The Future direction of Linux

[The Muffin Man]

Most Windows users have never installed Windows from scratch, either. If they did, they'd run screaming. My nephew installed a Minecraft hack on his Windows PC, which crashed his PC, and my sister tapped me for tech support. (I tried to duck it since I run Linux and macOS). After the initial install (which took a couple of hours and reboots), it then took about 3 days to get all the updates from Microsoft. My nephew then installed the hack again (what can you teach a 13 year old? They already know everything.) so I was tapped again. I told her I wouldn't do it again, unless she bought an SSD. I thought I was in the clear, but she showed up with the PC and an SSD. So 4-5 days later, a new Windows installation was done, with my nephew's account only having a "normal" user rights. (ie, couldn't install anything) I figured if he ran on the admin account, then that was own my sister, not me, for giving him access. Why isn't Windows like this by default?

[argentwolf]

Edit: Also hardware support, AMD seems to be an ally of Linux at this time, and for the most part Intel is, but I am also concerned where Linux will go when hardware makers add the Microsoft Pluton chipset, or other TPM like requirements which almost lock Linux out of easy installation (at least for newbies) unless you know enough to get into the BIOS, and even then are they going to start hiding the BIOS settings or locking them out?

I don't think we're clearly appreciating what Windows and Microsoft Pluton vs TPM is attempting to do, they've a computing platform which is running on an insecure infrastructure across the globe, and they're expected to perform a impossible task of securing the endpoints. Good Luck!

"Microsoft Pluton vs TPM: The differences and similarities"
https://windowsreport.com/microsoft-pluton-vs-tpm/

[The Muffin Man]

I especially like this from the article:

2. Security updates from the cloud

Microsoft has announced that their new security chip will get the update directly from the cloud via Windows update. As a result, the security module’s framework will always remain up to date, which will make it very secure.

Cloud? Secure?

[mediclaser]

No more LTS that is really long term...They will limit it down to 2 years...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/long-term ... er-strain/

[rambo919]

"Microsoft Pluton vs TPM: The differences and similarities"
https://windowsreport.com/microsoft-pluton-vs-tpm/

No way in hell am I touching that.... it's going to basically be hardware level DRM.

[MurphCID]

I have changed my opinion on Linux distros data collection. As long as they are completely transparent, allow opt-out, show exactly what data is being collected, and no identifiable data is sent, I am ok with it. I had to reload my HP Dev One with Pop!_OS and it does the data collection, but it showed me exactly what was being collected. Processor, ram, video, hardware and distro, Nothing personal, nothing identifiable. I can live with this as long as it helps Linux improve and evolve for the better.

[wwblm]

I couldn't hazard a guess as to the future direction of Linux. When I did my first Linux install there was no way I would have seen a future that had me abandoning my beloved Macintosh for that unpolished cousin! That was then and here we are today. Clem and co as well as the whole ecosystem have evolved beyond my expectations. I look forward to the future because I see the Mint team in particular being wise stewards with this incredible accomplishment.

[MurphCID]

I like how things are getting better every day with Linux in general, but there seems to be some changes that are, not necessarily bad, but seem to be less of the old FOSS mentality, and more of the corporate or "mature" mentality where Linux seems to have lost some of the "spark" or "newness" that it seemed to have in the old days.

Now I am NOT complaining, I like that I no longer have to worry about WiFi issues, dependency h*ll, printer installations, and the other things that late 1990's early 2000's Linux had, or even 2010 Linux. My first real Linux computer which got Mint (I want to say 17.3 or perhaps 18) installed was an HP
i3 processor M3-u001dx which I got for a massive price of $399. It came with an i3 processor, 8 gb of ram, and a 1TB Hdd, which I upgraded to a 500gb SSD. It was a great computer, and I would still be using it if it had not gotten damaged beyond repair during a water leak in the house. Those old i3 processors were powerful enough for me for what I use a laptop for. I still recall that system with a great deal of nostalgia, and also Mint Cinnamon from the old days.

Now I love Mint 21.2 and I am breathlessly wating on MInt 21.3 and then 22. But perhaps the "newness" and feel of venturing into the unknown has faded. I seem to think that Linux as a whole is also afflicted with this, which in many ways makes people move to "harder" or more adventurous distros like Arch to reclaim that feeling of "new" and of adventures yet to be had.

Now it is less of an adventure, and more of a stable, comforting friend that is predictable.

[rossdv8]

I've been exploring KDE 6 (Plasma 6) for a few weeks, and Mint Cinnamon 6 for a few days, and the beta releases of both show a lot of promise. I haven't tried Wayland with Cinnamon 6 yet, but I have been switching between x11 and Wayland frequently in KDE 6 to see what if any problems I could experience.

Wayland was a lot better in December, than it was when I tried it a few times earlier last year - but I suspect it still has a long way to go before enough stuff is rewritten for it, to make it a good steady replacement for X ('any' x, especially nice mature stuff like Compiz).

If Linux developers in general can stay ahead of costs and tightening of various goventmental controls on day to day content, The OS as a whole should simply keep growing. But with the likelihood of more systems being built with chips in them that can effectively censor our access to even relatively mundane content, and more and more content creators being lured by the promise of huge cash incentives to monetise their offerings. I post stuff all that is useful to anyone, but YouTube used to regularly ask me to monetise my channel. Likewise Google with a number of Blogs that I used to maintain.
Computer Operating Systems might also be sucked into the pay for it or lose it, trap . .

Which reminds me, it is getting close to Donation time . .

[MurphCID]

Agreed. For me, anyway, Linux has gone from the "Oooooh! Shiny!" to the stable satisfying software that I do not have to worry about. That bright shiny "Oooooh" factor has long since rubbed away.

[Hoser Rob]

I love KDE, it's been my go to for a decade, but I won't be trying Plasma 6 until they're a little further in their development cycle. That's the way KDE works. Maybe when the next Debian Stable version with Plasma 6 comes out.