Shoe BillMar 5

Regardless of operating system—Windows, Mac, GNU/systemd/Linux (I had to), BSD, whatever—is desktop computer use niche in its own right?

I would normally never sub-toot like this, but the message this is about was probably auto-deleted; I can't find it. It was also so long ago that I feel like I would be taking it outside of the original context anyway, so it's probably for the best.

At any rate, someone said that; that even using a desktop in the first place is niche. They also said that Linux desktop use is even more niche, and I would have to agree with that, obviously; I don't know if I agree with the first statement or not, though, honestly.

I don't talk to enough people about computers, enough, outside of whatever context in which it's already assumed that said people are already interested in computers, so I have no real way to gauge this.

#AskFedi #FediPoll

Yes
49%
No
51%
Poll ended at .
Show threadSamuel SmithMar 5

@the most people I know have desktops. They're all geeks like me.
The rest generally don't have computers in that format. Smart TVs, iPads, yes, but not desktops and not many laptops.

Where I work now, everyone has computers. It makes it feel normal. But at a previous job, I had to teach a new employee where the "shift" key was. Computers are imo still niche, but it is a large niche.

At what point would we consider something "mainstream"? 50% adoption? 80%?

Show threadShoe BillMar 5

@Jirikiha

I don't think, with something like this, that I personally would consider it either niche or not niche based on the percentage of people using it, honestly. How I would look at it instead is, "What percentage of people would consider it niche?" In other words, if one were to poll a sufficiently high number of people at random, and fewer than 50% of them were to say that desktop is not niche, then to me personally, it's not niche (and vice versa). I almost never give nearly as much weight to how popular an opinion is or isn't, but this is one of the rare cases where I think that's actually the most important thing to consider.

Show threadMalka Beth

@the @Jirikiha I don't think it's just a matter of how many individuals own & use them at home but also at places like public libraries & travel/commute to work offices.

Like in my town as much as I think it annoys the owner & leader, the bodyshop repair place needs that desktop to run the business. Typically greasy hands can't have 2-4 windows open on a smartphone to get parts & labor priced out for estimates & billing - that needs a bigger setup for sense.

Mar 5 at 7:08pmWeb