@david_chisnall Thank you.

@david_chisnall It also doesn't take into consideration those that might have to remain on Windows (work computer, particular software in use, or whatever).

@x0 @david_chisnall Ah, the hole install linux thing eh?

@david_chisnall

One of the best things about the Linux environment is the total lack of slick marketing campaigns which is replaced by user's genuine feelings about the OS.

Give the FOSS community HALF the marketing budget of Microsoft or Google or Apple and the 'message' might be more coherent.

I take your point though, but I suggest 'it's the nature of the beast' with word-of-mouth 'marketing'.

@david_chisnall I feel like I can’t go five minutes without running into rabid Haiku propaganda like this online

@david_chisnall I think "Install Linux" is the computer nerd equivalent to "Git gud" and just about as helpful.

@david_chisnall Excellent point.

On here I follow a bunch of techies who seem very knowledgeable and experienced. And somehow it's never them who say "just install Linux".

Instead, it's almost always people who play with technology more than they work with it. (Nothing wrong with playing of course, just don't be a dick about it.)

@david_chisnall I switched recently from Windows 10 to Linux. I was fortunate enough to have an older computer that I could load things on and play with before doing my main PC. I read how everyone LOVES Mint but I absolutely did not. I tried four or five OS options before settling on Kubuntu, which to me was quite intuitive. Although the idea of "Try Linux" is great, you honestly cannot tell a whole lot until you can customize it and that requires an install. DistroSea.com has a bunch to try and it was helpful to try some. Some you could look at and easily say "NO". The actual install was not that bad once I found all the actual steps but I can honestly say it took a few days to get the first one installed. Once I had all the right steps, they went pretty quick and I could swap one out in about an hour but the first one was incredibly frustrating. I am relatively techy so can imagine the frustration for someone less so. My husband would never be able to do it on his own with the information readily available.
Some Linux apps are available for Windows so people can try them before making the switch. Libre Office and Open Office, many browsers are. Several things on my computer required console installs and many people are not comfortable doing things that way.

@david_chisnall I can totally relate. The Mac cult on Twitter was like this.

https://mastodon.social/@jackyan/115466374699893566

@david_chisnall all i hear is blah blah linux users suck for being right blah blah blah

@david_chisnall 100% agree. Even I, someone with various flavors of Linux on different computers am having a hard time switching to Linux on my main computer (a Mac).

Installing Linux isn’t the hard part, finding suitable alternatives to all my Mac applications is.

@david_chisnall "How about you get a Commodore?"

@david_chisnall And what is your solution to the “Windows-problems”?

@david_chisnall cool, I've never heard of Haiku. I'll install it in a VM tomorrow, to see what it is. Thanks for the recommendation

@david_chisnall I use arch, btw

@david_chisnall Agreed, I've been noticing a sharp rise in Linux and FOSS evangelists lately.

@david_chisnall every time I search the net for solutions to problems I have with Linux, I realise that the Linux community at large is the greatest blocker to wider Linux adoption.

@david_chisnall As a former windows user, and there are many of us, Linux and LibreOffice are viable replacements for their alternatives. Not sure what is wrong with this quite timely information.

@david_chisnall Varying the distance:
Problems with #ubuntu? Install #alpinelinux.
Problems with Linux? Install #OpenBSD.

@david_chisnall Never understood why people do this.

It's cult behavior and childish at the same time.

@david_chisnall "Get a Mac/install Windows, why are you making your life hard?" is my current favorite go to reply atm but maybe I should ask them to install a BSD or Haiku, yes