How do you guys deal with Linux haters? O.o

[ericramos1990]

SteamOS is going to change the computer world for the better guys, I already know it =)

2014, is going to be the year of Linux FOR SURE this time!

[xenopeek]

The year of Linux has already come, but I think you meant on the desktop 4 out 5 smartphones shipped in the last quarter are built on the Linux powered Android. 2.3 million Android smartphones running Linux were activated every single day (up from just 1.3 million per day during the first half of this year, and the numbers continue to rise).

If you haven't seen it, Linux Foundation's Executive Director Jim Zemlin did a great TEDx talk earlier this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XTHdcmjenI. The first part takes you through all the areas where Linux dominates. Quite inspiring

I got the video from the The Top 10 Best Linux Videos of 2013 list.

[ericramos1990]

Yeah that's what I meant =)

Linux needs a big name behind it's back unfortunately to get the ball rolling as we have learned with Android with google.

Now thanks to Valve the ball will roll in the desktop world! And that ball will gain TOO much momentum, that windows will be done!

(That's my prediction at least)

I will be heading out right now so I bookmarked both to see later =) thanks for the links!

[exploder]

Linux has come a long way the last couple of years. The year of Linux might be upon us, you never know but it is already here for me. Things have advanced so much recently, Cinnamon and Unity have matured, Steam has come to Linux and graphics drivers are better than ever, these are some really great things and they are going to get even better. Linux gains more ground everyday and these are the best times I have ever seen.

[RacerBG]

The year of Linux has already come, but I think you meant on the desktop 4 out 5 smartphones shipped in the last quarter are built on the Linux powered Android. 2.3 million Android smartphones running Linux were activated every single day (up from just 1.3 million per day during the first half of this year, and the numbers continue to rise).

I have Tablet PC and Sony Xperia E both with Android for example. This thing is areally rising fast but the Nokia Windows Phone 8 is not rising at all. From 10 people which I can see in a day - 8 are using Android and 2 Windows Phone (just a comparsion).

[famicommander]

I don't really care what other people use on their computers, nor what they think about what I use.

That said, it's pretty clear Linux is just going to keep getting bigger. Between Android, Kindle Fire, ChromeOS, Raspberry Pi, SteamOS, System 76, the continued growth of traditional desktop distros (*buntu, Mint, Fedora, Mageia, etc) and upcoming Linux systems (such as Samsung's Tizen or Firefox OS) 2014 should easily be the biggest year for Linux yet.

More and more barriers to entry into the world of Linux fall every day. Hopefully Microsoft continues agitating their userbase enough that some more people consider Linux.

[wanderer7]

Well, I haven't met them. Windows doesn't have fans, I've never seen a windows user, who loves his/her OS. Plus, they don't know linux exists. I don't personally know any Mac user, Apple fans exist though.
Sometimes, I tell windows users around me to try Linux Mint. Their answer is this:"you know, I only need a computer to browse the internet and write something in MS Word once in a while, so I don't need anything else". They don't hate linux, they think it's difficult.

[ericramos1990]

Well, I haven't met them. Windows doesn't have fans, I've never seen a windows user, who loves his/her OS. Plus, they don't know linux exists. I don't personally know any Mac user, Apple fans exist though.
Sometimes, I tell windows users around me to try Linux Mint. Their answer is this:"you know, I only need a computer to browse the internet and write something in MS Word once in a while, so I don't need anything else". They don't hate linux, they think it's difficult.

That's actually a great point, there AREN'T that many Windows fans since many people don't realize there are other options.

and when they say

"you know, I only need a computer to browse the internet and write something in MS Word once in a while, so I don't need anything else"

That would actually make things easier to entice them into Linux I would think!

[clfarron4]

Sooner or later, you are going to come accross an Apple or Microsoft elitist. How do you guys deal with them?

I honestly don't need help with this topic, I am just curious what other arguments that us fellow tux lovers say.

I break out Linux Mint Cinnamon or KDE on my laptop and let them play. I also remind Windows users that Microsoft initially decided it was a good idea to store user passwords in Windows unencrypted in the registry, and only changed it when people made a fuss about it.

[wanderer7]

and when they say

"you know, I only need a computer to browse the internet and write something in MS Word once in a while, so I don't need anything else"

That would actually make things easier to entice them into Linux I would think!

Of course, ericramos1990. If only they had enough curiosity and courage to just try any GNU/Linux distro...Then they would discover that windows is not the only OS in the world and it's not the best one.

[Habitual]

How do you guys deal with them?

Usually by fixing their OS.

[wyrdoak]

Usually when they bring their computer to me to fix, instead if them hovering over me or getting between me and the computer while I'm trying to fix it. I hand them one of the NetBooks that have Xfce and let them play so I can finish. One guy offered to buy one as well as me fixing his computer, and was surprised how fast I networked them together. Need more old Netbooks to refurbish, only got one left.

[Neil Edmond]

Like many others have said, I don't know any Linux haters, just folks that either don't know it exists, or are like the college kid that work part time for the same company I do. He saw me running Linux one day, and I mentioned how much I enjoyed the OS. His response was; "I've never tried Linux. I use like Windows because it just works."

I discovered that by "Windows just works", he meant that it was already installed and working on his PC. He had never installed an OS of any kind and didn't know you could run anything from a LiveCD. Still, he wasn't interested, so I just dropped it. Now he's using an iPhone and ITablet. [Shrug] Guess that "just works" too.

[cornleader]

The thrill I get from linux, (yes thrill), is making things happen and having the ability to make them work the way I want to, not the way Bill or Steve told me to. As a windows user I haven't had a virus for over 15 years how ever I am constantly fixing my friends machines. I enjoy the challenge of learning something new. I thrive for knowledge. Not everyone is like this. I just spent 4 or 5 days after work configuring my conky and brushing up on my lua while my friend spend the same time on facebook.

We all have a different reason for using a computer and none of them are wrong. I will admit my friend was using Mint while on facebook so I consider that a good conversion lol.

[wyrdoak]

I used live boot to remove a MBR virus this week. He was wondering why the system disks that came with the computer didn't do it.[he thought that the virus was in the BIOs was why he couldn't get it out], I try to explain that the system disks are not Windows disks[my biggest heartburn, you pay for it but never receive a true copy] and will only format the partition not the part of the harddrive were the MBR is located.