When did you start to realize Linux will never become the future of desktop computing?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Millions of people can love Linux, but it is hundreds of millions of people that want a consistent experience and were willing to pay MS for that.

Windows? Consistant?

MS ethics and corporate tactics aside.

Sure it was. Each series of Windows, whether it was the 3 series, or 95, 98, 98SE, 2K, 7, 8, and later series kept enough GUI and other MS program similarities that users and the corporate world could easily transition from from series to the next. That is at the desktop and server level.

Maybe you thought the transitions were easy. The transition from Win 7 to Win 8 was more shockingly different than going from Win 7 to Mint 19.1. The there was the almost about face from 8.0 to 8.1.

[t42]

...
Nowadays, all I want is to make my installation to work with less hassle.

I no longer think Linux will take the top spot in desktop computing anytime in the future.

It's quite depressing approach (you may conclude from such wording that ChromeOS is an evolution ideal), but about what it is all about? What is a 'desktop computing' and how it's different from 'laptop computing' (nicely explained above) and how it is different from a 'workstation computing'? I'm with those who said they consider their Linux desktop is a perfect one, it allows me to do anything I need unlike the other OS where my hands are cuffed. I think, "the future" in the subject line is depending more on other things and social tendencies and less on Linux intrinsic properties.

[KMD2023]

This question is for those of you who honestly thought Linux would be the future of desktop.
...

Linux may not be 'the' future of desktop, but it is 'my' future of desktop. I'm done with the spying and/or being force-fed what some corporation marketing types (M$ and Apple), think I want or need.

I am enjoying reading everyone's posts on this topic. It's a good post topic OP, thanks.

[motoryzen]

My reply evolving just me.... Never... Because since july 28 2020... It has been my new home and I still to this day. Could not be happier

I am still learning new things thanks to excellent people on this forum sight including but of course, not limited to..

smg, axrusar, AndyMH, xenopeek, all41, sleeper12, moem, pjtor, linux-rox and many more.

In my earlier days of usimg windows, Regardless of the version,I tried to search for Help online. I would either get in competent people from India. Who keep regurgitating the same call center book dead in nonsense. Or unfortunately find no one that knew how to resolve the problem.

However, am I shorter time of using linux mint.... Thanks to the help of the people i've listed above and some others too I feel like i've truly grown as a much more competent computer user

[spamegg]

...Nothing will ever beat what a good REAL desktop (PC in terms of raw performance, easy of repair AND customize-ability .... ) can do...

That's the way I feel too. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one using a desktop when everyone else is on their phone or here at the Mint Forums on their laptops. My wife has a laptop and I can't type on it, the keyboard is to flat and compact, I need a full size keyboard. Of course I could use a full size keyboard with a laptop buy why? I don't need to take my computer to the grocery or hardware store so don't need a laptop...and I do like the fact that I can switch out desktop components or upgrade it. I've had only two computers since 2000 both desktops, both kept working by upgrading them. I know most don't use desktops these days, but there's still fans and I'm one.

I'm glad there are still some desktop lovers like me!

[Hoser Rob]

Linux is unlikely to ever be a mature product with a major market share.

That's a pretty rich statement, considering that Linux absolutely dominates supercomputing, servers, the cloud, the "Internet of Things" ("smart" devices, cars), and even smartphones (Android). And has done so for years. Thanks for the laugh. ...

Note that none of the items on that list include desktops (or laptops), which is what this is about and what the OP was referring to .

I have never thought that Linux would be "the future of desktop computing". It's ridiculous. No Linux distro has the resources, not even Red Hat.

There is such a thing as Linux for the non techie masses, ie. Apple OS (both desktop and mobile), Android, and Chrome OS. Android and Chrome OS use a patched version of Gentoo kernels. Apple uses a Unix plug in compatible kernel and is very similar to Linux, as Steve Jobs said himself. They did have the resources to make Unix sell to the masses, in which GNU/Linux has failed dismally. And they largely did so by replacing the entire Linux graphics stack.

[spamegg]

I have never thought that Linux would be "the future of desktop computing". It's ridiculous. No Linux distro has the resources, not even Red Hat.

Exactly, that's just silly!

Linux desktop will still have improvements / innovation, some of which will get picked up by Windows / Mac. I just looked at Plasma 6 and it's very nice. Windows will keep taking from that like they have in the past.

[Dullard du Jour]

I have never thought that Linux would be "the future of desktop computing". It's ridiculous. No Linux distro has the resources, not even Red Hat.

Exactly, that's just silly!

Linux desktop will still have improvements / innovation, some of which will get picked up by Windows / Mac. I just looked at Plasma 6 and it's very nice. Windows will keep taking from that like they have in the past.

Dedicated desktop user, even have an old HP Pavilion laptop that I would put Mint on except it has a BIOS that does not permit booting from a USB port.

I have been hearing about the death desktop computers for years. About 9 or so years ago I wrote some themes/skins for a popular forum software. Everyone said to include the code for cell phones and tablets because the world was going to that and in a few years, that is all that will be left. I shook my head in disbelief, and never bothered to put the code in for cell phones. It was a true PITA and eventually we found out that most folks were using the regular website on cellphones and tablets anyway.

I am in the midst of building another desktop to put a second Linux on, I will always have a desktop, up until the day I shrug off the mortal coil.

[Hoser Rob]

I think a lot of people here don't seem to realize that when they see all these tech articles about Linux and the desktop, they are talking about desktop v. server. Desktop in this usage includes laptops.

[Dan-cer]

I have not read the previous posts and am responding to the initial question.
For me, the first thing is: never say "never".
1. Android is based on Linux.
2. many servers are Linux (whether it is the majority, I don't know.)
3. the fact that Microsoft and Apple won the race initially is clearly due to the political circumstances. They can change.
BTW: In comparison with Windows 10 or 11 is Linux Mint Cinnamon much better, even in optics, handling and structure. (Win7 was quite good, maybe the best so far)

Conclusion: We could agree to revisit this question in 5 - 10 years.

[spamegg]

I have been hearing about the death desktop computers for years.

Yeah I never meant to say that it's dead / going to die; but it's significantly less of a focus for the companies compared to the past (or more specialized / niche focus like "gaming" PCs / hardware). I hope I wasn't misunderstood. Desktops (I'm excluding laptops) will always exist, at least for businesses / offices, but consumer desktop PCs are becoming more of a niche (gaming etc.), rather than a mass consumer thing for the normal average person with average use cases (most people use their phones and it's good enough, or they use laptops).

Now for the "desktop" as in "desktop PC" versus "desktop" as in "desktop OS / GUI"... yes technically laptops also use a desktop OS / GUI but it's not exactly the same. In the past GUIs were made more toward a "proper desktop usage" with a proper mouse and large monitor / keyboard; laptops led to different GUI designs which moved away a bit. Especially latest laptops having touchscreens, or tablet/laptop hybrid type devices. The focus definitely shifted towards GUI for tablet/laptops/phones (because that's what sells / is more expensive) and "true desktop" stalled or regressed because of it (like Windows 8 + later). Again I hope I wasn't misunderstood (it's too difficult to spell everything out in detail).

And again as I was saying, desktop GUI (not laptop) innovation happens in the hands of the small enthusiasts who still care about "the old school desktop" (for lack of a better term), like Mint devs, Plasma devs, etc. whereas some others (like MATE, Xfce) try to preserve it without changing / innovating. I'm probably gonna get misunderstood again...

[151tom]

Leave Linux be.
Linux is fine where it is.
Linux don't need to become the desktop of the future.
Don't understand why people want Linux to be the desktop of the future.
The day Linux becomes the desktop of the future is the day Linux becomes a polluted OS.

[Neophyte]

I knew Linux was the future when I installed it for my parents and friends, and they happily kept using it rather than trying to immediately get back on Windows. Flatpak will also make it even easier since flatpak will handle dependencies for you.

The biggest push, however with be from MS themselves. They will discontinue Win 10, and many people's PC will be unable to use Win 11.

[spamegg]

Leave Linux be.
Linux is fine where it is.
Linux don't need to become the desktop of the future.
Don't understand why people want Linux to be the desktop of the future.
The day Linux becomes the desktop of the future is the day Linux becomes a polluted OS.

[ajgreeny]

<snip>
Then for what ever reasons, Linux started getting less user-friendly. I now have to figure out missing packages and install them, or find and learn next-level config settings to make things work like they used to. Flatpak and similar bloatware are now getting pushed. Installs now tend to fail or won't start at all.
<snip>

You make it sound as if you didn't have to search for missing packages in Windows; not my situation as far as I remember, though it was a long time ago, not having used Windows for 19 years.

Windows was the OS and nothing else; you didn't get an office suite but had to pay for that. OK, it may have been part of your deal but it wasn't part of Windows.
You didn't get any good image editor such as GIMP, which inspite of being different to PS comes free and installed in many Linux systems.
And as for using a phone (or even a tablet) to write anything of length --- ugh! No thank you, not for me.

[MiZoG]

Leave Linux be.
Linux is fine where it is.
Linux don't need to become the desktop of the future.
Don't understand why people want Linux to be the desktop of the future.
The day Linux becomes the desktop of the future is the day Linux becomes a polluted OS.

Linux as OS for "nerds" and "purists" would have been simply unimportant. Linux has been important because it has a real impact on the world.
Debate over the future of desktop has a meaning when we speak about "viable" alternatives to dominant OSes for the... many.

[TaterChip]

Next, the desktop will be infected with AI integration.
My opinion is that the future of desktop is quite bleak in terms of
user friendliness, usability, features, and overall "fun" and "pleasantness".
We had a sort-of "golden era" in late 90s-early 2000s-2010s and now it's over.

That seems to be the direction of win12. I'd rather go back to pen and paper, than deal with AI taking over my machine..... no thanks.

[TaterChip]

Probably 2000. But what Spamegg said as well. Linux is still too much of a "tinkerers OS" and not ready for those who just want to turn it on and have it work.

While I have done my fair share of tinkering on my journey of switching (mostly other distros)

Mint has been the closest I have come to "just workin" straight out of the box. Hats off to the devs of Mint.

[TaterChip]

Probably 2000. But what Spamegg said as well. Linux is still too much of a "tinkerers OS" and not ready for those who just want to turn it on and have it work.

Murph,

Not sure I agree. I use Linux everyday for both work and play and it just works for me. I learned some time ago to "tinker" inside of a VM so not to trash my main machine.

I am starting to learn that lesson

I started dipping my toes in Linux back in the early 2000s, but it really did not work for me until about 3 or 4 years ago. I realized that I could do everything I need to do in Linux and made the switch permanently. So for me it was actually the future of desktop computing.

Bob

For me as well. I was finally able to make the switch last year, so linux is my future of desktop computing as well.

[TaterChip]

Desktop has been declining in general, also on Windows and Mac.
The fact is, we live in a phone world now

I couldn't care any less what the majority of individual's prefer and say so with their wallets or more applicably, unfortunately..., they're credit cards.

Nothing will ever beat what a good REAL desktop (PC in terms of raw performance, easy of repair AND customize-ability .... ) can do.

There have been a few OEM's try to make a laptop be as big or good as a desktop.and still fail

There have been plenty of attempts for a desktop PC to be as power efficient AND use the same or less power than the laptop-same-costing counter part...but still fails in one or two piece of that comparison

Yes..smartphones have improved in terms of great gaming capabilities, but your dime a doze hardcore gamers AREN'T gaming on a sub 8 inch screen in their hands for fps shooters and L.O.L. type games nor a pretty heavy variety of other gaming genre's save for maybe more classic titles from decades ago that don't require fast-variety input.

Laptops have their place
Desktops have their place
Smartphones have their place

So many people have been saying for literally decades " the desktop is dying". And yet.I'm STILL seeing plenty of cpu and gpu varieties from intel, nvidia, and AMD. This also doesn't include the little by little traction that RISC V is gaining per Wendell from Level1techs across the years.

So..sorry..Desktops aren't dying....they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

I used to be strictly PC because I could build them, then I got my first laptop, and I haven't built our bought another tower. I like the battery backup capabilities since our electric company sucks. Now that we live a mobile life the smaller form factor of a laptop just makes since.

I am looking at the future though. When my MSI gaming laptop dies... do I pay big money for a Linux based laptop, or just buy another NUC and mount it to the back of my 27" monitor since it will most likely do everything I need. Either way I will be running desktop until the very end. I hate trying to do things on my phone. If we ever stop traveling, then I will most like go back to a dumb phone, or go phoneless. I suspect there are others here that can relate. Fort the first part of my life there wasn't cell phones. I can easily go back to that. The main downside is there aren't payphones that you can walk to when you break down.

In contrast, my wife spends most of her time on her fruity tablet or phone.