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I used to have a sign on my desk: To err is human. To totally fuck things up you need a computer.

I switched to apple (except for my PC which I rarely use anymore anyway). I’m shocked at the difference in user experience. Canceling my Microsoft subscription and my Google Drive subscription were lowkey nightmares, as were getting things reset because everything wants to use my old phone to ID me.

one of the many reasons phones are ubiquitous but computers are not quite

Microsoft tried to solve this in 2012 with their "Signature Series" PCs. They sold PCs from other manufacturers with a fresh install of Windows and none of the extra crap. It was killed after 5 years, probably to push the Surface brand and their own extra crap. web.archive.org/web/20120429...

Y'know, I'm reminded of the many comments I've seen to the effect of "kinda wild how only one generation [Millennials] learned to use computers." But the joke doesn't mention how part of that might be that one generation (Millennials) have ruined them since.

Stop blaming the computer!! From what you've written, it works well. Your beef is with the Operating System and software. I won't say "try Linux" but I use it for the reasons you complain about. Privacy is respected, terms of use are fair, and updates fast and easy. Complaining isn't a solution.

I would phrase it more as totally NOT compatible. I once tried to port over a sheet with lots of INDIRECT formula. It was not fun. And, last time I looked, the OO word predecessor still didn't have a way to search for a new paragraph mark

The penguin:

@swiftonsecurity.com secret identity exposed

I’m Linux Curious, but I don’t feel capable.

I concur, as a linux user. They don't think about the steps of making a bootable USB to install linux from and setting the computer to boot from it. Joe Average isn't going to get that done, he's going to get Windows with the computer and use it until Microsoft says it's time to buy a new one.

I set it up, mostly just a quick install of Ubuntu and VLC. That's literally it. I haven't touched it since.

Linux is a different flavour of "tech doesn't care about you"

Well then stop whining about a problem you obviously don't want to solve. It's not healthy. You've been told the solution.

It's Linux, but it's not GNU/Linux. You can still put Android on a desktop if you like it.

excuse me sir but do you have a moment to talk about the Lord Linux Christ's heavenly computing plan for YOU?

😹 really amazing andy™️ tbh

Every time someone tells you to install Linux, take a shot

they don’t know u

I'm a linux user & even use it exclusively. I'm currently writing this from my Thinkpad (ifykyk) and laughing up a god damn fit, we're truly the worst.

“You should install Linux” ‘But none of my extensive and important array of VBA scripts will work anymore. My job breaks.’ “You shouldn’t have written those scripts.”

Friend of mine who works in IT is trying to pick a laptop that suits his needs and the number of times he found something close in specs and build quality but has some sort of Linux driver issues is incredible. Certainly not something for anyone who just knows how to open chrome and word.

If you’re a programmer it’s like an endless bucket of candy tho is the weird thing

As much as Ed disagrees, I wonder if Windows 11 and Mac OS X are for "normal people." I think Ed and we in this thread might not be talking about "normal people" but a band of users between "normal" and "power." Don't want to sudo apt-get update but also don't want their desktop on OneDrive.

There was also that fun tummy-sliding game with the penguin! I think that's an important part of the Linux experience.

This is accurate. I was in the tech industry for 10 years, and now work with the public at a library. I have people come in who don't know how to tell what is a spam message, let alone mark it as spam. Throwing Linux at them is just cruel.

If you tried linux, you wouldn't experience the computer in a way that is actively harmful. It's more of a generalized passive harmful.

I use LINUX exclusively for a few things, like retro gaming and for VFX 3D rendering (Blender rendering software). Windows for general stuff.

Ed enters his fin-dom era, calling every network support tech on his subscribers list a "wet baby" and "speaker of the Devil's tongue," daring them to cancel his newsletter

So you just mock people who don't speak English?

This sort of thing always reminds me of this xkcd: xkcd.com/2501/

I've tried to explain this to other Linux people...your average person who mostly just uses a browser probably COULD use Linux now, especially with Steam's Proton stuff making gaming more compatible. But they need to be able to walk into Best Buy and get a pre installed Linux laptop.

It’s the same as people thinking I know how to do stuff just because I’m smart in a couple of very specific ways

in fairness, ubuntu is a preexisting word, but i suppose considering if youre encountering it in a tech context it will probably be devoid of its context as a non-english word so it makes sense that it'd sound weird

"Stop trying to tell me about Linux!" *everyone continues to discuss Linux in excruciatingly nit-picky detail*

You should consider Linux

everyone using linux is the cure (maybe) to the issue at hand. Telling HIM to use linux does precisely 0% to cure anything since HE already knows about it

Old tech, good tech.

Nobody has not used a computer running linux at this point, but usually just as an appliance of some sort. But as a general purpose desktop computer - I first started using Linux computers in about 1995 and I am using one this second - i agree that it's not for everybody.

Linux is great, but if you work in a business environment where everything is Windows - good luck with that.....

And the one time I asked for help on Mastodon, the prevailing response was, "Ubuntu?? There's your problem! Switch to <insert other distro> and you'll be fine!" I only used Ububtu because Mastodon said it's the best distro for Linux non-experts who don't have time/resources to become experts...

After Elon buys Bluesky, it might be.

lmao

ackshually it is GNU+Mastodon paleontologists have been up to some freaky shit lately

Are Linux Users the Vegans of Computers?

Linux powers the majority of embedded devices, so that is one of the things it's actually really good at.

because while most of the software is locked away from the user, there have been a few times when I've need to dig into it, like when she upgraded the machine, and it's been very difficult to navigate.

Phones are running Linux because they needed to be low power which meant ARM processors and, among other reasons, Windows simply did not support ARM in 2007.

If you can blast your opinions on a public forum I can too

But Ed this is the year it will happen! Linux on the Desktop! Or Laptop as the case may be!

C’mon folks, the results are in, we know what kind of interface people respond to! All setup and config flows should come in the form of a TikTok feed from now on.

Linus Torvalds didn't make the mascot a penguin stuffed with fish for you to call them "sickly"! 😄 Also Red Hat Linux literally stopped development in 2004

I agree! I’m on multiple social media platforms, have built computers in my past, can install any program. Ppl shouldn’t pick ONE “safe platform.”. Texh companies will defeat them all, as they have done in the past. Regulation could help, but a GOP Congress will sell us all out.

Man, this not much has changed since 3 Dead Trolls and a Baggie wrote “Every OS Sucks” ‘I'd trade it in, yeah right... for what? It's top of the line from the Compuhut. The fridge, stove and toaster, never crash on me, I should be able to get online, without a PHD.’ youtu.be/CPRvc2UMeMI?...

There’s also a fox lady.

"have gone 38 years without learning anything" is hell. I believe "normal" people learn from their pain.

OUAT when I was young and cute, I was bouncing through the halls at work and saw two dudes,one of which was wearing a Linux shirt. I said "it's Tux!" and kept walking. I heard "See, SHE knew who it was" and the most disgusted sigh from his friend. As close to installing it as I ever got.

My "Ubuntu" reply agrees with this, it would take a much better dedicated vendor, I'm just saying there's a market opening, not that it's better now!

Heck, I'm far from normal, but I bounced off of Linux pretty hard. I tried, but it just wasn't going to happen.

you just described the Linux update process, actually

This kind of response makes me suspect Tony Pizza's choice of toppings as well

I have a PhD in CS and Linux still frequently frustrates my troubleshooting skills. A few months ago an attempted upgrade to Ubuntu 24 corrupted my bootloader! I don't think I could reproduce how I fixed it for a million dollars!

Nix: The Land Value Tax of package managers/Distros

25 yrs ago I co-taught a class for normies on how to surf the web. My co-instructor opened AOL, connected and loaded that hell portal. I then minimized the window and opened Netscape Navigator. My co-instructor was floored. "I didn't know you could do that." she said. Little has changed.

I've dual booted several laptops but on my most recent bought a System76 laptop with Linux preinstalled. Nice to open up a laptop and not have to immediately wipe the machine and hope that the hardware wasn't too new for the drivers to be caught up. Normal people don't want to compile a wifi driver.

Came here to post this

Yeah I agree. Normal people only use Windows or MacOS. Linux basically doesn't exist for most of the populace.

Linux people are the vegans of tech comment sections.

Maybe you should switch to BeOS.

If you haven’t done it by now, don’t bother.

i'm sorry Ed. bsky.app/profile/pile...

If you cared about the mascot you’d be using FreeBSD.

Normal is inadequate.

This was long before "app stores" etc.

Listen I respect your wishes about Linux but the penguin is at least sometimes cute.

Fun fact: the fully guided but annoying and confusing setup flow that is making you want to rip your hair out was probably designed and implemented without a trace of irony by someone who thinks rolling your own Linux install & config is no big deal.

What's truly amusing about this thread + all these replies is that "normal people" would find a system76 laptop easier to use than a Mac or Windows PC

Those of use with a steam deck do! It's actually been a really good experience the thing just works and I can play my funny animal people cult game in my recliner.

If you want to talk in public about eternal damnation, you should expect the fundamentalists to show up with Good News™️

As someone who’s dabbled with Linux for 20 years… it’s never been a smooth experience. Something will always break and you’ll spend days looking at old message boards trying to fix shit.

Bite your tongue! Linux has Ubuntu which is a superior working environment to everything else

Calling Linus Torvalds an ass would have gone better for you.

The idea that a clean Linux install is the solution to difficult to use entry level laptops for Americans who just want to do thing like print recipes and browse Facebook is ridiculous.

Linux talk is so exhausting like you just bought a vacuum and people are trying to tell you to dismantle it and re-engineer the motor No I just want to vacuum

I use Arch, btw.

Every so often I install it as a trial. And then within 20 minutes go back to Windows, because there's some things you just can't do without the Terminal, and I don't even know what to Google because everything is so different.

i still remember reading that bill gates email to microsoft complaining about how the new OS was too slow and unresponsive (XP? ME? I can't remember)

Microsoft has been doing this for years with Word. It’s fucking infuriating