inflated linux horror stories
There are still posts about Linux I come across online (not on Bearblog!) that start off with some self-aggrandizing description of how difficult Linux allegedly is. “Ohh the first time I installed Linux, so bad! Every Linux user can tell you about all their problems they’re having all the time!” No, I can’t.
In my opinion, it’s time to put this whole thing to rest, or at least make it clear that it was long, long ago and nowadays it’s no problem (or that it is about Linux server management).
Linux has an image issue: It is seen as something only for tinkerers and people into tech who love using the terminal, when it’s absolutely not that now - unless you want it to be. But this image is held up and promoted by people who have an interest in keeping it this way to seem more knowledgable and tech-y than they are. Like they’re taming some unruly beast all the time and want some pats on the back for that, or they’re attached to the self-image of the mysterious guy with the weird OS that no one else uses so they have to stop it getting popular. I wonder for what, what’s the payoff? Every other Linux user reading those paragraphs in a post will know you’re bullshitting and exaggerating, and every other person into tech or working in IT will, too. Who are you looking to impress? The people who don’t have a computer anymore, only a smartphone? Tech-uninterested Windows users? Why? This posturing to make everything seem harder than it is to look cool is cringe.
Everyone and their grandma could now install some Ubuntu variety. My girlfriend, who is notoriously bad at tech, used it on her old laptop as well. Arch based distros like EndeavourOS make it easy and comfortable to basically install Arch plus all the extras, drivers and amenities you want, SteamOS on the Deck is Arch based and runs fine and stable. Even Arch itself has an installer and good install guide now.
Nvidia is not nearly as big of a problem as it used to be - everything went fine on my Nvidia system, even though it was a multi screen setup and an Optimus system (laptop). The switch to KDE6 was a bit rough on it, but that’s what I signed up for with a rolling release distro. Most people are casual users, do not have or need rolling release and don’t have multiple monitors or bespoke rare external hardware, so they would never even run into the only problem I have ever had while using a Linux system. And it’s only going to get better with Nova.
Not even gaming is an issue anymore aside from multiplayer games that need kernel-level anti-cheat, which honestly you should not accept and support (in my humble opinion). Leave games that use that in the dust.
So isn’t it finally time to let go of the image of the suffering Linux user and their constantly half broken system? It literally just works for most people, especially because they choose stable, easy, well supported distros for casual use, not Gentoo. Windows gave me more grief than this.
Published 23 Sep, 2024, edited 7 months, 2 weeks ago