What's truly astounding is that Windows and Mac have developed their own Linux like distribution managers over the years indicating it's probably far better than the proprietary crap they created in the first place.

It is astounding that you think phones need you to join a "cool, secret club". Open app store, click install is not new, not secret and much easier than download stuff from websites to sideload.

It's not a problem for new Linux users, it's a problem for old Windows new Linux users who are accustomed to the idiosyncrasies of Windows.