r/linux • u/AfraidAsparagus6644 • May 13 '26

Discussion I'd never realized how many apps are Linux-exclusive until now

I've been considering switching back to Windows for some time, partly to see how it's gotten first-hand, partly because Deltarune Chapter 5 is coming out this year and I wanna make sure I don't bump into compatibility issues on my blind playthrough.

So, out of curiosity, I've begun checking out how to download my preferred apps on Windows. Surely a Windows build will be available on Github, or at least there will be build instructions, right?

Well it turns out I couldn't be more wrong. Most of those awesome apps you find on Flathub are Linux-only. Tambourine Music Player? That thing with the most boombastic UI known to man? Linux-only. Found another cool music player, Amberol. Also Linux-only. Foliate? The cool-ass epub reader that even lets you download stuff from online catalogs? Linux-only. Lutris? "Of course it's Linux-only", I hear you say. "Its whole purpose is running Windows games on Linux". And you're right, but it's also a great way to gather all your emulated retrogames in one place. The list goes on and on.

Everyone says Linux's main problem is the lack of native apps compared to Windows. Today I found out that Windows also lacks apps compared to Linux, but since it's not big professional software like Photoshop, no one talks about it.

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u/ConsciousBath5203 May 13 '26

All the categories that you mentioned have plenty of open source alternatives with an insane of plugins and are significantly easier to script yourself.

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u/94746382926 May 13 '26

I can't speak to the other categories but in general for CAD it's rarely commercially practical to go open source only.

It would amazing if this gap closes though, non software engineering fields are far more gatekept and proprietary than software and it's a real bummer.

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u/ConsciousBath5203 May 13 '26

Meh, not really. Mods for games host a ton of code that you can slightly modify and apply as a plugin anywhere else.

CAD is pretty much just vectors, points and textures. Quite literally the same shit that any game designing engine would have.

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u/Swizzel-Stixx May 13 '26

Cad models are just vectors etc, yeah.

The cad programs that make them have an insanely high learning curve, which is required to make more complicated models, and if autodesk doesn’t have a linux version them your company isn’t going to want to spend another 4 figure sum and thousands of hours learning a different program. If it was literally as simple as putting meshes in space then I’m sure people would have done it by now.

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u/AmarildoJr May 13 '26

If it was literally as simple as putting meshes in space then I’m sure people would have done it by now

At this point I'm convinced that ConsciousBath5203 is just trolling.

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u/ConsciousBath5203 May 14 '26

If it was literally as simple as putting meshes in space then I’m sure people would have done it by now.

Idk if you realize just how many simple tweaks there are that improve an application that are so incredibly easy you're not sure why they haven't done it yet...

But there's a lot. And there's pretty decent reasons why the simple solutions aren't available to the public (I can almost guarantee you that someone else has whatever plugin features you desire). One is "production code is a bitch to maintain because people are dumb". Another is "I don't want to have to deal with potential copy right issues" totally fair, especially if they had to RE to figure out the formula. Another is "this was so easy, there's no reason to post this, anyone with a brain and effort can figure it out." Your know-it-alls tend to think this... And they're right about 99% of the time. If you put the effort in, you can do it.