Andy Young, an ex-Microsoft senior software engineer, posted a message on X/Twitter bemoaning that even with his $1,600 Core i9 CPU and 128 GB of RAM, Windows...
Well I haven’t used Windows in years, so I really can’t compare. I’ve been using different distros over the years (lately PopOS) and it’s really become much better in terms of hardware compatibility. There are some distros that are user friendly and work out of the box like that. I think linux has the reputation of being an OS for techies, so people find it intimidating. But if we look at Windows interfaces nowadays they are not as simple as e.g. Windows XP used to be.
But that’s the entire point. The windows UI is still easy, especially for people that have always used windows. There have only been gradual changes. :)
And to slap in an anecdote, I am quite proficient with everything IT related. I try installing Linux once a year on average, in general I try to recommended “noob distros” . I always go back to windows after a few weeks at best. You really have to make an big effort to fully go to Linux. I end up spending more time dealing with the OS itself than doing the stuff I want.
I can absolutely see the appeal of it, but I don’t enjoy it :)
I am trying to think of things that are difficult for using something like Linux mint vs my last Windows install. If we are taking about doing a full, clean install of both, I think my last Windows install was way worse.
Mint installed and just detected everything I was using without a problem. I had to tweak some minor things to get it to display on the 4K TV I am using in my living room, and there are still some games that don’t play nicely with Linux.
The Windows install, on the other hand, required me to get drivers for the video card, WIFI, and a few other things to get all the hardware to work right. Then getting it how I like it took longer than I like and I had to visit multiple sites to get all my preferred software.
Well I haven’t used Windows in years, so I really can’t compare. I’ve been using different distros over the years (lately PopOS) and it’s really become much better in terms of hardware compatibility. There are some distros that are user friendly and work out of the box like that. I think linux has the reputation of being an OS for techies, so people find it intimidating. But if we look at Windows interfaces nowadays they are not as simple as e.g. Windows XP used to be.
But that’s the entire point. The windows UI is still easy, especially for people that have always used windows. There have only been gradual changes. :)
And to slap in an anecdote, I am quite proficient with everything IT related. I try installing Linux once a year on average, in general I try to recommended “noob distros” . I always go back to windows after a few weeks at best. You really have to make an big effort to fully go to Linux. I end up spending more time dealing with the OS itself than doing the stuff I want.
I can absolutely see the appeal of it, but I don’t enjoy it :)
I am trying to think of things that are difficult for using something like Linux mint vs my last Windows install. If we are taking about doing a full, clean install of both, I think my last Windows install was way worse.
Mint installed and just detected everything I was using without a problem. I had to tweak some minor things to get it to display on the 4K TV I am using in my living room, and there are still some games that don’t play nicely with Linux.
The Windows install, on the other hand, required me to get drivers for the video card, WIFI, and a few other things to get all the hardware to work right. Then getting it how I like it took longer than I like and I had to visit multiple sites to get all my preferred software.