Stop being elitist, spread Linux!

Linux needs to grow. Stop telling people it's 'tech-y' or acting like you're more advanced for using it, you are scaring away people. Linux Mint can be used by a senile person perfectly.

Explain shortly the benefits, 'faster, more secure, easier to use, main choices of professionals and free'. Ask questions that let you know if they need to dual boot, 'do you use Adobe, anti-cheat games, or Microsoft Office', 'how new is your computer', 'do you use a Mac'.

And most importantly, offer to help them install.

They don't understand the concept of distros, just suggest Linux Mint LTS Cinnamon unless they're curious.

That's it, spread Linux to as many people as possible. The larger the marketshare, the better support we ALL get. We can fight enshittification. Take the time to spread it but don't force it on anyone.

AND STOP SCARING PEOPLE AWAY.
Linux has no advertising money, it's up to us.

Offer family members or friends your help or copy and paste the below

how to install linux: 1) copy down your windows product key 2) backup your files to a harddrive 3) install the linux mint cinnamon iso from the linux mint website 4) use etcher (download from its website) to put the iso on a usb flash drive 5) go into bios 6) boot from the usb 7) erase the storage and install 8) press update all in the update manager 9) celebrate. it takes 15 minutes.

edit:
LET ME RE-STATE, DO NOT FORCE IT ON ANYONE.

and if someone is at the level of ignorance (not in a derogatory fashion) that they dont know what a file even is genuinely dont bother unless theyre your parents cause youll be tech support for their 'how do i install the internet' questions.

WeirdGoesPro ,
@WeirdGoesPro@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

But you’re forgetting the most important thing—people don’t want to change. They want a big corporation to tie themselves to because brand loyalty is a replacement for the need to learn.

Linux isn’t going to replace your phone with AppleCare. Linux doesn’t have a support line to bitch to or a geek squad to call. In fact, most of the places your typical user would think to go for support will likely balk at a Linux system because they aren’t power users either—just employees trained for a specific service.

I love Linux. I flirt with going 100% FOSS all the time. But I wouldn’t recommend it for my mom. All the free security in the world couldn’t replace the value of being able to tell her “take it to Apple and let them fix it for you”.

So yes, I’m with you, but I also think we need to acknowledge that all tools serve a purpose, and some people prefer the kids meal over the big boy buffet—and that’s ok.

Octorine ,

There are companies working on providing that experience for Linux. System76 is one. You can buy a laptop with their is pre installed. Everything works, including suspend. If something breaks, you call the support number or email and they either talk you through fixing it or sending it in for repair or replacement. It's not that different from having a Dell or HP.

kittenzrulz123 ,

Not only should we not recommend Linux we should be more "elitist". If a user wants to use Linux we should provide help but we should not convince. Linux is a fundamentally technical system due to its high skill celling. It will also never be able to do everything Windows does, I may be ok with that (and most Linux users are) but the average person may not. Also why do we need to advertise? More users doesn't mean anything. The only thing that matters is more programmers who are willing to contribute and maintain along with corporate sponsors.

TLDR; there is nothing wrong with telling someone to not use Linux if they aren't already

jackpot OP ,
@jackpot@lemmy.ml avatar

Also why do we need to advertise? More users doesn't mean anything

this is why we dont have adobe, or so much else. proper nvidia support? drivers?

abby ,

no one in my family or friend group is tech literate enough to follow most of those steps, let alone deal with all the tiny troubleshooting they're in for at every step.

olbaidiablo ,

You do have a point. Most of the issues I've ever had on any of my computers has been with windows. Linux just keeps on humming along. Every one of the hand me down laptops I seem to get because they are "too slow", gets wiped, Linux installed and they work great after.

meekah ,
@meekah@lemmy.world avatar

My chromecast recently gave up.

So I went on our equivalent for craigslist and bought a cheap, old-ish laptop for 80€. It was okay with windows, but it feels snappy and like new with linux. Not only can I control it from my couch using my phone similar to the chromecast, but it also enabled me to consume media off of a USB stick. looking forward to playing around with this thing as a game server.

olbaidiablo ,

I have a laptop I bring all over just for media. It works great in hotel rooms too.

meekah ,
@meekah@lemmy.world avatar

good point!

AnUnusualRelic ,
@AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world avatar

Don't tell them, just break in their home at night and install it. They'll call you in the morning. Probably to thank you. Probably.

nifty ,
@nifty@lemmy.world avatar

More users usually ruins things, that’s how we ruined and lost the internet.

Plopp ,

Sure, but I need more software and hardware to be Linux compatible, so I still need more people to come over.

luca ,

I see this more as a thought experiment. You can't really tell other people what they should use. I can't also do that at my workplace. If someone comes to me for help fixing their PC I can of course tell them just use Linux, but most of the time I need to reinstall the OS it came with. The Linux culture is intrinsically elitist, that's just the way it is. That's not to mean that you need to be a jerk about it, I use Arch btw, use whatever fits your needs.

Some time ago I got a mini PC for my dad who was curious about the web and stuff and I haven't hat a shred of a doubt that it would be Linux. To satisfy my own curiosity, I used it as an excuse to do some distro hopping and tried a lot of distros to try and find a balance between ease of use (from a standpoint of an elderly person) and my own nerdyness. I ended up installing a KDE based distro because the UI can easily be customized, resized and simplified for his needs. But let's be honest, not anybody is willing to spend hours searching and trying different operating systems and tweaking and stuff. Also the web sucks nowadays for people that are not used to it, for example how should I explain all the stupid cookie stuff, or the ads in between articles. Come on just be nice to people.

jackpot OP ,
@jackpot@lemmy.ml avatar

im confused, whats the thought experiment here?

luca ,

Well, you've said it yourself, don't force it on anyone.

MrFunnyMoustache ,

As much as I want more people to use Linux and divorce from Microsoft, I don't want to be someone's tech support guy, I've done it as a teen and as a young adult; I never want to do it again. When my parents have trouble with their computer, they don't call me, especially since I live in a different timezone and it gets inconvenient... they take it to a technician to get it sorted. If they take a Linux computer to a technician, they will likely just install windows on it and call it a day.

randomaside ,
@randomaside@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

You know back in the day they used to sell Linux distributions on the shelf at software stores. I remember seeing a boxed copy of mandriva next to windows. Home computing used to be a hobby for some but that means there was commercial support at some point.

I do think that home users of "Linux" will need a commercial alternative that supports all their apps. ChromeOS looks like the current best alternative. If you can get people into chrome books, you're one step closer to getting them onto Linux.

jackpot OP ,
@jackpot@lemmy.ml avatar

what are the catches of chromeos

PseudoSpock ,
@PseudoSpock@lemmy.dbzer0.com avatar

You mean, besides being chromeos? ;)

force ,

everything. everything about it sucks. it's like the chastity cage of OSes, even moreso than Apple OSes

chepycou ,
@chepycou@rcsocial.net avatar

@randomaside @jackpot I'd disagree, chromeOS really is the worst

Squizzy ,

I got Linux mint and I'm shit at it, terminology and step by steps are lost on me. It definitely needs a significant time commitment.

Gallardo994 ,

Ah shit here we go again

Dirk ,
@Dirk@lemmy.ml avatar

I stopped having Linux discussions years ago. If people approach me and ask for my opinion I tell them to try Linux Mint and make backups before installation.

model_tar_gz , (edited )

I’m a Linux user and fan for a lot of years now. Software engineer by profession.

It’s not ready for widespread adoption to the less tech-savvy masses.

It misses some functionality that is really hard to get right but is absolutely expected to get right. For example: graceful suspend and wakeups. It happens so often even to me that I close my Linux laptop for the day, next morning open it up to a bunch of warnings and error messages about Bluetooth adapters or whatever the device of the day that wants to malfunction is that prevents a sound S2 S3 sleep.

I don’t get freaked out about it. But grandma sure would. And yet my 10 year old MacBook Pro gets it right every single fucking time; completely flawlessly. This is the bar of usability that Linux has to achieve for widespread adoption as a true, polished, personal computing experience.

edit: meant S3 sleep.

funkless_eck ,

It also doesn't help that doing anything in Linux requires weird little guys like "mv" or "mkdir" or "chmod 777"

Dra ,

Insert link to linus daily driver video

csm10495 ,
@csm10495@sh.itjust.works avatar

I wouldn't do this since I don't want to be even more tech support for people I know.

My mom has used windows for as long as she has had a computer and still doesn't know what the start button or the windows key are.

I've explained it millions of times.

I'm not signing up for more of that than we need.

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