- You love giving your data away
- You enjoy being tracked by your operating system
- You’re happy when your computer tells you “no”
- You prefer someone else deciding what you can run
- You feel uncomfortable if you get to have options
- You’d rather battle corporate tech support
- You’d rather rent your software than own it
- You think ads belong on your desktop
- You love being lied to about what’s “industry standard”
- You like rebooting for every little update
- You’re uncomfortable when software is transparent
- You think community-made tools can’t be “professional”
- You want intrusive AI everywhere, whether it helps or not
- You think the command line is only for hackers
- You never really wanted your computer to be yours anyway
#3 is what does it for me. There are few things more enraging than something I own refusing to do what I’m instructing it to do.
I enjoy the snark, but also agree it’s condescending. Folks, take it as cynical humor, and don’t be so harsh.
Anyway I commented to say that #10 is creeping into at least some distributions.
My Ubuntu sends security updates that frequently impact system libraries and thus demands (politely) a reboot.
Gnome software does it all the time, but a regular “check for updates” will often install without demanding reboot. I suspect the update won’t be in effect until reboot, though.
This is exactly the kind of shit that keeps people from switching to Linux y’all know that right?
Yeah, I read this as: YOU ARE FUCKING STUPID, I AM MUCH BETTER THAN YOU
That is really a good way to communicate.
Why should I care? Linux has enough users as it is, development is sustainable. I don’t want all users to switch at once because that would flood forums with noobs asking silly questions.
It’s their loss if they don’t use Linux. Why should I encourage them to do so? Just to have some shitty Electron apps more which I don’t use?
It’s much more painful for me that the places I work at don’t use Linux. They won’t be swayed by such an article anyway.
I’m a bit less nihilistic about it, though. I acknowledge the benefit if being a small enough “market” that the enshittification doesn’t hit Linux like a tsunami as you alluded.
More users means more bullshit money grubbers, more dishonesty, more incentive for greedy hackers to attack.
Are you serious? Do you really believe linux can’t get any better or that linux is perfect for you?
The more people that use linux the more donations it gets from people and the more people use it.
Also if you think linux is so awesome isn’t it nice to other people to share that awesomeness with them?
As well the more people that use linux the more apps will be supported on it. Can you say with full confidence that there isn’t a single windows or macos app that doesn’t work perfectly on linux that you don’t want? Even if linux is perfect for you, you rely on the kindness of open source maintainers to maintain linux, can you really not reserve any kindness for other people?
That is the real altruistic, hopeful view, but there are downsides that I enumerated in my other comment. Here’s another, though - With large scale acceptance comes a flood of people who just want a tool that works, not something they can build on or improve.
The greatest strength of this community is the love of the platform and the joy of exploration. Most are in it for altruistic or at least self enrichment reasons. Many are able to contribute when they see a gap. That can be diluted quickly.
Then the entrepreneurs see opportunities to make money from those people, and the enshitification begins.
And here I was, thinking this was a well thought out article with actual, legitimate reasons why someone wouldn’t want to use Linux. Instead, it’s this smug, autofellating, condescending bullshit. Roland Taylor has some issues.
If you have a job or are student you’ll know that using Linux usually results in a direct increase in corporate tech support battles.
… On the desktop. It’s de rigeur for servers.
I’m aware, but that’s not what this article is about.
As a long time linux user, antagonizing people who are unsure if the switch is right for them is very clearly a poor interpersonal choice that will not result in the change we wanna see in the world, or more people adopting linux
Fuckin seriously, we can do better than this circle jerk. As someone who cares deeply about software being kinder to people it pains me enormously how much of a dump stat interpersonal skills are for so much of the Foss community
If the authors wanna pat themselves for linux they can do it without creating a unempathetic, condescending, preachy culture that alienates people.
Just call the article “things we love about having switched to linux” so it finds the right audience and its fine, but this shit sucks and its exactly the kind of crap that has made so many of my friends resistant to hearing what I think is good and special about Foss software. They hear me out anyway, but I’d love for it to not be a fucking uphill battle because Foss people routinely emulate the same preachy, condescending, unempathetic interpersonal apprach that everyone bemoans about the worst vegan spaces online
Your points are valid, and if I saw this on a site like pcmag, medium or whatever, i would totally be on the same page. Still, how many “on the fence” people are likely to be here, on Lemmy, subscribed to a linux forum?
I chose to take it as snarky humor for the “in crowd”. Benefit: keeps my blood pressure manageable.
Well said
I’m really glad it seems like my thoughts have been appreciated, I was kinda mentally preparing myself for people to be unhappy with me
I find this kind of stuff frustrating enough I needed to edit my first version of the comment cause it was angrier, but I want people to actually hear me out and think about the culture we cultivate in the foss space. It really matters.
There are so many issues people care about (eg. Software freedom) specifically because we want a world that is kinder to people, and then we act on that value or interest in a way that isn’t kind to people. A little empathy goes a looong way
Thank you for the kind words, I hope you have a lovely day :)
Indeed
Back on the 90s (I know, I know) the joke was that of your VCR was still blinking 12:00 Linux was probably not for you.
Maybe this was true then, but my microwave never once knew what time it is
Same, too many clocks, all getting out of sync, and some on power strips that get turned off periodically.
This is just masturbation.
No, because at least with masturbation, you have something to show for it at the end.
YEOMK
No that’s exercise
“Well if you don’t buy this car you are a moron who can’t see how much better this car is. So keep driving that piece of shit car you dumbass. So, have I sold you on this car?”
Oh, it’s just a list of pro Linux items but in reverse psychology… Kay.
I’m already a Linux user, I was kinda curious about a listing of actual reasons Linux might not be for someone.
Not just reverse psychology, I can’t imagine anyone agreeing with most of these. It’s definitely got a holier-than-thou attitude. Like who is this even written for other than people who already use Linux and just want to feel smugly superior?
Linux users? Being holier than thou? Say it ain’t so!
I use arch btw
Exactly, it just reads like a smug rant.
actual reasons:
- want to use some specific program or game only available for another os
- lazy, dumb or afraid of computer stuff.
- can’t decide from 10,000 different distributions
You forgot the real actual reason: I don’t care about computer stuff. My current computer does what I want and I don’t care to switch.
It is okay not to have the interest in computers. I could probably change the oil on my car but I don’t care and don’t want to do the work, so I don’t do it (the mechanic does).
that’s just another word for lazy
Perfectly valid. 👌
#2 is the cause of #1 & #3 so you only really listed 1 reason.
Sorry but AI is coming to Linux too so fear the 13th 🤣
Of course there is AI on linux. I installed it. What isn’t there is AI that the user doesn’t want.
Have you missed the Fedora nonsense?
i mean maybe some distros will add something, i don’t know. and i don’t care because i don’t have to. shit like that is deinstalled faster than an llm can print an emdash.
This is exactly the kind of shit that turns people off.
Good.
Please, article writer, be a little more passive-aggressive.
- You start making weird passive aggressive lists to shame people into your preferred…whatever…
- You can’t be trusted with keeping your desktop secure (because Linux sure as hell won’t do that for you).
- You need software that can’t run on Linux even via compatibility tools (Multiplayer AAA games don’t count).
- You have access to extended security updates for Windows 10.
Massgravel ftw, then I’m full on linux cause fuck 11.
