Preferences

I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu, though.

One of the biggest faults of Linux is we don't have an easy, user friendly, idiot proof distro for normies, but Ubuntu is just broken corporate slop.

When I was wearing the various "save users from themselves" hats in my previous life, Ubuntu users were 100% the bane of my existence... since they were all server customers, the ones that took my advice and let me help them switch over to Debian suddenly stopped being frequent footgun fliers, no matter what their original issue was.

Ubuntu, to me, is simply Debian that has been aggressively turned into enterprise slop.


frollogaston
Honestly I like Debian more than Ubuntu too, but the problem is that just as many people might say Debian sucks and you need to use LinuxMint or something. Even more confusing and frustrating is the "it depends on your use case" thing, as if 99.99% of PC users aren't all trying to do the same basic things (server is different, but even then, 90%?).

There has to be some acceptable default that doesn't change too much, even if it's not the best thing ever. Ubuntu changed DEs twice even though the original was fine. Windows UI is intentionally bad at this point, but at least it's stable.

holowoodman
> Windows UI is intentionally bad at this point, but at least it's stable.

Windows 2000 to XP to Vista to 7 were big breaks in UI. 7 to 10 was a break. 10 to 11 was a break. When I now click the lower left corner, weather opens. When I'm pressing the Windows key, no applications menu to be seen, just some web search slop.

The only thing that's constant with windows are the lying percentages, where 99% and 100% take as long as 0-98%...

frollogaston
They're not very different. Last time I used Windows often was 2000, and I was able to pick up and use any of the later ones. Random IT departments publishing screenshots don't need to go change everything between Windows versions. Meanwhile I logged into my Linux desktop at work for the first time in a while (normally I SSH), and literally every button and setting was in a different place than before.

Unless I'm misremembering, Windows key still opens the start menu with your apps. It's just that they added tons of adware and crap next to it.

holowoodman
The key still works. But there is no more "Programs" submenu there, which was the first and most prominent thing back then. Now: Just search. And, if you are lucky and on the right version, maybe a tiny "see more" button next to some random program icons. If you can distinguish them from weather, advertisements and stuff.

Windows updates are a support nightmare. It's just that everyone accepts those and forgets about the pain they cause. Whereas some tiny change in Linux desktop environments is always a catastrophe when people tell about it.

Microsoft gets a free pass beause of Stockholm Syndrome I guess...

frollogaston
What I mean is, they changed the entire desktop environment, which was sorta the IT dept's choice but also a forced decision based on the Linux desktop landscape. I can see why other places prefer Windows. Ours doesn't of course because we're a software company that uh doesn't write Windows software, but even then, they're phasing out Linux laptops in favor of MacBooks because of driver issues.

I would totally use Linux on desktop if I didn't have a Mac. But it's only because I'm stubborn enough not to tolerate Windows treating me like dirt, not because it's actually a rational decision to use Linux.

herbst
Fedora is pretty much "ideot proof for normies" at this point.
stefantalpalaru (dead)

This item has no comments currently.