night my friend!!!
The reason why an ad campaign matters is fixing the issues mentioned in the first post… and on top of that getting more hardware support for Linux.
At the moment it’s kind of hit or miss regarding desktop Linux, unless you buy specifically from one of the Linux hardware distributors (which are few). Usually these options are more expensive than just getting a Windows machine, wiping it, and installing Linux… but then it’s possible you run into hardware issues.
Sorry we have drifted off-topic.
Making people more aware of Linux as a desktop option may only be the first step needed.
We may then have to demonstrate that Linux is either different or does the same job better.
Scanners, printers and other peripherals are a big sticking point. HP has HPLIP built in to most distributions. It detects your printer automatically and handles old printers that Windows has dumped. But it doesn’t provide the same facilities as Win/Mac. Epson has Linux drivers but I don’t know what they do and there is no support.
Maybe there is some hope after all. Especially if there were more articles like this one were publish.
@easyt50
Try to convince My wife!!!
My wife is the same, she has 2 computers on her desk but always goes to use the windows one, then complains it will not print, its slow, its doing a update,
My reply is use the linux computer its faster, safer, it prints, you choose when it updates ,
who am I to insist or know best
@callpaul.eu
OK!!! My wife is running software, for her hobbies that only Windows will run!!! With 16GB of ram and W11 booting an NVme, it is not slow, and updates are no problem!!!
So to keep her happy, she gets Windows!!!