Why don't more people use Linux?
world.hey.com
A couple of weeks ago, I saw a tweet asking: "If Linux is so good, why aren't more people using it?" And it's a fair question! It intuitively rings true until you give it a moment's consideration. Linux is even free, so what's stopping mass adoption, if it's actually better? My response: “If exercising is so healthy, why don't more peo...

Stumbled across this quick post recently and thought it was a really good tale and worth sharing.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a tweet asking: “If Linux is so good, why aren’t more people using it?” And it’s a fair question! It intuitively rings true until you give it a moment’s consideration. Linux is even free, so what’s stopping mass adoption, if it’s actually better? My response:

  • If exercising is so healthy, why don’t more people do it?
  • If reading is so educational, why don’t more people do it?
  • If junk food is so bad for you, why do so many people eat it?

The world is full of free invitations to self-improvement that are ignored by most people most of the time. Putting it crudely, it’s easier to be fat and ignorant in a world of cheap, empty calories than it is to be fit and informed. It’s hard to resist the temptation of minimal effort.

And Linux isn’t minimal effort. It’s an operating system that demands more of you than does the commercial offerings from Microsoft and Apple. Thus, it serves as a dojo for understanding computers better. With a sensei who keeps demanding you figure problems out on your own in order to learn and level up.

Now I totally understand why most computer users aren’t interested in an intellectual workout when all they want to do is browse the web or use an app. They’re not looking to become a black belt in computing fundamentals.

But programmers are different. Or ought to be different. They’re like firefighters. Fitness isn’t the purpose of firefighting, but a prerequisite. You’re a better firefighter when you have the stamina and strength to carry people out of a burning building on your shoulders than if you do not. So most firefighters work to be fit in order to serve that mission.

That’s why I’d love to see more developers take another look at Linux. Such that they may develop better proficiency in the basic katas of the internet. Such that they aren’t scared to connect a computer to the internet without the cover of a cloud.

Besides, if you’re able to figure out how to setup a modern build pipeline for JavaScript or even correctly configure IAM for AWS, you already have all the stamina you need for the Linux journey. Think about giving it another try. Not because it is easy, but because it is worth it.

  • highball@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    2 days ago

    Long time Linux user here. I’m definitely in the Linux just works camp. That’s why I use it. I do see some of the posts, “I have to spend an hour fixing my computer running one of the most user friendly distros every single time the power goes out”, I know you are being tongue and cheek but some of the posts sound like they haven’t tried Linux for 20 years, some sound like they never tried Linux and they are just repeating some stereotype from 30 years ago. The ones that seem legit, seem more like they just didn’t have compatible hardware or only partial supported hardware.

    A lot of recent Linux hardware compatibility has come from OEMs trying to save money on WHQL certification costs from Microsoft. They are all reusing the same chipsets. Then someone like Intel or AMD writes a Linux driver for that chipset and suddenly a bunch of machines that have that device become more compatible. That’s given the new Windows converts a false reality. Then they say, ‘yeah, install, it’s great (which it is)’. To be fair, it does seem like most hardware is supported these days (it surprises me), but it’s not quite that good yet. Just make sure your hardware is compatible before you install. You can create the install media and boot the entire OS off the install media before you ever install and you can see if your hardware works or not. Just remember, if you have slow install media, Linux would be slow running initially.

    Also, Nvidia is not fully supported with all configurations yet (mostly laptop from what I understand). Nvidia is making a lot of ground over the last year. So just keep that in mind.