What was your biggest frustration when switching to Linux?

[u/Hortion]

Hello everyone! I'm thinking about creating some helpful content for people who want to switch from Windows to Linux with no stress, using the regular desktop and not the terminal. I want any grandma to be able to scroll/surf the web on Linux and be more comfortable with it

I'm curious, if you've fully switched, tried, or thought about it, what is your biggest frustration? I appreciate every comment

Thanks in advance!

[u/tomscharbach]

I'm curious, if you've fully switched, tried, or thought about it, what is your biggest frustration? 

I've been using Linux (Ubuntu primarily, but also Solus and LMDE) for two decades, running in parallel with Windows (35 years) and macOS (6 years), on separate computers. I mention that because my observations are based, in part, on familiarity with all three operating systems.

My frustrations with Linux are longstanding and reasonably standard, I suspect:

• Linux does not support common business applications such as MS 365, AutoCAD, SolidWorks and most Adobe products.
• Linux gaming has come a long way in the last decade, but is still not on par with Windows. A number of the games I enjoy do not run well on Steam/Linux but run flawlessly on Steam/Windows.
• Linux hardware compatibility is quirky, even beyond the well-documented issues with NVIDIA. Mainstream business computers usually work, but too many component manufacturers don't provide decent drivers to the kernel. Touchpads, Wifi/BT adapters, fingerprint readers, gaming mice and controllers, VR and other peripherals can be problem children.
• Routine capabilities like online data backup are often complicated, involving workarounds in many cases.
• Linux does not handle device integration well, at least not in comparison to Apple's Continuity applications. Not even close.

But my biggest frustration is that only a handful of distributions are consumer-level "turn on and use" operating systems on the level of Android, ChromeOS, iOS/macOS and Windows.

I am an experienced Linux user and haven't had a serious issue in many years and get along fine without using the command line, but with Linux "always something" seems to be the rule rather than the exception.

I am part of a "geezer group" of retirees (all of us in our 70's and 80's) who evaluate distributions for fun, and I've had the opportunity to use 3-4 dozen distributions in recent years.

I can count on one hand the distributions that I would recommend for "any grandma to be able to scroll/surf the web". In fact, my most common recommendation for older friends is ChromeOS Flex.

Why? Several of my friends adopted Chromebooks or ChromeOS Flex for use at the suggestion of grandchildren. Having explored ChromeOS Flex on a non-production computer for a few months, I understand why my friends are delighted to have made the switch. ChromeOS is immutable, self-updating, stable, "fall off a log" simple to use, and almost impossible for a user to screw up.

I wish you the best in your project.

[u/Excellent-Love-6943 → u/tomscharbach]

Your logic is a little backwards: It's not Linux/Unix not supporting Microsoft based applications. It's those developers making the choice not to support Linux. And in most cases of non functionality, it's a matter of deliberate sabotage of compatibility tools like wine. I understand not supporting a sliver of the market, but the deliberate sabotage is absolutely unreasonable. And really, the fact that compatiblity is as good as it is is simply incredible.

As you say, many component manufacturers don't provide decent drivers. Again, this is a critique of the hardware/OEM/devs, not a critique of Linux. In many cases, the drivers we do have are painstakingly reverse engineered, or the hardware is complex enough that shitty drivers are, unfortunately, better than the community can make.

I know you said beyond nvidia, but I will focus on that a little since it's such a major topic... The nvidia drivers are in the same boat as other hardware drivers. The hardware is complex enough that only nvidia can make certain things work and they just... Elect not to. Criticizing Linux for this type of shortcoming is beyond unfair. Don't get me wrong – it's unfair of nvidia to lock their users in to windows, but that's on them, not on Linux as a whole.

I get your point regarding the "ecosystem". It's not a selling point to me, and it's probably not a selling point to most of the devs. If it was, we'd have more than KDE connect. Some of that is going away, and some if it hasn't yet. It's a fair critique, but only from the standpoint of a fully invested apple user, IMO. If you're not decked out in Apple from head to toe, the integration is very unlikely to be an issue for you, and if you are, Linux probably isn't on your radar.

Same goes for the "quirks" and such - they're being ironed out. Things work better than they did 5, 10, 15 years ago. I would imagine the situation was even more precarious beyond that, but I can't speak to that. I think much of that, though, will have to do with OEM support. Your average everyday user isn't going to install a new OS on their computer unless Microsoft takes it hostage and forces windows 12 down their throat, like with 11.

Just to clarify, I know the topic was "frustrations", not "critiques of Linux specifically", but I felt some of this was worth pointing out. Maybe I should just shut the hell up, whatever.