- cross-posted to:
- technology@beehaw.org
- cross-posted to:
- technology@beehaw.org
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I think that Linux is the worst for middle-tier tech people.
For elderies, kids or someone that just visit social media, listen to music on Spotify and edit photos from vacations this it is perfect. They might learn where the app store is, how to open up menu and that’s all.
For tech saavy, programmers, engineers I… don’t really get how you can use Windows at all until you are forced by your environment. Going from Windows to Linux to do work is just like going from ChromeOS to MacOS.
But the worst would be the midtier, a friend who does a joke in “ohshit.exe” style, but don’t know what is an executable. That has multiple free games from Epic Store he never plays but must be installed and work. That have bought Photoshop and “original” MS Office licence years ago for outdated version but keep it, because “original”. And that has some amateur audio eqippment that even if Linux have build-in drivers for, would complain the .exe installer from that “download for free” website does not work.
A good way to fix this, I guess, would be teaching children to use GNU/Linux alongside or in place of Windows when they’re learning how to use computers in digital literacy classes.
Because this isn’t an OS problem, it’s a familiarity problem.
For generations, parents have been giving kids their old cars or buying a used beater so they can learn to drive.
We need to get a generation of parents giving kids their old laptops or buying a cheap one off eBay with a light linux distro to extend its life.
Agree, a lot of Windows weirdness is taken as like it’s like computers work overall. An example I give is when program freeze everyone knows Ctrl+Alt+Del to get the task manager. On Linux mostly there is Ctrl+Alt+ESC and click on the window to kill it.
And are there even industry standard equivalent programs available for graphic designers on Linux?
Most FOSS alternatives tend to be a significant step back for folks used to their closed source industry counterparts like for example Adobe. The available video editing software is either a step back or closed source (DaVinci Resolve).
It’s probably the proverbial chicken-and-egg situation.
Zorin OS has Windows App Support… You can run .exe and .msi on it…
I put zorin on my parent’s computer 2 years ago, while its a great distro, their windows app support is just marketing, its an out of date wine version with an unmaintained launcher. Worse than tinkering with wine yourself.
Yep, don’t even dare to advertise it to a midtier person. There are just going to download random .exe and find out how broken it is and have no idea how to get back and uninstall the software.
That’s a wonderful example. My average tech friend was an early adopter of SteamOS and called me a lot about wine.
Linux is clearly great and can even be used by non techie elder people, but only if you can stick around in case they encounter any difficulty. Why? Because they can ask anyone to get some help on windows, but most people would be scared to even approach something they don’t know, so they wouldn’t help these old people on Linux.
Is it a shame? Yes, but that’s the reality.
I guess that if you put an elder on a prepared Linux computer with nothing more to setup, the elder would be perfectly fine using it. But if they want to add a program or anything, that’s when they gonna need your help and presence.
With something like a software center? I doubt it, unless they can’t use an app store on their phone either.
Elderly people aren’t usually stupid.
Boy, you’d be surprised…
Well then if they really can’t use that they’ll have just as much trouble as on Windows, so I don’t get the point.
But they are having as much trouble on Windows. Just that there are more people who’d likely able to help.
Since getting a steam deck, I legitimately wish I knew way more about Linux than I do now. The thing is basically a grown up toy in many ways more than just video games.
If anyone has recommendations to resources I could use to better familiarize myself with accomplishing basic tasks with (arch) Linux, I’d appreciate it.
