Glowing Cat of the Nuclear WastelandsOct 15
Okay. So. I guarantee you that most Windows users—especially ones on Fedi—know how fucked up Windows has become. Bombarding them with "Install #Linux, we have cookies!" propaganda isn't going to send them rushing to download an image and flash it to a usb drive to install.

They know Windows is a nightmare, they want the nightmare to stop. But there are a lot of reasons stopping them from installing Linux.

One of the biggest ones is that even as Linux has gotten easier and easier to install, it's still a really big step for a lot of people. Maybe they only have one computer, and can't risk slagging it if they mess up. Maybe they don't even know where to start backing up their data. Google and the other search engines are returning AI slop, so they can't trust those to give them accurate and useful answers.

So instead of trying to convince them they want to switch, we need to help them find the resources necessary to do so if they decide they're ready. We need to be the opposite of all those fucking RTFM bros that made it hard when we first switched. We need to make sure they can find a helpful community to give them the support to feel safe in switching.

Because yeah, Windows fucking sucks. They know that, we know that. But breaking their computer so it works even less is fucking terrifying, and Linux has a fucking PR problem because the RTFM bros are the loudest members of our community.

Edit: this really resonated while I was asleep, and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one frustrated here. A few people have replied asking for help, and I'll try to boost them later when I get back to the computer, but if you can, please help them out. Not everyone is gonna switch, but let's make it better for those who are ready and willing to make the jump. ​​
Show threadJohn DalOct 15
@deathkitten You're fanatical AntiWIn seems to be blinding you a bit. The reasons I don't run Linux are:
1: It won't run the best image processing Apps (Adobe). Don't bother with pointing out the alleged open-source alternatives, they are miles short).
Show threadJohn DalOct 15
@deathkitten
2. I failed to find out how to change the
buffer sizes on the drivers for my vintage UA-25. The setup on Linux has "pops and clicks disease", works 100% out of the box on Windows, but if it hadn't there's an easy interface to change the parameters.
These are show-stoppers.
And, BTW, Win 11 is running perfectly well with no hiccups (as did W10).
Show threadJohn DalOct 15
@deathkitten
With 40 years experience as a tech systems programmer, I know about command lines and Unix and so on and frankly I'd rather be running Linux as I detest big corporations and capitalism in general, but until the Linux world can persuade the big application software suppliers to support it, it's just not going to work.
Show threadAudrey Winter has moved!Oct 15
@JohnDal @deathkitten Linux is never going to get the market penetration its advocates and evangelists dream of. It can't because it can't get started. Big software won't go all-in because so few people use it; so few people use it because big software won't go all-in (among many other hindrances the advocates want to pretend aren't hindrances). MS is going to make a mint off #EndOf10 and that's just how it is.
Show threadGlowing Cat of the Nuclear Wastelands
@audreygwinter @JohnDal Both of you missed my point. I did not say everyone must switch to Linux, nor do I think this is even a remotely reasonable goal.

My point was I'm tired of all the people going "Windows sucks, install linux" like there was absolutely nothing else stopping people from switching.

I can't address things like program lock in. Sometimes you don't like the alternatives we have here, sometimes you need specific software for work. That's normal. What I can do is encourage my community, that has an unfortunately well earned reputation of being offputting unhelpful assholes, to be more helpful so that those who want to switch have a better experience than I and many others had when we switched originally.

The Linux community is full of assholes who yell RTFM instead of help people. Those same assholes are the ones yelling 'install linux, it's better' without any care about any of the other reasons why people can't or don't want to switch. I'm not one of them. I'm just advocating for the rest of us to be louder and helpful to those who want to try it.
Oct 15 at 11:02pmWeb
Show threadJohn DalOct 16
@deathkitten @audreygwinter Apologies for the misunderstanding, I agree with what you are saying there entirely. Can I have a rant about Wikis now?