this post was submitted on 16 Jul 2023
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Linux
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I've been exclusively using Linux for almost a decade now. I started in high school when the computer we had at home was painfully slow with Windows. At start, it did seem a bit hard to wrap my head around. I was a kid, and there was no one who used Linux to teach me. I guess the installation etc. are much simpler nowadays. And the online spaces are much less toxic.
Even after all that, the main reason, I believe, is that it's different. If someone is using a stable distro like Debian, and just wants to do what 90% of people do (i.e. browsing, looking at documents media etc.), Linux isn't really a hassle. The installation process might be daunting to some people. But after that, they don't need to open a terminal ever if they don't want to. My sister is basically tech illiterate, and she's been running Mint for a few years now. Never heard any complaints. Only issue she had was when she deleted her
.config
folder. But I had set up a script that backed up dotfiles to her external drive, so it was easily fixable.People get frustrated because whenever something happens on Linux, and they go online, they see all these walls of text that they need to read, and commands they need to run. But they forget that on Windows and Macs, that isn't even an option. Most of the time, you need to reset your system. Or, in the case of Macs, get it replaced. The frustration that people experience is caused by conditioning. They accept the inconveniences of Windows and Macs because they grew up with it. But since Linux is new to them, the shortcomings stick out much more.
TL;DR: For the average user, the OS doesn't matter (they should probably still use Linux for increased privacy). For the power user, unless some specific applications they need are missing, Linux is always the best choice. The frustration is mostly due to conditioning.
I see this point repeated a lot, it's just not true.
For example sudo apt upgrade is broken currently on the debian live images.
Imagine you tell someone "if you want stable, go debian" they hear it and install it and literally first apt update upgrade it's borked.
There isnt a distro that isnt a hassle, that doesnt exist.
Why would you be running apt upgrade on live images?
I'm confused about this question.
If you install debian through the live image. The apt upgrade of your installation will come out of the box broken.
I haven't seen anyone mention this problem, and I've recently installed Debian and didn't have this problem.
I linked it elsewhere. It's a problem if you install from the live image. If you want I could find the link again for ya.
I ended up finding it after replying. Definitely an unfortunate issue, but the replies say it is fixed and the updated ISO will not have it.
Why is that an issue for a desktop user?
Because you can't update your system at all. How's that not a problem?
... from a live environment. Thats not a problem because almost no one does that, and certainly not a problem because no one relies on updating a live environment for their desktop usage.
That's not it. If you install on your hardware with the live image. Apt upgrade is broken. On your hardware. Not on the live image.
Ah, well that is a serious issue! I've never experienced a bug even close to that bad on distros with a reputation of being less stable than Debian, so that surprises me.