[Solved] Linux as a desktop OS has low acceptance

[deepakdeshp]

Linux desktop has a wide variety of distribution like Mint, Ubuntu, damn small ,puppy, Fedora
Then there are many desktops like Cinnamon XFCE, GNOME etc. Having so much choice is confusing which prevents competing with Windows. Hence this wide variety is not a good point for Linux

Whhat is your opinion ?

[Pierre]

in general - - that's a correct statement.


it seems that the general computer user,
is geared to That Other Operating System,
& when that crashes / dies - then they just buy another .. ..
or - if they are a somewhat offside to that,
then they will pay Even More for another Locked Down replacement.


very few, ever get so disillusioned that they start looking for Any Alternative.
& even less people, will find the LinuxMint system, or even these Forums.

[deepakdeshp]

very few, ever get so disillusioned that they start looking for Any Alternative.
& even less people, will find the LinuxMint system, or even these Forums.

Thank you for your response. It is only familiarity with the Ms software and the wide spread reach of MS which stops the spread of excellent distros like Mint.

[Habitual]

Whhat is your opinion ?

Since you asked...
Point. click. What's confusing?
Linux is not "competing" with Windows.
"wide variety" is what we call Choice, freedom to choose.
And you have quite a few more than you did on any other OS.

For the small price of a "free" General Admission Ticket and some competency,
Linux is a Backstage / All Access Pass.

That is my opinion.
Thank you for asking.

Get you some!

[deepakdeshp]

Whhat is your opinion ?

Since you asked...
Point. click. What's confusing?
Linux is not "competing" with Window

Get you some!

Thank you for the reply. Such a world class os with so much freedom should have a big user base but there is no finanvcal muscle behind it. There should be no need to contest but it should be in favor of Linux without any competition from MS..

[sathish stifler]

linux is always better then windows for security vice .

[deepakdeshp]

But the Linux device drivers arent as good as windows drivers.

I can acess samsung mobile on windows but not on Mint. Sound is Louder than mint in windows.Even wi fi is stronger in windows.

I am a Linux fan but fhe abive are the facts

[Cosmo.]

Another fact: The bad support for Linux drivers is in the responsibility of the hardware manufacturers. In Linux they have to be made by re-engineering, a cumbersome and time-consuming process.

[MintBean]

Choice is good. I try to gently convert people to Linux. I don't force people and I keep it reasonable. For example, if their machine is starting to chug, I analyse their use case and if there's no Windows specific software they need I recommend mint and show it to them on one of my machines. To date I haven't converted a single user. They're so seemingly enthusiastic, but when it comes down to it their story changes and suddenly that problematic Windows install isn't so bad after all.

You are right that if Linux was more focussed it would attract more Windows users. Unfortunately, you would end up with an exact copy of Windows and all the problems that come with it, because that's all the majority would accept- a free version of Windows.

[Moem]

It's true that there are a lot of distros, but if you do a search for 'linux beginners' you are very likely to find Mint. And yes, there are four versions of Mint, but if you simply do what seems most recommended, and install the flagship DE, then you end up in a pretty decent spot. So I don't really see the multitude of distros as a problem and I don't think it's a major cause for the low acceptance. Sure, it probably contributes, but it doesn't seem logical to me that this would be THE problem.

Also I think that Mintbean makes some good points. A Linux distro that would be optimally tailored to the needs of Windows users would definitely not be acceptable to many, many Linux users.

[linuxviolin]

Choice is good.

Yes, but too many choices kills the choice!

Without talking about different problems and incompatibilities and other things between distros, desktops...

[deepakdeshp]

You are right that if Linux was more focussed it would attract more Windows users. Unfortunately, you would end up with an exact copy of Windows and all the problems that come with it, because that's all the majority would accept- a free version of Windows.

But Mint is a winner because it offers a familiar interface to Windows. Linux needs to win over Windows users as they are so many in number for which it should have similar interface to Windows, IMHO Linux can never be a free version of Windows, the entire design of both being so different.

Linux is such a nice distro in so many aspects yet it has a miniscule user base.

[deepakdeshp]

Another fact: The bad support for Linux drivers is in the responsibility of the hardware manufacturers. In Linux they have to be made by re-engineering, a cumbersome and time-consuming process.

The hardware manufacturers will not spend money for a low percentage of users. They do this because Windows is so widely used. One reason of Linux low usage is driver limitations. It is like catch 22 situation , there does not seem to be any solution for the same.

[deepakdeshp]

Whhat is your opinion ?

Since you asked...
Point. click. What's confusing?
Linux is not "competing" with Windows.

Linux is a winner and actually should not be competing. It is Windows shich should not be in a position to compete with all its limitations. But the situation is exactly opposite and that is life.

[Habitual]

Linux is a winner and actually should not be competing.

Is not competing.

So far, you're the only one in this thread who says it is.
I remember my first time.

[Cosmo.]

It is like catch 22 situation , there does not seem to be any solution for the same.

The more people use Linux the more Linux gets important for the manufacturers and vendors. That means, informing yourself beforehand(!) about the Linux-compatibility of the hardware you are planning to buy and omitting the ignorant products helps in a double sense: Less stress for the user, more stress for the manufacturers, who are anyway crying since some time, that Windows is no longer able to act as a purchase incentive, as it was in the past.

[Rebel Dog]

I agree, but its nice to be able to pic and choose, I have been a Ubuntu guy for years, got the T Shirt, Coffee Cup,,,now I drive a Mint Rosa,,,,,things change

[daveinuk]

Linux desktop has a wide variety of distribution like Mint, Ubuntu, damn small ,puppy, Fedora
Then there are many desktops like Cinnamon XFCE, GNOME etc. Having so much choice is confusing which prevents competing with Windows. Hence this wide variety is not a good point for Linux

Whhat is your opinion ?

Nope . . . . . the difference is that windows comes pre-installed on almost every PC or laptop in the shops. . . . . . .

[deepakdeshp]

It is like catch 22 situation , there does not seem to be any solution for the same.

The more people use Linux the more Linux gets important for the manufacturers and vendors. That means, informing yourself beforehand(!) about the Linux-compatibility of the hardware you are planning to buy and omitting the ignorant products helps in a double sense:

Unfortunately the converts to Linux are very few. How I wish it would win its rightful place with a wider user base.
May be free is not good . A valuable thing available for free is seen as worthless by the users .

It is considered an os of the geeks which is sometines true if you see the no. of strange commands and big man pages. No flexibility and control is what a common user likes.OS should be plain and simple according ro him ,never mind if it is buggy and virus prone.

[sikejsudjek]

I don't think the drivers are as big a problem any more. I have problems with drivers and windows 10 - ironically some hardware I have works better in linux now. Windows users have to check if hardware works with their version of windows too. They also have to contend with being spied on.

If people think free software means it won't be any good, then frankly they are idiots and deserve to pay a lot of money for apple instead ! Google chrome is free - no one is complaining about that as a browser, or VLC or Firefox.

The percentage of users is small - but it isn't minuscule. Nor are the long term prospects poor. Valve plus AMD, Intel and Nvidia are all backing gaming with Vulcan, which has the potential to revolutionise Linux gaming. Microsoft has hacked off a lot of people over the last few years, and having major IT firms backing Vulcan might well be a game changer - literally ! Valve don't want windows to wall off windows store and shut out steam, and game developers what something that is less costly to develop cross platform gaming.