There’s always some post in here saying for people to use Linux. I find an admonishment to be pretty hollow, so I’ll share my recent experience installing a Linux distribution rather than simply saying it’s something people should do.
I installed one of the many Debian variants. Getting the installation media is certainly going to be a challenge for casual users. Otherwise, it was easy. It walked through the steps. It was different from installing windows, but I felt it was no more difficult. I am well versed in this stuff, but I feel like nothing in the installation process would be a problem for a casual computer user.
It offered several desktops programs at the login screen. This could likely throw off a lot of people. However, if you just logged in and ignored that you might never even know there were different options. The default was KDE. Everything worked. Nothing needed to be tweaked. This is in starck contrast to Windows, where once you get past installation, you need to get rid of a ton of crap it throws at you. The Windows 10 start menu is an unbelievable collection of weird boxes and shit and the task bar is similarly full of junk. The KDE start menu is just a menu. The task bar has your tasks. There’s nothing to do.
I did try Cinnamon too. I prefer the simplicity. I don’t think casual users are going to care.
Overall, I think for casual users, it’s actually easier to set up and use than Windows. Getting installation media prepared is not something most people are going to readily do, but I think it’s the same with Windows. They have the advantage there of having manufacturors install it. Otherwise, whatever issues there have been installing Linux distributions in the past aren’t there now. Conversely, installing and especially the configuration after installation is much harder on Windows than it used to be. If you’re slightly tech savvy, give Linux a try.
I really enjoy there being a natural filter through this process. I’d rather people who lack the willpower or cognitive capacity to complete an install be kept within the confines of Windows.
Elitism and gatekeeping from a linux user? Nah, never, I must have misread
I no longer view gatekeeping necessarily as a bad thing. In fact, it can be sometimes be necessary to preserve communities.
I’ve also learned over the years that the only people who succeed in migrating to linux are those who both considerably desire to do so while also having a level of technical competency somewhere north of average. Anyone else is just being strung along by a “helpful” linux evangelist in their family or friends group, and will ultimately drop the solution at the first sign of trouble and frustration.
Aaand … it’s ads. What a surprise.
That’s not an ad
There’s no apparent way to disable the Microsoft 365 account manager in the Start menu, and there’s no option to deactivate the constant nagging to upgrade to a paid Microsoft 365 subscription.
Sounds like an ad to me.
It’s a button to manage your Microsoft account that you signed into windows with. It’s not shocking that it has an option to upgrade said account
Edit:
- I don’t use windows, stop assuming things about me
- Everything you don’t like or don’t use isn’t an ad. This is no different than Gmail and Google chrome having Google drive integration.
- Microsoft has been forcing people to use online accounts for windows login, so it’s only natural for the account button to let you manage it as well.
- This isn’t an endorsement or a value judgement.
If you’re gunna simp for something you could at least have the self-respect to choose a thing that isn’t openly unstable dogshit.
Sounds like they are advertising a paid option.
It’s not Microsofts account for starters, its also not their computer. Its a user account on the customers computer.
Linux mint doesn’t try and steal your content to train an AI. It’s also a much nicer experience in a lot of ways
^ This
I don’t use windows, stop assuming things about me
Seems a bit silly to comment confidently on changes happening within Windows that you don’t experience then, no?
That didn’t happen.
And if it did, it wasn’t that bad. <–
And if it was, that’s not a big deal.
And if it is, that’s not Microsoft’s fault.
And if it was, they didn’t mean it.
And if they did, you deserved it.
