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Comment by adamtaylor_13 | Hacker News Reader

This whole “Windows just works” mantra gets less and less true with every passing day. The number of times I have to fight tooth and nail to stop updates, uninstall edge, nuke bloatware shit installs from orbit, or hell just get my audio to go out the correct output device is astronomical.

Windows is no walk in the park. And Linux is easy to use these days.

So… sure maybe this is still sorta true. But we’re long past the days of needing to be a hacker to use a Linux OS and it’s only getting better, while Windows is only getting worse.

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I agree with you partially, but a casual user just doesn’t care or bother. They don’t uninstall bloatware; in fact, I’m pretty sure most don’t even know what it means. Casual users don’t even bother to switch to dark mode or check if their monitor supports more than 60Hz—things like that. That’s also why Apple doesn’t focus on such details.

I’m not against Linux; for developers and servers, it’s awesome. But for casual users, I don’t see the appeal. There’s no reason to bother as long as it works—and it does. Do you genuinely think, that a user who complains that Windows is bad and doesn’t work, will be able to install Linux and be happy? First thing someone like that will do, is probably try to execute an exe file and the complain under some YouTube video about it.

I think the definition of a “casual user” has changed drastically over the last 10 years.

This very much used to be true. But most gamers (i.e. the group we’re talking about here) are more than technically savvy enough to run Linux. Most gamers have seen a terminal once or twice and know how to google the solution to common fixes.

And yes, I do believe most motivated users (those unhappy with windows) can install Linux. It’s SO easy these days requiring nothing more than a USB and an hour or two of time.

Then you have more faith in humanity, or casuals, than I do. :D I mean, this was three years ago, but I don’t think much has changed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0506yDSgU7M&t=

Why would anyone want to bother with a terminal just for gaming, a little bit of browsing, casually installing mods, using Photoshop, etc.? I mean, just watch the video, and this is coming from a guy who at least knows one or two things about computers.

Plus, don’t forget, Linux also has its quirks, just like Windows, only in different areas. Like not so awesome Nvidia drivers :P

The Nvidia drivers for Linux are awesome. I have been using them for more than a decade and they have had far fewer issues than the equivalents for ATI/AMD over that time period. The idea they are not awesome is misinformation.

This reminds me of Microsoft’s backdoor for installing updates even when you decline them:

https://web.archive.org/web/20200219180230/http://slated.org...

... nah. I usually remove all unwanted software once and only after a fresh install, and a Windows installation lasts years without maintenance nowadays.

My brother in Christ, we must be using different versions of Windows.

I have to uninstall crap all the time. :’)

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