Like apparently everyone else, I moved to Linux Mint and have been loving it! It really is easy to use, but I’ve also realized that my technical knowledge is at a point where I really don’t need it to be easy. Like, I’ve always considered myself kinda tech illiterate in comparison to the people I’m around (I’m a software engineer who specializes in JavaScript/React, but I’m around Rust devs and people who set up docker containers for fun) but apparently just being comfortable using the console is far above what the average user will do. I think there was an xkcd about this kind of phenomenon

Eh. I installed Linux Mint this weekend because I was sick of Microsoft’s bullshit and I had to connect my PC to my router with an Ethernet cable to install a driver for my wifi adapter from the terminal. I am quite tech savvy and was very comfortable with this whole process and it took no time at all, but my wife who knows barely anything about computers would have probably given up the moment the Internet didn’t work when Mint installed. Most people use routers that they rent for too much money from their ISPs and don’t even know you can plug shit into the backs of those routers yourself. The moment the wifi doesn’t work on the new OS even though the password is right, it’s game over for their ability to troubleshoot it. That is why Linux won’t get normies on it anytime soon. After that my experience has been extremely smooth and I have been able to do anything I’ve wanted to do without touching the terminal (although I prefer terminal commands), but that initial hurdle is just way too much to expect from the average person who just wants to get on Netflix and Facebook asap.

I’m not a computer person at all and the most I did with my Windows laptop was gently prodding the drivers to fix themselves. I have experience with basic C++ and Javascript but thats back when I was in high school and I was never really good at it. I would love to move to Linux but honestly yeah the hurdle seems too big. The thought of rendering my laptop unusable for a few days and fucking it up even further to the point of no takesies backsies scares me.

But oh well, I need to save up for a new laptop first before worrying about these things lol