Does anybody know if when using Windows on a computer but not paying for anything windows related: is windows/ Bill Gates profiting from it? Is it worth installing linux as a protest?
Does anybody know if when using Windows on a computer but not paying for anything windows related: is windows/ Bill Gates profiting from it? Is it worth installing linux as a protest?
Isn’t Ubuntu The most used distribution? How come it isn’t in your top three? Not judging, just wondering. It feels to me it’s reasonably user friendly and its large user base makes it the easiest to find support online for if you’re a Linux newbie.
But it is there. Both Linux Mint and Pop OS are based on Ubuntu. And these three distributions seems to be the most recommended, that I have seen. My personal issue with ubuntu itself is that it is a little bit rough around the edges and then there is this whole snap thing. But I don’t want to go into that here. It was just a recommendation and yes ubuntu is fine :)
Isn’t it’s KDE offshoot, Kubuntu also gaining more and more ground due to the growing distaste of Gnome that I’ve been hearing?
I honestly don’t know.
On Ubuntu:
https://lemm.ee/post/37682729
What are the problems with Ubuntu?
Ubuntu Linux is the most popular distribution but it uses the Gnome desktop by default, which many Windows users may find to be a stumbling block since it looks and acts nothing like the Windows desktop. The standard distribution of Linux Mint uses the Cinnamon desktop, which is much closer in look and feel to Windows, and it is based on Ubuntu so most users can benefit from the technical support of the Ubuntu community.
[Edit: corrected “Linux” to “Ubuntu Linux.” thanks grue@lemmy.world.]
You are right about linux mint, but I want to just add that I have been adding distro with Gnome to former windows users and there were no issues with usability. And those were people that are not very technical. I think Gnome does a great job when it comes to ux. But nowadays Gnome, Cinnamon, KDE and even not yet released Cosmic are so amazing I can’t believe how lucky we linux users are to have so many good choices.
That’s good to know and I’m happy you’ve had success moving users. Keep up the good work.
I think converting users to Linux tends to face three major issues:
A historical reputation for being hard to configure and use, even though that is generally no longer the case with mainstream distros.
Fear of the command line.
Decision paralysis due to the sheer number of options available for things like distro and desktop environment, and the fact that there are as many opinions as there are users. I’m an obvious example of this.
Technical people like me tend, I think, to appreciate the flexibility. Normals just want something that works immediately and without any fuss.
Thank you. Your points are… well… on point :D Especially with “and the fact that there are as many opinions as there are users” maybe that’s why we have so many distros.
I hope there will be more devices with linux out of the box in the future, because that is probably the number 1 enabler. We see it with steam deck, although its kinda special case. But that is a Linux device that people buy, use and often times without prior linux experience.
Just use Kubuntu.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of it or anything (especially because of the “snap” nonsense), but it is the easiest to get working because things like Steam officially support it.
Haha this should be a t-shirt 😀 How many times I saw a discussions recommending distros to newbies so many people saying “just use [enter your favorit distro]” 😀
Unfortunately that uses the Plasma desktop which looks similar but is much more complicated to (re)configure and less like Windows. It might drive a switcher away through frustration.
You don’t have to reconfigure it, though. I know it’s not a very “Linux-y” thing to say, but it really is okay to just install it and then leave it alone.
I myself have done basically nothing to my Plasma configuration except changing to a dark theme and setting my own wallpaper.
You make a very good point. I’m probably overthinking this. I actually use Plasma as my DE but have done some additional configuration and sometimes get frustrated at the number of options, and the difficulty of finding how to change them, for literally everything.