What it takes is people being able to buy a Linux machine at the local electronics store. Installing your OS yourself is still a major hurdle for most people.
I’m afraid price won’t be right or I have to say it’s hard for to it to be right when pc components are soaring in prices. They just ran into a bad timing.
However another important step is that the default distro needs to basically not even highlight that terminal exists.
If you’re trying to learn how to use linux, and step 1 of the tutorial is “open terminal”, you will lose 97% of your new install base. Then headlines will flood that linux machines are being returned in high numbers.
As much as you guys hate to hear this, the first experience for a new linux user needs to be intuitive. Before they even turn the machine on, they have to know how to use this software. Not because they are experts, but because the space and experience guides itself.
Then as you learn, you can customize a bit more, and from there linux can become a rabbit hole. But the point is, let the individual user control the depths which they dive. Because I suspect 90%+ won’t even change the desktop background. And thats ok.
Make it easy for the dummies, but then you individually can tinker if you want to. And it’s linux, so…ya know. Go nuts. But some people don’t want to do all that tinkering. That vanilla experience is what gets remembered to represent that OS. Even if you customized it and experienced it very differently.
But its very unfamiliar for people coming from Windows. That said, ZorinOS does a very good job of reworking it to look and act like Windows, KDE, cinnamon or previous versions of Gnome.
That’s where I think Bazzite really shines… I didn’t need the terminal to setup all of the normal stuff at all, and new apps I discovered right from the start menu so I didn’t need to go far at all.
What it takes is people being able to buy a Linux machine at the local electronics store. Installing your OS yourself is still a major hurdle for most people.
More than system76 and Lenovo think pads without graphics cards.
Steam Deck + Steam Cube
The Deck probably looks too toylike for many people. The GabeCube might really make an impact, if the price is right.
I’m afraid price won’t be right or I have to say it’s hard for to it to be right when pc components are soaring in prices. They just ran into a bad timing.
That is an important step, yes.
However another important step is that the default distro needs to basically not even highlight that terminal exists.
If you’re trying to learn how to use linux, and step 1 of the tutorial is “open terminal”, you will lose 97% of your new install base. Then headlines will flood that linux machines are being returned in high numbers.
As much as you guys hate to hear this, the first experience for a new linux user needs to be intuitive. Before they even turn the machine on, they have to know how to use this software. Not because they are experts, but because the space and experience guides itself.
Then as you learn, you can customize a bit more, and from there linux can become a rabbit hole. But the point is, let the individual user control the depths which they dive. Because I suspect 90%+ won’t even change the desktop background. And thats ok.
Make it easy for the dummies, but then you individually can tinker if you want to. And it’s linux, so…ya know. Go nuts. But some people don’t want to do all that tinkering. That vanilla experience is what gets remembered to represent that OS. Even if you customized it and experienced it very differently.
Gnome is very good at this
But its very unfamiliar for people coming from Windows. That said, ZorinOS does a very good job of reworking it to look and act like Windows, KDE, cinnamon or previous versions of Gnome.
If you use something like Mint or Ubuntu, you never need to see the terminal.
That’s where I think Bazzite really shines… I didn’t need the terminal to setup all of the normal stuff at all, and new apps I discovered right from the start menu so I didn’t need to go far at all.