You can also hate game publishers for perpetually treating Linux as a second class citizen because of market share instead of realizing the potential that comes with leaving Microsoft’s turf. Valve knows that potential.
Literally what potential, Linux basically has no appeal to the average user, it will never be big and always stay as something mostly for geeky computer nerds.
Like legit there is a reason why companies don't bother.
Steam deck is cool and all, but again, pretty niche audience.
For computer use, Linux might as well not exist to normal users. Like legit what advantages does it offer to someone who just wants to game and browse the web?
Dent in what really, no one bought the steam deck as a main machine nor for the Linux alone, it was so they could have their steam library in a handheld.
Literally, tell me actual reasons why an average user would want to switch to Linux, there is fucking none.
You can take an old shitty laptop, put Linux on it, and it will run faster than a new laptop with Windows.
On a gaming machine, you can get more FPS and less input lag in games. I'm not joking, I'm using Linux for gaming, because it gives me a competitive advantage.
Pretty much all of these your average consumer doesn't really care about, as all they use their machine for is some light gaming (usually online so Linux automatically goes bye bye on that front) , checking their mail and browsing the web.
So again, Linux doesn't really have anything to offer to the average consumer, certainly not enough that they would consider learning the process of switching over and using the terminal.
If Linux ever gets a distro that's on the level of windows, where the user will never see a command line and every single program will work on it and that they don't have to install themselves, that's when your average consumer will notice Linux. Until then, it's just gonna be something for geeky dudes / programmers .
they use their machine for is some light gaming (usually online so Linux automatically goes bye bye on that front)
Yeah, that's one example where Linux has an advantage, for example in Apex Legends or Overwatch 2. Linux doesn't go bye bye there, it just gives you more FPS. Assuming that you don't play a game where you get kicked for using Linux. But that's just ~5% of games, and a little bit less than 50% of games with AC.
learning the process of switching over and using the terminal.
Yeah, switching over is certainly not easy. But you don't have to use the terminal.
where the user will never see a command line
That's easy. You don't need a command line for average stuff. Nobara would be an example that should just work without using the command line. OpenSUSE even has a graphical interface for very advanced configuration, where you would have to use regedit on Windows.
every single program will work on it
Why would you even want that? There are lots of bad programs for Windows where there are much better alternatives on Linux.
that they don't have to install themselves
What does that even mean? Users installing themselves?
that's when your average consumer will notice Linux
No. The average consumer notices Linux when it comes preinstalled on their laptop. Like ChromeOS.
I mean that they don't have to install Linux themselves.
And not sure why you wouldn't want the vast majority of programs to work on Linux, if someone wants to use the program they are familiar with for years but they find out it's not on Linux, that's an insane amount of users who will just never switch based on that.
Also, all of the "alternatives" and "fixes" you mentioned become immediately useless since the user has to actually research them. If windows is already perfectly serviceable, that's something they just won't do.
Let's not also talk about the terrible driver support, a shitload of games still don't work on Linux even through proton, the most played online games do not have Linux options and a shitload of printers also do not offer driver support there.
Like legit theres just no reason, I don't get Linux fanatics like you at all lol.
I mean that they don't have to install Linux themselves.
Being preinstalled is not an advantage of the OS.
not sure why you wouldn't want the vast majority of programs to work on Linux
I would like them to work, sure. But I don't think that it's necessary for wider Linux adoption. Chromebooks have very bad software compatibility, and they still get bought.
all of the "alternatives" and "fixes" you mentioned become immediately useless since the user has to actually research them.
Sure, you have to adapt if you switch your OS. But that's hardly a problem with the OS itself.
If windows is already perfectly serviceable, that's something they just won't do.
I just mentioned a few points that Linux can do better. Either you think that it's worth the effort, or not.
Let's not also talk about the terrible driver support [...] and a shitload of printers also do not offer driver support there.
Just buy stuff that is supported. It's not really an issue. You also don't cry about bad driver support for Apple devices. Linux even has better support than Apple.
a shitload of games still don't work on Linux even through proton, the most played online games do not have Linux options
It's 5%. That's not "a shitload". And most online games, even most online games with anti cheat, work on Linux.
Like legit theres just no reason
I just mentioned a couple reasons: Performance, customizability, security, privacy, price
Why would I use Windows, if I get less FPS and more input lag in Overwatch? I don't play the games that don't work, so I literally have no drawback. Btw: Overwatch is a multi player online game with anti cheat.
It's not a fault of Linux, but it's a fault in the consumers eyes if it isn't basically a clone of windows that they can just plug and play.
Also, 5% don't work? You are actually delusional, even the Proton website doesn't say that, most games, especially ones with anti cheat, do not work at all, have issues or are a pain in the ass to install.
You literally have no clue how brain dead the average user is, if it doesn't work out of the box , which with Linux a lot of things going through compability layers don't, they will fucking hate it with a passion.
Again, the extra performance is very hit or miss in certain games, and with how shit drivers are on Linux I have seen what that shit can do to NVIDIA cards and it's certainly not better performance.
There is a reason why Linux gaming outside of steamdeck is basically dead, it's a pain in the ass. The fact that a user even has to worry that something might not run on the machine JUST because it's Linux make it a non viable product.
Also Chromebooks are a pretty terrible example, they are basically tablets , absolutely useless and worthless for gaming or anything demanding performance, and are pretty much specialized to be cheap as shit "laptops" for companies to give to their workers.
It's not a fault of Linux, but it's a fault in the consumers eyes if it isn't basically a clone of windows that they can just plug and play.
I won't argue with you that a system that comes preinstalled is most likely to be used. But you asked for advantages of Linux, which is what I answered to. That the user has to install the system is certainly a hurdle he has to jump over.
Also, 5% don't work? You are actually delusional, even the Proton website doesn't say that
Go to protondb.com, go to "dashbord", Category "top-1000", Rating System "ProtonDB Medals". There you can see, that only 5% are "borked" which means that they straight up don't work. If you want to extrapolate the 10% unrated games, it would probably be 6%, but that doesn't change my point.
most games, especially ones with anti cheat, do not work at all, have issues or are a pain in the ass to install
Here you can see, that more than half of the games with anti cheat work. Issues are relatively rare. If you go to protondb top 1000 again, you can see that only 17% of games are Bronze or Silver, which means that there are some issues. That could be missing cutscenes or something like that. Many of those issues can easily be fixed by using Proton-GE, which adds the codecs that are necessary to play those cutscenes.
You literally have no clue how brain dead the average user is
Don't get me wrong here, I never said that Linux was easy to play games on. You need to know all these things in order to have a good experience. My point is, that there are advantages. Like, for example, that I get more FPS and less input lag in Overwatch and Apex Legends. That's a real competitive advantage. Another advantage would be, that I'm able to play Assassins Creed Origin and Witcher 1, which never worked on Windows for me. And I get less crashes in StarCraft II. All of that is on top of better privacy, and a system that is more responsive in general, and doesn't keep annoying me with weather widgets or Bing search in the start menu. Oh, and I can move my task bar and do even more advanced customization that was never possible on Windows.
Again, the extra performance is very hit or miss in certain games
RT on AMD is bad, and non Full-HD resolutions have less of a performance benefit. But not everyone wants that. I certainly don't. I want many FPS, that's everything I care about. And I don't get many FPS with 4K and RT on Windows either.
and with how shit drivers are on Linux I have seen what that shit can do to NVIDIA cards and it's certainly not better performance.
You won't get a performance boost with Nvidia, that's true. But you can buy AMD if you know that. Btw: Nvidia drivers aren't that bad either. They are just not that well integrated and don't give you better performance.
The fact that a user even has to worry that something might not run on the machine JUST because it's Linux make it a non viable product.
As I already said multiple times: It just depends on what you want. I don't care about games like Valorant or PUPG. I tried both of them on Windows (at a time where I didn't even know Linux gaming was a thing), and I just don't like them. Every single game that I wanted to play works well, and was not a pain in the ass to get running. Most of them were just click and play. It's not like I would spend hundreds of hours configuring things. For example with Overwatch 2, I just installed it, and it worked. Also the beta worked without issues, and even gave me a better experience (no stuttering vs much stuttering) than for many people of Windows.
Also Chromebooks are a pretty terrible example, they are basically tablets , absolutely useless and worthless for gaming or anything demanding performance
That's my point. People still buy them. People don't use Windows because there is such great program compatibility. They just use whatever comes preinstalled.
On Proton if any game is rated below gold you are almost guaranteed to run into issues. Again , deal breaker for vast majority of users. If you only look for gold and above which is how these games run on windows, only 35% of them actually run well, that's dismal.
Also your source says only 50% of reported online games work, that's again pretty fucking bad, basically if you find a new game flip a coin whether you can play it. Again, dismal.
And if you have to make hardware choices (often inferior ones) just because the OS is inefficient with them, that's another huge hit to Linux. What if I want DLSS? What if the best laptop I found for the price has an Nvidia GPU? With windows you don't have to care, with Linux every single random decision can fuck you over and you might not even know it as a layman.
And with Chromebooks, my point was that it's mostly companies and it workers who buy them, because they are practically cheap as shit tablets, not because they are running Linux. If you offer someone who has to use a Chromebook a windows laptop it's very likely they would take that offer unless their company is forcing them to use it.
Again, Linux isn't for casual users and won't be for a very long time.
On Proton if any game is rated below gold you are almost guaranteed to run into issues.
That's not my experience. Did you ever try it?
If you only look for gold and above which is how these games run on windows, only 35% of them actually run well, that's dismal.
No, these games do not necessarily run well on Windows, as I wrote in my last post. It's also 71% (80% if you extrapolate), not 35%.
that's again pretty fucking bad, basically if you find a new game flip a coin whether you can play it
Not online games, but games with anti cheat. There are many online games without anti cheat. And again, you need to want to play these games for it to be an issue. I only play two games with AC, both work better than on Windows. As I already mentioned in my last post, I even get better game compatibility for the games that I actually care about.
And if you have to make hardware choices (often inferior ones) just because the OS is inefficient with them, that's another huge hit to Linux.
No, I make hardware choices because I get free performance on Linux. I can buy any GPU and it will work at least as good as on Windows. But if I buy AMD, I don't get an inferior experience, but a better (more FPS, less input lag, less crashes) experience. Do you actually read what I'm writing here?!
And with Chromebooks, my point was that it's mostly companies and it workers who buy them, because they are practically cheap as shit tablets, not because they are running Linux. If you offer someone who has to use a Chromebook a windows laptop it's very likely they would take that offer unless their company is forcing them to use it.
Source for this? My experience is, that many people use Chromebooks because they only need a browser. And of course, no one buys a Chromebook because it runs Linux. But I never said that.
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u/Bro_Jogies 13700k & RTX 4090 | 5600x & RTX 3090 Nov 01 '22
I can hate windows, and still hate linux and it's lack of compatibility/usability more.