2013: The Year You Switch To Linux?

Forget ease of use and software support, what these Linux distros really need is a catchy name that doesn't make you sound like a dweeb when talking about it in public.
Seriously what the hell is an OOBUNTOO?
Who is Debian?
Fedora? Aren't hipsters all over those?
What does this have to do with Mints?
BSD? You mean like 50 shades of grey right?
:p
 
It will never be the year to switch to Linux for a desktop.
 
Linux is still in the realm of the informed user. Microsoft is for the "average Joes" of the world. The user is key.
The typical Microsoft user has zero clue about even installing an OS. They have zero clue about Linux, or any alternative (except, perhaps Apple) OS. They do not care what OS is on the computer, as long as they can turn it on, do simple tasks (surf the web, update Facebook, maybe light office work) and turn if off again.
This is not a bashing of Microsoft users, far from it. It is a full on reflection as to how the majority view and use computers. They do not care what OS it has, as long as it is simple to use.

Microsoft DID screw up with Win 8. The non-[H]ard users, the non-tech savvy are confused, and reluctant to buy Win 8. A big mistake, because the average Joe is the exact target consumer for Microsoft. Average Joes are leery of change. Change means they have to forget how they did things, and learn something new. This is a big road block.

Sure Win 8 is not rocket science, but there are those who won't change simply due to them seeing the new learning curve.

Will that force them to Linux? No. They only way to force Average Joe to swap OS is to sell it on the computer they buy at Walmart, or Best Buy. And if it is too different from what they already had, they will not buy it. They will buy the one which looks and acts like the things they are used to.

As for more informed users, this may be an event to get them to look at Linux? Maybe. But not due to the Win 8 learning curve.

The Marketplace concept disturbs me. The 30% markup Micro$oft wants to charge, plus the inevitable blocking of non-Marketplace "apps" (in my day "programs") concerns me. Do I want to pay an additional 30% premium for computer games, be charged fees for presently free programs when they are forced to go through Marketplace, and be limited even more in my choice? I am not blind, and I do see the future route Microsoft wants to go.
So, yes, perhaps it is time for me to look at Linux, for a future replacement, not now, as 7 is fine and dandy, but within a few years, as I do not like what I see coming down the pike.
 
there are more android computers than windows ones. linux won the war and nobody noticed.
 
HvyMtl said:
Linux is still in the realm of the informed user. Microsoft is for the "average Joes" of the world. The user is key.
The typical Microsoft user has zero clue about even installing an OS. They have zero clue about Linux, or any alternative (except, perhaps Apple) OS. They do not care what OS is on the computer, as long as they can turn it on, do simple tasks (surf the web, update Facebook, maybe light office work) and turn if off again.
This is not a bashing of Microsoft users, far from it. It is a full on reflection as to how the majority view and use computers. They do not care what OS it has, as long as it is simple to use.

Microsoft DID screw up with Win 8. The non-[H]ard users, the non-tech savvy are confused, and reluctant to buy Win 8. A big mistake, because the average Joe is the exact target consumer for Microsoft. Average Joes are leery of change. Change means they have to forget how they did things, and learn something new. This is a big road block.

Sure Win 8 is not rocket science, but there are those who won't change simply due to them seeing the new learning curve.

Will that force them to Linux? No. They only way to force Average Joe to swap OS is to sell it on the computer they buy at Walmart, or Best Buy. And if it is too different from what they already had, they will not buy it. They will buy the one which looks and acts like the things they are used to.

As for more informed users, this may be an event to get them to look at Linux? Maybe. But not due to the Win 8 learning curve.

The Marketplace concept disturbs me. The 30% markup Micro$oft wants to charge, plus the inevitable blocking of non-Marketplace "apps" (in my day "programs") concerns me. Do I want to pay an additional 30% premium for computer games, be charged fees for presently free programs when they are forced to go through Marketplace, and be limited even more in my choice? I am not blind, and I do see the future route Microsoft wants to go.
So, yes, perhaps it is time for me to look at Linux, for a future replacement, not now, as 7 is fine and dandy, but within a few years, as I do not like what I see coming down the pike.
Click to expand...

Perfect example of why moving to Linux is such a painful experience.
 
HvyMtl said:
Microsoft DID screw up with Win 8. The non-[H]ard users, the non-tech savvy are confused, and reluctant to buy Win 8. A big mistake, because the average Joe is the exact target consumer for Microsoft. Average Joes are leery of change. Change means they have to forget how they did things, and learn something new. This is a big road block.
Click to expand...

People are hesitating with going to Windows 8 because either A) They just switched to Windows 7 and don't want to learn another OS so soon or B) They heard from the 'experts' that it sucks. They don't know why it sucks, but they trust the 'experts' without question.

It's basically the Vista thing again. When Windows 9 comes out with extremely minor changes, people will be praising them for 'fixing' Windows 8.
 
dr.stevil said:
I'd love to go to Linux as my default OS... There would be a whole lot of positives in doing so but it's lack of software selection leaves me with windows (or macOS). It usually has decent clones available for most stuff, but until I can get my steam catalog on it, it'll always be a secondary OS for me.

I'm really hoping Valve gets more developers onboard with their release of Steam on Ubuntu
Click to expand...

I agree with dr.stevil here.

Computers are tools. Tools that help you do something else. If the tool cannot do that then it is worthless. This is not a fashion show. I am not a buddy of Bill Gates or Linus Torvalds. And I am certainly not a fan of Steve Balmer now.

If the kids are using twitter this and Facebook that, and only the new tablet interfaces support their usage model, then this may be great, for them. I am not holding a grudge, it just does not work for me. Don't assume Like Obama that you can convince me otherwise just by saying the right words, because the right words would be a lie. Windows 8 does not do what I want.

I've been wanting to use Linux for years due to its' flexibility and user-focus design, but it always boils down to applications. I have Ubuntu in a VM, and I know that it will not support many games that Steam will be releasing, but I don't see any titles of interest to me yet.
 
heatlesssun said:
I don't think you can equate a phone with a desktop or laptop.
Click to expand...

Seriously. Beyond just the completely different ways users expect to interact with the phone, there's the fact that most android devices are locked down and preconfigured.

Now, if you root your phone and start playing with bleeding edge ROMs, then android starts to feel more like linux. And by that I mean you'll find yourself screaming at Google Maps because it kept your phone awake for four hours doing nothing and inevitably spend hours looking for solutions that don't involve disabling all navigation.
 
I have a 4GB USB stick with Ubuntu 12.04 on it for any reason I might need to use Linux. It's been used once.

No thanks, Mr. Torvalds.
 
HvyMtl said:
Linux is still in the realm of the informed user. Microsoft is for the "average Joes" of the world. The user is key.
The typical Microsoft user has zero clue about even installing an OS. They have zero clue about Linux, or any alternative (except, perhaps Apple) OS. They do not care what OS is on the computer, as long as they can turn it on, do simple tasks (surf the web, update Facebook, maybe light office work) and turn if off again.
This is not a bashing of Microsoft users, far from it. It is a full on reflection as to how the majority view and use computers. They do not care what OS it has, as long as it is simple to use.

Microsoft DID screw up with Win 8. The non-[H]ard users, the non-tech savvy are confused, and reluctant to buy Win 8. A big mistake, because the average Joe is the exact target consumer for Microsoft. Average Joes are leery of change. Change means they have to forget how they did things, and learn something new. This is a big road block.

Sure Win 8 is not rocket science, but there are those who won't change simply due to them seeing the new learning curve.

Will that force them to Linux? No. They only way to force Average Joe to swap OS is to sell it on the computer they buy at Walmart, or Best Buy. And if it is too different from what they already had, they will not buy it. They will buy the one which looks and acts like the things they are used to.

As for more informed users, this may be an event to get them to look at Linux? Maybe. But not due to the Win 8 learning curve.

The Marketplace concept disturbs me. The 30% markup Micro$oft wants to charge, plus the inevitable blocking of non-Marketplace "apps" (in my day "programs") concerns me. Do I want to pay an additional 30% premium for computer games, be charged fees for presently free programs when they are forced to go through Marketplace, and be limited even more in my choice? I am not blind, and I do see the future route Microsoft wants to go.
So, yes, perhaps it is time for me to look at Linux, for a future replacement, not now, as 7 is fine and dandy, but within a few years, as I do not like what I see coming down the pike.
Click to expand...
You're not blind just paranoid....When microsofts desktop os becomes a walled garden pretty sure pigs will fly and everyone will be using linux.

Also 20-30% of final sale is pretty normal for things distributed by disks in brick and mortar stores people still use 30% the higher end of that because of apple, if apple can do it everyone else can ask for that much apparently when it comes to digital distro.
 
Fourteen straight years of the "Year of Linux".

Hint, another year where Linux on the desktop goes nowhere again and the fanatics prep for year fifteen.
 
Every program I use other than video games is open source that I could use on Linux. As soon as someone like Valve successfully ports most of my game library to Linux and it isn't a headache to jerry rig every game into working, I'm done with Windows. Or if the gaming in windows virtual box on a linux machine improved. I tried that a few months ago and was thwarted by frustration (but not failure).
 
Max Mike said:
Fourteen straight years of the "Year of Linux".
Click to expand...

This says it all. It's been the "Year of Linux" long enough to say that Linux isn't going to replace Windows or OSX anytime soon, especially with the ubiquitous dependence on Office and the fact that absolutely none of the open-source "replacements" (OpenOffice, LibreOffice, etc) are very compatible with Office files, or for each others' files for that matter.
 
Robstar said:
Works flawlessly for me. What is your issue?
Click to expand...

yeah wtf? I've installed Ubuntu on many laptops and everything works without ever needing to go hunt down drivers. Try installing Windows on the same laptops and literally nothing works without installing a butt load of drivers
 
Robstar said:
Works flawlessly for me. What is your issue?
Click to expand...

same here.


I remember when I first started playing around with Linux years and years ago, those kinds of things were a nightmare... especially video drivers. The last time I installed Ubuntu though, I didn't have to do anything. It found all of my hardware and installed the necessary drivers automatically. Compared to a few years ago, Linux has come a long way in terms of ease of use.
 
Doesn't this prediction happen every single year?
Doesn't this fail to pass every single year?
 
When they have software worth running.

Oh, that won't be any time soon if ever.
 
What it comes down to is, there is no compelling reason to switch. Windows is not really that expensive. If it was, I could see people seeing out free alternatives.

And I hate when they call it Linux. Ok, command line and Lynx is Linux. Ubuntu is little Linux and mostly GNU OSS software.
 
Shotglass01 said:
YES!

Wait, wasn't that supposed to be last year, or the year before that, or the year before that?

The Mayan calendar ended already. Wonder when this will. :p
Click to expand...

I heard Linux was going to crush Windows sometime in the mid to late 1990's. Still waiting for that to happen.

And because someone always brings this up:
I realize that Android and Mac OS / IOS are Linux/BSD based and thus it sort of crushed Windows in certain markets.
 
Linux is great for a PC tech...it's much more tolerant of working with failing hard drives than a Windows machine is. However, it's still not an easy OS to use. When Ubuntu's own software updater fails for dependency issues on updates for their own software on their own stock OS...especially with it being one of the most popular distros says a lot about what group it's oriented towards.

It's trying to be a desktop OS, but is still a software geek's OS. Honestly, I don't care for dicking with my OS...I'd rather just have things work. Thus why I still dual-boot.
 
I am guessing most people here have trouble opening their box of cereal in the morning.
 
No switch for me. Ive tried many different distros of linux and didn't like it. For me theres no reason to switch from windows. All the games and apps I use are on windows. I don't see linux making an impact when it comes to the average user.
 
Staples said:
And I hate when they call it Linux. Ok, command line and Lynx is Linux. Ubuntu is little Linux and mostly GNU OSS software.
Click to expand...

No, it uses Linux, the GNU tool-chain, the X11 server and mostly community developed OSS software. The majority of open source software within a typical distribution stack doesn't nor never came from GNU or the GNU umbrella. It's called Linux simply because it's a better name to utilize, and the community prefers the latter. GNU is such an ugly name.

Although the Linux is a small part of the OS, it is the most important and value piece of the pie with a multitude more amount of man-hours put into than GNU with more corporate backing. Most of the performance quality and progression you hear and see came from the kernel itself.

DRM, KMS, LSM, I/O performance, it's multiple filesystems, TCP/IP stack, huge multi-platform and archiecture support, etc was all due to the kernel; It makes all the difference.

GNU is just a tool-chain with a bunch of volunteer community projects under it's umbrella that never originated from the GNU project itself. Bash, GNOME, GNU Sed/Awk were all original outside of the GNU project.


IMO, GNU is on its' way on becoming irrelevant due to some heavy lingering issues within the project.
 
edit: originated* the Linux kernel*

oh FFS, put an edit button in here already.
 
hell to the no! :mad: windows 4 life brahs! ;)
On the serious side I'm currently running ubuntu server (headless) which does

  1. Automatic backups my music every night via rsync (from my windows 8 pc)
  2. Plex server which streams to my ipad, Samsung Note, Roku media box
  3. Serviio server streams to a 60 inch LED tv and 2 Sony SMP-200 media boxes
  4. sickbeard server
  5. sabnzb server
  6. headphones server
  7. couchpotato server

All from a pc I got free off a trashcan definitely worth having linux around it if you want to run your own servers, game server on a low end pc. But as a main os sorry Window still takes the cake
 
ballistic90 said:
Behold! Ubuntu... for phones!

http://www.androidcentral.com/canonical-announces-its-ubuntu-smartphone-os

Coolest feature is definitely that if you plug a monitor, keyboard and mouse to your phone you'd get a full desktop Ubuntu experience.
Click to expand...

That's what I envision the future to be like; instead of laptops, phones, tablets and desktops, you'll get one device (phone? phablet?) plug it in and add peripherals and you're now hammering away on your desktop.

Canonical gets it. As much crap as Unity gets, most of it is unwarranted. It's not a tablet or phone UI. Unity works with hotkeys far better than any Linux interface (HUD + Unity launcher = keyboard heaven). When you dock that Ubuntu phone, you don't feel lost on the desktop Unity interface. Each one is aimed at a different form factor and they don't try to jam one or the other into a form factor where it doesn't fit (hear that Microsoft?). The question is, will the hardware vendors and OEMs follow? I hope so, but I've been disappointed far too many times to count.

Most issues people have with Linux are the same issues with the early versions of Windows or OS X: too few users and not enough attention. Hardware vendors don't dedicate enough time to working out the issues with their Linux drivers (or in some cases don't provide a driver at all) while the software community doesn't port over its applications for a small user base.

If I can game and do my CAD on Linux, I'd have no reason to pay Microsoft any money for a Windows license. It's a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, really. Do developers/hardware vendors come first or does the market share have to come first? I don't think one would come without the other. That's why Steam making the switch is getting so much attention. There really isn't any good reason to tie you to Windows or OS X or any other OS other than the software available (games, work-related stuff) and a large user base that gets proper treatment (drivers, firmware, etc.). OS X has been gaining market share steadily for some years now, it'd be nice to have a third party enter the ring.
 
pelo said:
That's what I envision the future to be like; instead of laptops, phones, tablets and desktops, you'll get one device (phone? phablet?) plug it in and add peripherals and you're now hammering away on your desktop.

Canonical gets it. As much crap as Unity gets, most of it is unwarranted. It's not a tablet or phone UI. Unity works with hotkeys far better than any Linux interface (HUD + Unity launcher = keyboard heaven). When you dock that Ubuntu phone, you don't feel lost on the desktop Unity interface. Each one is aimed at a different form factor and they don't try to jam one or the other into a form factor where it doesn't fit (hear that Microsoft?). The question is, will the hardware vendors and OEMs follow? I hope so, but I've been disappointed far too many times to count.

Most issues people have with Linux are the same issues with the early versions of Windows or OS X: too few users and not enough attention. Hardware vendors don't dedicate enough time to working out the issues with their Linux drivers (or in some cases don't provide a driver at all) while the software community doesn't port over its applications for a small user base.

If I can game and do my CAD on Linux, I'd have no reason to pay Microsoft any money for a Windows license. It's a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, really. Do developers/hardware vendors come first or does the market share have to come first? I don't think one would come without the other. That's why Steam making the switch is getting so much attention. There really isn't any good reason to tie you to Windows or OS X or any other OS other than the software available (games, work-related stuff) and a large user base that gets proper treatment (drivers, firmware, etc.). OS X has been gaining market share steadily for some years now, it'd be nice to have a third party enter the ring.
Click to expand...

Bingo. Canonical could potentially be the "Big 4th" in the market, all they need is more US/UK vendor support and market penetration.
 
Just to add -

Do any of you remember the early days of gaming and dedicated GPUs? The days where downloading a driver to improve performance was akin to playing the lottery, hoping that you wouldn't have to boot into safe mode and fiddle about to get your system back up and running? That was on Windows. Obviously that rarely happens anymore, but it it's taken years of that for MS, Windows and all the hardware to progress past that point.

That's the dilemma that Linux faces. It has to face the maturity and years of progress on the hardware and software side of Windows, and get to a point where it's truly 'seamless' in its use and installation (preinstalled would be divine). Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and all of the other distros can offer and do only so much before their efforts hit a brick wall of reality. They're not nVidia, Intel, Autodesk, Google, or Samsung. Steam deciding to port over is a good step, but it's only a single step.
 
Not liking Windows 8 is a reason to...drum roll...keep using Windows 7. Fail to see how Win8 being subjectively bad leads to Linux adoption. I mean, if the whole point is "Windows 8 is confusing," how is Linux not even worse for the average user?
 
I switched to Linux back in 2008. What a difference! I sure don't miss calling Microsoft's activation hotline :)
 
I switched in 2001, haven't had a m$ box since. Works great for my entire family.

Buy Intel hardware and it works out of the box every-time...
 
longblock454 said:
Buy Intel hardware and it works out of the box every-time...
Click to expand...

Basic Linux installation has been pretty good for many years, I never had much of problem with that in the 90's with Red Hat when it was all the rage. But there just always seems to be that snag with Linux distros when going beyond the basics. But for basic stuff Linux is definitely viable.
 
With the way Windows 8 is, and the way Linux is getting halfway decent games, I can say that it probably has a better chance than before.
 
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