You don't download shell scripts from github for windows. You download batch scripts and exes from random file hosting sites, and they don't even fix your problem.
Talking here about regular x64 OS install not ARM though, have not played with that myself.
Not really, it is usually PowerShell scripts from trusted blogs or in case of local account creation, you run a batch file that is built in installer (oobe\bypassnro) that adds a single registry value. Not sure I would call this hacking. Then again I don't think Linux 10 years again had problems with account creation as well.
Would be nicer if you could create local account out of the box? Sure. Do some prefer MS account? Also true.
Giving you, if you were lucky, VESA graphics and maybe a mouse pointer because XFree86 somehow insisted on being told whether you have a PS/2 or USB mouse. 3d acceleration only with nvidia and that required manual installation because nvidia never provided anything but blobs. IIRC ATI drivers were simply non-existent (didn't have an ATI card back then), that only changed when AMD bought them. Whippensnappers won't believe it but once upon the time, nvidia was actually the company to go with when running linux. And Epic didn't hate Linux yet, UT2004 came with linux binaries on the dvd.
I once tried to install Linux around then, not long after ISA cards with Plug n Play became a thing.
Linux: So now to even pretend to get the card to work you have to download and run a tool to generate a config file to feed to another tool so you can then install the driver and get basic functionality from the card (which is all that's available on Linux). Except the first tool doesn't generate a working config file - it generates a file containing every possible configuration your hardware supports hypothetically having and requires you to find and uncomment the one you want to actually use. Requiring you to manually configure the card and thus kinda defeating the point of Plug n Play (though I guess that configuration was in software, not by setting jumpers).
Same card in Windows at the time: Install card, boot Windows. Card is automatically identified and given a valid configuration, built in drivers provide basic functionality. Can download software from manufacturer for more advanced functionality.
That soured me on Linux for a long time. Might try it again sometime soon just to see what it's like if nothing else. ProtonDB doesn't have the most positive things to say about my Steam collection, and I imagine odds are worse for stuff not available on Steam.
Yeah, all my Linux installs after about 2003 were liveCDs. I used to carry my Gentoo CD around as my diagnostic tools for a while helping people fix their windows machines (or just backing up everything off it before reformatting).
I think Knoppix was the first live CD I used. It was mind blowing. Now you can just carry around a whole personally configured system on a USB stick. Pretty cool.
That was the case even 19 years back. Ubuntu nailed it back then. You could install it without knowing anything about your computer. Before that, there were text based UIs which required deep understanding and lots of decisions.
It hasn’t change since mid-2000s if you only talk about the installation process itself. Usually you would have at least some piece of hardware that wouldn’t work out of box and it used to be a lot of work until getting everything in place
Linux is honestly great, literally the only things holding it back is programs supporting it. I'm painfully tied to a select few windows programs for work and hobbies, Wine tries its best but programs need to start supporting linux before proper adoption can kick off.
Lots more is holding it back, but I'd agree apps is a huge issue.
It's still has significant issues with being end-user friendly. Needing to use command line for some things that should be a right click, not supporting right click, ambiguities galore when looking at a package repository, odd defaults in packages that one really wouldn't expect to have to check (e.g. Selecting RDP connection in a Remote app, but it defaults the security to something other than RDP?)
As for apps, there's problems like Libre Office devs refusing to support tables in the spreadsheet app, saying data management should be done with a database tool. While they're not wrong, it takes a LOT more effort to setup a DB than to simply click "make table" in excel, which millions of people are familiar with. I create tables every day for run-of-the-mill stuff that simply doesn't need a database. No one has time for that.
Or you plug in the most prolific wireless mouse on the planet, that's been around since 2000 (Logitech), and it doesn't work. Now pick any random piece of hardware and this is the stuff you run into. You go down the rabbit hole of searching for a solution
Or CAD (which falls in your app argument).
Linux is great for many things (things I run, UnRAID, TrueNAS, Proxmox, etc), it's just not a great general purpose desktop for the average user, yet.
I understand the face value of it, but I really hate the argument of (basically) "Linux isnt going to take off until it just becomes Windows (or emulates it perfectly click for click)"
People always act like Linux is less buttery smooth two click accessible as a style choice, but cranking out a system like that and keeping it up costs money. If Linux dedicated to supporting every dongle on the planet themselves and all this other shiz, they'd have to monetize too.
So much less now needs the terminal. Personally, I don't get why people don't mind doing a search to find where windows hid some particular setting 3 submenus deep, but lose their fucking mind over the thought of doing a search to double check which command they need.
Linux doesn't need to change, people's priorities need to shift. This obsession with free services and not having to know shit about how shit works is how we got here, and shaking that is the only way out. For example, People will recognize that google is bad but if you point out you can get a domain and basic email hosting for $20/yr or whatever, its always "sucks teeth yeaaaaa but i dont have $20 for something like that and idk how stuff works" conveniently, you dont need to "yeaaaaa, but nooooooo"
Like, I hate cars, but I can't imagine not knowing how to change a tire or my oil, etc basic stuff, but there are people who call AAA when they get a flat. Its nuts to me.
I create tables every day for run-of-the-mill stuff that simply doesn't need a database. No one has time for that.
It seems that your issue isn't the lack of tables in sheets but no easy way to create a simple db.
If we want to break Microsoft's monopoly than we can't do that by reimplementing Microsoft's monopolistic ecosystem. And that creates the opportunity to correct questionable and arbitrary Microsoft decisions.
People are used to MS Office now but so were they used to typewriters a few decades ago. And if we're changing OSes we don't have to stick to one office suite.
A very simple problem that I absolutely hate in LibreOffice that I can't find a solution for. When typing in a formula in a spreadsheet and then trying to autocomplete it, you cannot use 'Tab'. If you want to do a vlookup and start typing "=vloo" and then hit 'Tab' it just changes to the next column. Working in Excel at work and then switching to Calc at home is jarring and terrible. That option can't be changed as far as I know. It's a complete dealbreaker for me between the two. Luckily I don't need to do much in my personal life on spreadsheets anymore or need to use my home PC for work like I used to.
I'm sorry, your standard 2000 era Logitech mouse doesn't work? I find that hard to believe. I've been using Linux as my only desktop Os and Logitech mice both since 2000, and if there is one thing that always has worked, its the mice.
Needing to use command line for some things that should be a right click
Right click where? All major DE's/WM's implement stuff in their own way. The problem here is we don't (and won't) have a unified GUI that everyone uses, unlike the other two main OS's. (Note: I don't see this as a problem, more as a result of the FLOSS ecosystem being such a rich soil to build stuff on.)
Needing to use command line for some things that should be a right click, not supporting right click, ambiguities galore when looking at a package repository, odd defaults in packages that one really wouldn’t expect to have to check (e.g. Selecting RDP connection in a Remote app, but it defaults the security to something other than RDP?)
Sounds like you're using a GNOME Desktop. You should give KDE Plasma a try instead. KDE Plasma basically gives you a Windows-esq experience without trying to install something like GNOME extensions.
For a regular user there's not much point into going into the command-line anymore.
there’s problems like Libre Office devs ...
Sure but there's also alternatives. LibreOffice doesn't try to emulate Microsoft Office and they never really have. They won't even try to be compatible with MS Office but rather they do with OOXML which Microsoft created for other Office suites to be compatible with it but then just never supported it very well. Some alternatives do however. WPS Office is perhaps the most popular alternative for this that does try to be compatible with MS Office and emulate its feel and features but ONLYOFFICE is also a contender.
Yeah, there's still some other little things, but it's surprising just how good the out of the box experience is, especially considering how little support the project has had from hardware and software vendors.
Needing to use command line for some things that should be a right click, not supporting right click
You can do nearly everything you need to via the GUI on the major distros (the ones that most people would use). There's plenty of things on Windows you must use the command-line for.
And anytime you need to use the Run dialogue it's the same argument. It's the same "issue" of having to type instead of using your mouse.
And if you don't need to use the command-line on Windows, it's the registry. The awful, terrible, horrible, disgusting registry.
I'm not actually sure what on earth you mean with "not supporting right click". Maybe you're thinking of older Mac versions?
it's just not a great general purpose desktop for the average user,
Or you plug in the most prolific wireless mouse on the planet, that’s been around since 2000 (Logitech), and it doesn’t work. Now pick any random piece of hardware and this is the stuff you run into. You go down the rabbit hole of searching for a solution
Have you not heard of logiops? Sure it needs a bit of config file editing, but now I'm a click and a shake away from switching activities, and music and... Honestly, it rocks
And the reason those few programs don't support Linux is because they don't think we have enough users. So don't hold up on using linux for that reason, it's just a circle.
Yes, I've been trying hard to squeeze some linux into my life, currently trying to turn an old laptop into a little music machine for jamming with on me midi keyboard. I've run across quite a few issues just trying to get specific software working. I did cave at one point and try to use windows 10 but their installation media tool would fail every time I tried and the hardware is too old for windows 11 lol. It also triggered my gag reflex just thinking of all the ads it would feed me and all the bullshit I'd have to disable to make it respect my privacy. A number of different distros just worked flawlessly, though, and if all I needed to do was simple computer things and web I'd be laughing.
I have found that steam proton is a powerful wine machine. I'm not sure if it would help with any of the programs you are trying to run as it does have limits, but I've been shoving a ton of .exe files into steam and they usually work flawlessly.
I think the biggest shift in the last 20 years is troubleshooting in Linux and windows.
20 years ago and I had to troubleshoot issues and Linux. It genuinely required a good bit of computer knowledge to get it done. Sometimes hours of work to figure out how to get a webcam to work Or how to fix grub?
Windows back then used to be so easy. And there was usually something that would do a quick fix.
However, now and I run across a windows issue. It's a nightmare. I can put hours of work into trying to fix a driver issue or an issue with updates and get nowhere. Then go to reinstall the operating system and have to spend more hours just to get it installed.
Now in Linux, not only do I rarely have issues but also fixing those issues are pretty straightforward. And if I can't fix it a reinstall takes minutes and I'm back up and running in no time.
As a part-time sysadmin at my small company. We use Altium and Solidworks, so we need windows.
I have 10x more windows problems than Linux problems like a bug for around 5 or so people where a windows update would disable the microphone, but every single microphone menu and setting would say it is enabled and working properly. You HAD to use their troubleshooter (which they are now phasing out, wtf) in order for it to be auto fixed. So soon it will probably be replaced by something else that won't fix the issue.
0 information online about it, 501 different way to fix audio issues, none of which work.
Nowadays the only problems that I have with Linux are slight bugs or user errors, honestly.
I wanted to dual boot Windows 10 for a few games after I switched off. I can't get the damn drivers for my hard drives to work. I just gave up on Windows entirely.
Nowadays I just roll my Linux installation back to before the updates using the BTRFS integration with the package manager. It works great and I'm never at a point where I can't use my computer because updates broke it. Heck, even if I bork it myself it's no biggie.
For me, one of the other annoyances is that both Windows and Mac OS push their services. Windows it's gotten ridiculous and on Mac. I just don't have the compatibility with all the stuff I want to use. Like I'm not in the ecosystem so it just doesn't work for me as an operating system
However, now and I run across a windows issue. It's a nightmare. I can put hours of work into trying to fix a driver issue or an issue with updates and get nowhere. Then go to reinstall the operating system and have to spend more hours just to get it installed.
Now in Linux, not only do I rarely have issues but also fixing those issues are pretty straightforward. And if I can't fix it a reinstall takes minutes and I'm back up and running in no time.
THANK YOU. I'm sick of this rhetoric about Linux being hard and user-unfriendly because of the command-line.
Windows is such a pain to use for a while now. You need a ton of post install scripts and hacks to make it even remotely usable and when something goes wrong good luck figuring out what. The event viewer is usually just a bunch of vague COM errors with an ID. Then when you look up that ID it's barely more useful than "something went wrong".
Last week I installed Windows 11 on a new laptop that came with FreeDOS installed. It was a really dreadful experience, I never thought it was this bad.
The windows 11 installer couldn't find any hhd partitions or hard drive, while FreeDOS could. After googling for a while I had to download an Intel Rapid Something driver from the manufacturer's website and load it up when installing windows 11.
After installing Windows it required an internet connection to proceed but I assume the wi-fi drivers were not installed. USB tethering didn't seem to be working either so I had to continue the setup elsewhere, where I had physical access to the router.
I had to skip a lot of things throughout the installer, which kinda shocked me. Office 365 and even games, before I even booted the actual OS.
Fully updating Windows took 2 hours. Fresh ISO, gigabit Ethernet connection, nvme HDD. Damn.
Pretty miserable experience and completely impossible to an unexperienced user.
The windows 11 installer couldn’t find any hhd partitions or hard drive, while FreeDOS could. After googling for a while I had to download an Intel Rapid Something driver from the manufacturer’s website and load it up when installing windows 11.
I recently got back into the homelab hobby. Fucking around with installer drivers has been eye opening. I had to fight to get drives recognized and the same with NICs. Funny, Proxmox worked without any issues (virt-io was leveraged, but the internet made that obvious before I even downloaded the ISO for it).
My last windows 11 installation took over 7 hours divided over 3 or 4 days, I dont even remember, I'm trying to forget. It was an absolute horror show and indont get why anyone accepts this. If I want to pay and get fucked I'll find an escort, but I have Linux AND a wife.
Actually, after a grueling 7 hours installation journey, i removed those peasky things by tossing an LUKS LVM filesystem over it and using that drive as a secondary drive on my desktop. Fuxk windows
For point 1 you need to toggle a setting in UEFI that switches between RAID (Rapid Storage) and AHCI. It sounds like you are in RAID mode and in this mode Linux will be unable to probe the disk. If you toggle the setting then the current Windows install will break but both Windows (clean install) and Linux will be able to see the disk.
Point 3, yeah I heard that in reddit too. Enshittification in full swing.
Points 2 & 4 no comment lol
Idk man, I regularly reinstall Windows (cca. every 6 months) to get rid of bloatware and random stuff I installed and don't need anymore. It's a pretty smooth experience, though it would be a major pain if your circumstances ever occured.
Windows 9x was extremely time consuming to install with multiple reboots and before that it was all config files. Out of the box 95 couldn't play media, connect to the internet (thanks trumpet), even access a cd. Normies bought machines pre-installed and got help when the system shit itself. Before there were scripted alternatives large scale Windows deployments were all imaged because of the hours it took to set up a single machine swapping floppies and writing to spinning rust. You had to reboot numerous times and use third party drivers and apps for everything. I recently installed a disposable Win 10 to do a firmware upgrade and Microsoft have come a long way though having to disconnect the Internet to get a local login is very dark.
Before there were scripted alternatives large scale Windows deployments were all imaged because of the hours it took to set up a single machine swapping floppies and writing to spinning rust.
My first internship was patching a ton of Win 98 systems and it involved walking up and down rows of cubicles waiting for the next step of the installation to get done and hit a couple keys
Before there were scripted alternatives large scale Windows deployments were all imaged because of the hours it took to set up a single machine swapping floppies and writing to spinning rust.
With Windows 7 I was making golden images to simplify deployments.
Even now for the one Windows 10 VM I need for a very specific thing, I couldn't use it without installing AtlasOS (an extensive powershell script to cut out as much of the bloat as possible). Otherwise the system would consistently slow down and stop responding. It was basically unusable (it's running on Proxmox on a considerably old server).
I tried to help my brother, who is a computer scientist to install windows 11 on his new am5 motherboard build. Am5 was really new and even with our combined knowledge it took all day of fucking with it to find a way to get windows 11 to recognize the m2 ssd. We had to load it with an older driver from the manufactures website and we had to do some kind of shenanigans to get the installer to actually recognize the files. Iirc this was a gigabyte motherboard, a reputable brand.
This was when am5 was newer so it's kind of understandable I guess, but I also installed arch for troubleshooting purposes that day and it only took 30 minutes 🤷
To be fair, I find that people with a Computer Science degree are pretty much just like most other users except that they need more privileged access somewhere because they are usually software developers or somewhere in that orbit.
A Computer Science degree does not prepare someone to be a sysadmin. That doesn't mean they can't be an excellent one but it certainly isn't because of their degree path.
Usually got problems with Windows not recognizing drives during install only on Gigabyte mobos. Turning off all forms of Fast Boot in BIOS fixed it for me, but it was an older motherboard (one for AMD FX series, IIRC).
It took me two hours from the moment I started popping my laptop case open to add a new SSD to first boot on Linux. And figuring out how to disable secure boot on Acer's fancy ass BIOS was what took most of the time.
Games is mostly (say 90+95%) there. Windows won't go bye bye though, MS ensured customers by making government's and companies sign contracts that will be a bitch to get out of. Expect windows to be around for a long time.
Microsoft has shit developers, but they have great marketing people and lawyers, so many lawyers...
Currently school holidays here and we have multiple machines running Steam on Linux all day playing a good variety of games. None of them are competitive online games that require a rootkit so we are just fortunate I guess that the household prefers co-op lan games, sims etc. I suspect these rootkits are about as effective as anti-doping in sports. Determined cheats still cheat so anyone installing malware to play those sorts of games is probably fooling themselves.
Games have largely caught up. Fifteen years ago, you couldn't run anything other than shitty FOSS games or the occasional Platinum AppDB rated game like World of Warcraft on Linux, and even for the latter the install instructions were convoluted. With WoW, you had to manually copy the files from each CD, save them locally and then run the installer because otherwise the installer would shit the bed and fail halfway through Discs 2 or 3.
The final hurdle for gaming on Linux is anti-cheat and that's going to be a mountain to overcome. Only two solutions (to my knowledge) currently have native Linux support and those are Easy Anti Cheat (EAC) and Valve Anti Cheat (VAC.) You're not gonna get anything requiring Ring 0 access (like Vanguard) running on Linux anytime soon.
You're not gonna get anything requiring Ring 0 access (like Vanguard) running on Linux anytime soon.
Good. Kernel mode anticheat is fucking malware. Anticheat for a game should never have the same power over the system as a driver, which needs those privileges to communicate with hardware.
Fifteen years ago, you couldn't run anything other than shitty FOSS games or the occasional Platinum AppDB rated game like World of Warcraft on Linux, and even for the latter the install instructions were convoluted.
Hey! I was playing LOTRO just fine on Linux back then. It actually worked better on Linux than Windows back then too.
Maybe for home users. Working at an MSP, I can't see small to medium sized businesses making any changes here anytime soon, especially those that use specialized software built only for Windows.
In my experience, many business applications now run on the Web or are being upgraded to be. Where I work Windows pcs endure only for those who have to do technical drawing, most terminals are Ubuntu updated by ansible scripts and connected to an active directory domain running on Samba. The few PCs with Windows are slowly disappearing as hardware is upgraded ( medium-sized company with about sixty PCs ). There are also a couple of Mac's used by in-house developers/IT.
Back in 1997 I was like "Ooh, Debian is mildly easy to install (compared to Slackware). Just need to engage my brain a few times maybe."
(The first Slackware guide I read in 1996 had an ominous warning about getting the ModeLines right in XFree86 or the monitor will catch fire. This, fortunately, was a little bit of exaggeration. Over/under refresh frequency protection was already a thing.)
Now? "Oh no I fucked up my password shit and can't login. I'll need 5 more minutes to completely reinstall this Raspberry Pi image. I should have engaged my brain!"
Shit, we've gotten to the point that your average desk jockey can probably install freaking FreeBSD on the first try. If that's not a good sign I don't know what is.
Recently I decided I no longer wanted LUKS encryption on my laptop because I don't travel anymore. So I followed the steps to do an in-place drive decryption. It worked, but I had missed a step to update the bootloader. So I fired up a live distro, chrooted to the installed system and 2 minutes later I had a working system.
To be entirely unbiased here, this covers user friendly distros that pretty much blow windows away for "default experience".
Windows has adware and scareware - more so it has config-cluster-fuckification (I believe this is the academic term for it?). This is where windows lost me - when it started bundling basic config options together to force you to relinquish your privacy. Now it's "edit the registry or gtfo"...
Related, I predict Windows on ARM will be a massive failure, again.
Windows is Windows because a critical mass of their market is terrified of being vaguely incompatible with any software they use today. Wine will never give them enough confidence just like ARM emulation of x86 will never give them confidence.
Extra bizarre, from what I've seen the Windows devices vendors are treating the ARM variants as a premium model and charging more for them, despite having no real compelling story for the customers. You can either have an x86 offering that's from all appearances just as overall capable and absolutely able to run your software today, on an ARM offering that is more expensive and maybe a bit less compatible, with maybe better battery life (either sincerely or at least a belief).
Mac is able to force the issue because the hardware and software all wanted to make ARM happen and forced it, but with Windows on ARM, only Qualcomm really cares, Microsoft and all the device vendors would prefer to hedge their bets, which in this case tie goes to the incumbent.
I believe this time Windows on ARM will make an Intel Arc-like launch. It won't be a failure but it won't capture a massive audience either. QC will keep developing chips and some Windows users will be able to daily drive ARM.
They differ a lot. I don't understand why Microsoft does not want to improve on this situation. At minimum take all questions at once, or collect answers from existing installation. Maybe have some profiles of answers like wipe disk and privacy mode.
Microsoft's most important customers are businesses, who generally don't deal with this (they have corporate images). Home users also generally don't deal with this given they buy a computer that has already been configured.
Linux-based systems have always needed to be better because almost no one buys a computer with $DISTRO already installed and configured.
You are right, most don't need it. Yet they still have the wizard guide, and with several new GUI questions implemented. So they are maintaining the setup wizard - just does not want to improve it. I am sure Microsoft have the money to improve on it and make more users happy(read not leaving Windows).
Windows have come to a point where they don't need to improve much more. So they only focus on the stuff that might bring in extra money instead(ads and data harvesting). This will be their downfall if it does not align with what the users want. It will be interesting to see how the deal with ARM - problem to bring legacy programs. Yes, one day we will move to ARM on all new computers as they are just so much better. A good opportunity to rethink a lot and for Microsoft lose its big walls around Windows. Easier for competitors to come in.
Linux have also improved due to users always want a friendly GUI. And the users have more power to actually make a difference due to the nature of being open source. Automated installs here are still needed. A few sell OEM with Linux.
Right, so lets shutdown Windows as it does not bring in enough money.
I don't think that would be a good idea, to let it rot away. It is a business that brings in money after all, and it keeps the users using Microsoft office(Office 365) and all their products. They need to keep it alive.
I meant - privacy mode just means answer no tracking on all the questions. Yes, they will still turn those back on when the next Windows update happen, but that is beside the point.
I don't think Microsoft realizes how easily done mass deployment of Linux distros and foss software could be :| especially if done at scale, and having some mid-sized corporations backing it.
Love Linux, but had to wipe it from my system due to frustrating incompatibilities with my NVidia setup. I will pick Mint back up when I get another PC though, with the goal being to keep a Windows setup only for gaming and nothing else.
I waited to install Linux until I put in another drive to dual-boot, and proceeded to never go back to my windows install.
I was surprised at how easy it was to get things running, and any difficulties I had were mostly the result of me assuming things were more complicated than they are and not looking for simple solutions.
I ran a dual boot setup for about six weeks, but the performance issues and bugs just got too annoying over time.
I'm planning to get a new PC later this year for gaming. Just gonna wipe windows off this one and make it my "all other stuff" system when that time comes. :)
That sucks, I guess I have been fortunate that my I haven't had any major issues with either of my Nvidia cards using the proprietary drivers. Are you using the 4000 series cards? I haven't tried them as my 3070 is still doing fine and has been since release.
It may be due in part to age. Partly why I'm replacing my laptop is that gaming hardware stayed pretty accessible for three years, but this year has leapt forward significantly and my laptop isn't keeping up as well as it used to.
So how would I go about installing Linux on my shitty $200 refurbished Dell laptop? Would it continue to support my USB docking station with mouse keyboard and three monitors? What about remoting into work?
I don't otherwise particularly do anything on it. No gaming or any such thing.
Might have some trouble if it's a typec dock and the monitors are connected to it. Laptop's own outputs might also be wonky if there's a hybrid gpu setup going on, but support for thosr has improved a ton lately. Mkb should work fine out of the box as long as it's not some unified proprietary bullshit wireless kit with smarfridge integration.
Overall, I would suggest just ripping an image of ubuntu, or pop_os if you got nvidia card, boot off it, just close the installer to try live mode, and see for yourself if everything works. Takes like an hour to do, no installation required. You can even install software, except gpu drivers, as everything would be all wiped on reboot and gpu drivers need reboot, hence popos suggestion as it has them built-in. You can try remmina on it - it's the most common remote control software, supports both rdp and vnc and a bunch of other obscure protocols.
USB docking station should be supported (unless it's one of those external battery ones that plug into the bottom of the laptop).
Remoting into work is fine but depends on the setup. For example, openssh with rdp works fine, can't vouch for other solutions but I'm sure you could get them working.
Edit: I have been informed that displaylink docks require additional software. I didn't even know those were a thing so I don't know how difficult it would be to setup.
I had to manually install displaylink on Fedora in order to use my USB-C docking station. Its not included in the fedora repos. But it drives 4x1440p monitors
I just tried to install Ubuntu on an old MacBook and after booting neither the keyboard nor trackpad work. CMD +R reset the whole thing to a working Mac so I’m still not sold
Yeah well I'm not sold on mac hardware, all bets are off as that is designed to be as FU to anything but Apple software. I'd say screw apple but they even managed to fubar screws just to be as consumer unfriendly as possible.
Any time I had to install on my old MacBook pros, I had to refit or refind every install, kajigger all the whatzits, then pray that it would all work. And then be pissed off because I couldn't access my journalled partition.
In a nutshell, fuck apple for their hardware lockdown.
Apple, like Nvidia, are a hostile hardware platform. I have a lot of respect for the ingenuity of the people who invest time and energy to unlock closed hardware. That is the true foundation of the free software movement. I am far less sympathetic to people who support these vendors financially and then complain when things don't work. Caveat emptor.
A 2019 with an i5 and a 2012 with an i7. Admittedly I haven’t tinkered much with either but the keyboard and trackpad being completely unresponsive wasn’t a great first foray
Linux is still a bit hit and miss, I say that using it from a Thinkpad which I was told would be a 100% sure thing but the trackpoint has never worked and the mouse randomly cuts out until I restart. It's my daily driver tho cuz I find its brand of BS more tolerable than Windows or Apple's.
I have a PC that I use for work and a couple old Mac laptops sitting around so I’d like to fool around with Linux, found a hundred articles on how easy it is but every time I try I literally can’t make the machine do anything. Maybe I just need a cheap usb keyboard
You tried to install a non apple approved software(being the entire OS) on a Mac system. Imagine how hard it is for linux developers to support this blackbox hardware configuration?
Try using something actually easier to program/use for running linux type OSes. I usually will suggest AMD.
If you need a strong graphics card on a laptop, I think those frameworks will be more than capable of offering that kind of flexibility. The potential of packing it up so that if you feel like the power-hungry gpu will take too much battery, then it can be flexible in allowing you to remove the gpu without thinking about a screwdriver
If you need ARM, then you should be mindful of the fact that the arm ecosystem is still quite new for pc users. There are not many software choices, but it does show some promise.
If you think you need Mac hardware, then you don't need to go around throwing linux on it. MacOS is already Unix like. You are going to live with the fact that no one outside of apple will have proper hardware support at the OS level. Let alone driver support.
Heard and understood. I just wanted to mess around with a laptop collecting dust and Linux is all the rage these days. Don’t particularly need it for any purpose, just tinkering