Thats a hardware related annoyance that I’ve even seen on commercially distributed versions of Linux, and if it were set up correctly, you wouldn’t have even noticed (aside from a bunch of scrolling text during the next boot when the new kernel was loaded). I had a client where they couldn’t even get to the console of the server for this reason. Once set up correctly though, those updates have chugged away in the background… but I digress.
I’m assuming you (and your partner) have no trouble at all navigating around and using linux, it was the (poorly managed) update process that gave you headaches. I think that is a perfectly reasonable complaint.
Its mostly because of what nvidia does - the newer stuff has open source drivers, but this is a more recent thing (past year or so), but a good chunk of their libraries are still closed, their firmware is still closed, and anything not supported by the newer open source kernel modules has to use the proprietary drivers.
This is, unfortunately, outside of the control of the Linux kernel. And nvidia can be made to work just fine (I have a bunch of quadro cards for example) without dropping to the console, but that first setup to make it that way takes some knowledge. That, to me, is the big problem.
Thats also why you’ll see a lot of intel gpu’s and amd gpu’s in the linux world, while nvidia made that switch I mentioned to open on the new stuff, that was in 2024. AMD started their effort in 2015, its much more mature, and intel had open drivers for a bit over 10 years before that.
While I understand, that is what continues the problem btw. Supporting the company doing what is needed to make a switch to Linux easier is what will take away the problem, for better or worse.
I’ll also note I have regular issues Windows machines and GPUs, honestly its more of a pain in the ass to me. Specifically multi-monitor configs appearing as a single desktop - incredibly easy on Linux, while on windows I have to use Mosaic, and windows updates constantly break those configs. Among quite a few other things, but thats different territory.
I have no qualms about recommending/advocating for Linux, because I know quite well what I can and can’t do with it, as well as how to explain how to set it up to work easily. I have a lot of reservations about Windows use, because it can be such an absolute nightmare in some situations, and unlike Linux, there is no ability for me to fully take control and set things up right the first time.
“Avoiding all that bullshit” is extremely dependent on what bullshit you’re avoiding.
This is what I meant by my comment here.
Thats a hardware related annoyance that I’ve even seen on commercially distributed versions of Linux, and if it were set up correctly, you wouldn’t have even noticed (aside from a bunch of scrolling text during the next boot when the new kernel was loaded). I had a client where they couldn’t even get to the console of the server for this reason. Once set up correctly though, those updates have chugged away in the background… but I digress.
I’m assuming you (and your partner) have no trouble at all navigating around and using linux, it was the (poorly managed) update process that gave you headaches. I think that is a perfectly reasonable complaint.
of course the most popular graphics card manufacturer wouldn’t work out of the box on Linux! i would expect nothing less!
Its mostly because of what nvidia does - the newer stuff has open source drivers, but this is a more recent thing (past year or so), but a good chunk of their libraries are still closed, their firmware is still closed, and anything not supported by the newer open source kernel modules has to use the proprietary drivers.
This is, unfortunately, outside of the control of the Linux kernel. And nvidia can be made to work just fine (I have a bunch of quadro cards for example) without dropping to the console, but that first setup to make it that way takes some knowledge. That, to me, is the big problem.
Thats also why you’ll see a lot of intel gpu’s and amd gpu’s in the linux world, while nvidia made that switch I mentioned to open on the new stuff, that was in 2024. AMD started their effort in 2015, its much more mature, and intel had open drivers for a bit over 10 years before that.
I am well aware. avoiding all that bullshit is exactly why I continue to use Windows and would never advocate Linux blindly for desktop use.
While I understand, that is what continues the problem btw. Supporting the company doing what is needed to make a switch to Linux easier is what will take away the problem, for better or worse.
I’ll also note I have regular issues Windows machines and GPUs, honestly its more of a pain in the ass to me. Specifically multi-monitor configs appearing as a single desktop - incredibly easy on Linux, while on windows I have to use Mosaic, and windows updates constantly break those configs. Among quite a few other things, but thats different territory.
I have no qualms about recommending/advocating for Linux, because I know quite well what I can and can’t do with it, as well as how to explain how to set it up to work easily. I have a lot of reservations about Windows use, because it can be such an absolute nightmare in some situations, and unlike Linux, there is no ability for me to fully take control and set things up right the first time.
“Avoiding all that bullshit” is extremely dependent on what bullshit you’re avoiding.