Gaming on Linux is pretty legit now. I don't even boot into windows very often. In recent memory, only one AAA game didn't work out of the box for me that required booting into windows.
So far black desert online is the only game that I've wanted to play that I can't on Linux (eac is awful). I know there are others, but it's mainly fps games that bother with windows-only eac and I don't play fps games all that much. Battlebit is probably the only fps I've been playing in the past few months, and they use/will be using a linux-compatible eac version which I'm jazzed about
I'm also surprised that people see this kind of ads: I haven't seen any since I removed Outlook free (after Windows prompted me to switch because the older UWP Mail app was being retired). I'm always surprised when people complain about the number of ads they get in Windows.
But that's not the point: the point is no paid software should contain any ad.
Yeah. I was literally just talking about how my SteamDeck is going to let me retire my remaining Windows PC. And by retire it, I mean install Linux, and continue to enjoy it.
I much prefer Windows to MacOS. The fact it is missing decent tiling is a nonstarter. It's too inflexible for my workflow.
And sure, Windows can be maddeningly inconsistent, but what really destroys the experience is the constant ensh*ttification.
I know a lot of people here hate everything about Windows, but for me, it only sucks because Microsoft designs it to suck.
Not only are there ads and (some) first party lockin, I cannot trust they will continue offering updates, paywall feaures, restrict more functionality, or insert stuff like AI to mess up my workflow.
I used to think reliability was just about stability and bugginess, but now I think it is about trust as well.
Mainly because Windows has more support. Software availability is the biggest draw to Windows. I would quite happily drop it in a heartbeat if Linux came close.
MacOS has no proper UI scaling for example. Something windows had for... I don't know, ever? It was never an issue for me.
For MacOS you need a little extra tool you stumble upon after hours of debugging that teels your MacOS what resolutions your display actually supports so MacOS grants you the option of your desired HiDPI resolution.
It's stuff like this that drives me mad when dealing with the fucking Mac I am forced to use at work.
Lol, is this meme for real? Most mac users would never touch Linux. Like, yes, they are both based on Unix... But come on now, this is just intellectually dishonest.
Most Mac users, in my experience, have no idea how to operate anything without an apple logo on it.
Linux users are in the (well constructed) tent camp in the local park that Mac users ride their electric scooters past while desperately trying to avoid eye contact.
Linux users are the homeowners who build and fix everything they can, but look down on people that don't find craftsmanship fun, claiming that they're saving money by doing the work themselves. Good on you for having that hobby, but if you don't enjoy it, spending time to learn those skills costs time that could be spent earning more money than you'd save. Paying an expert to do things you don't enjoy is usually the cheaper option. They can be found almost anywhere, similar to how Linux users use Apple or windows products from time to time.
Mac users are suburb dwellers who view their way of life as what everyone should aspire to, ignorant to the downsides of sprawl and reliance on cars to go anywhere. Commute times suck, while walkable neighborhoods with public transit make most people healthier and happier. There's an important classist component, often bundled with racism, that underscores this ideal.
Windows users are people that live in urban areas for work, trying to find reasonable rent or home prices as unchecked capitalism makes everything worse, but unaware why things suck. They get annoyed when people share their passion for handiwork, and dislike suburban folks for thinking they're superior rather than the downsides to suburban life. However, because most people live this way, and live this way for work, they usually don't have strong identities like suburbanites or handy homeowners.
Homeless people are those who can't afford computers, overlapping with actual homeless people, and rural people are those that don't use computers more than they need to, socializing face to face and literally touching grass.
A lot of software development in a corporate environment is using a Mac as the host. Not to say it's the target build env. So id say some Mac users know Linux far better than you think. In my experience.
Where i work, we all use macs. I'm the only developer and all others are designers.
They all look at me very oddly, when i open a terminal on their Mac and change some settings from there. They check if my changes are working and still keep that look, like if I've done something strange to their mac lol
MacOS is still Unix under the hood, and has been since they adapted NeXTSTEP.
Maybe it's just because I'm fundamentally more of a console user than a windowing-system user, but to me a Unix-based OS is always going to be a winner compared to Windows.
But, if you want to laugh at OSes, laugh at classic MacOS, where everything would grind to a halt if you clicked and held the mouse button.
Maybe it’s just because I’m fundamentally more of a console user than a windowing-system user, but to me a Unix-based OS is always going to be a winner compared to Windows.
I absolutely agree
But, if you want to laugh at OSes, laugh at classic MacOS
They all suck in their own unique way! For me I can tolerate the way Linux sucks, and for others it's something else. But I think we can all agree that bitching about operating systems is great catharsis.
Mac won't let me do what I want, and offers no explanation and the forums are filled with people telling me why what I want is wrong.
Windows has a way to do it, but it's hidden behind 17 menus from 8 eras if UI design, and it just won't shut the fuck up and listen to me. It has needless animations for everything, and trys so hard to be friendly that it's just infuriating.
Linux let's me do the thing. It gives no directions on how to do the thing, and if I do it wrong, it doesn't even tell me that things are fucked until six months later when I discover I accidentally told it to write the kernel logs to the bootloader and everything is on fire.
I prefer punching myself in the gonads to being called stupid or jerked around, so that's why I use Linux.
This is why KVM/QEMU with virtio drivers are massively helpful in using windows specific software without needing to dualboot on short notice. Proton also helps run many games on Linux, which is Windows only. Too bad the biggest strength is also a weakness. It's just a pain to set up and figure out problems that will happen from inexperience
Linux sucks for natural reasons. It's easy to tolerate because it's not trying to fuck with you, it's just a consequence of being a hodgepodge of software written by nerds for nerds. Windows sucks for malicious reasons. Microsoft is intentionally making it worse, to make more money, and that pisses me off. MacOS sucks because it assumes you're an idiot, and wants to protect itself from you. I may be an idiot, but that shouldn't stop me from breaking my own machine, god damnit!
Yeah, but none of the system tools and applications follow Unix-like paradigms, so it's really only Unix-like in name. Sure you can launch a bash or zsh shell, but there aren't a lot of useful things you can do with that without installing a bunch of third party tools like brew, so the experience isn't all that different from having to install Cygwin or WSL in Windows.
Arguably Arch Linux also lacks proper Window management. The idea of macOS is to give you a solid base which is stable, functional and looks good. Then you can add your own window management type on top whether you want a Windows style one like magnet or a tiling one like amethyst.
Seriously, if Apple decides an app is too old, then it flat out doesn't work. No way to prevent updating either unless it is basically without internet.
Linuxians like to complain about not being able to control Windows, but Mac is like a hundred times worse in that regard. Not to mention ads to all those Apple software on there.
This. Been using Windows since 95 and Linux since 2008. Mac is the only thing I tried twice (for two years each) and I just cannot get past this mobile-feeling of not being able to customise basic stuff. Mac GUI is not intuitive for me. It's good that people that like it can use it. It's bad that I don't have any choice as soon as I am on Apple hardware.
I find this meme completely tone deaf. The issue with mac isn't that it lacks Unix features, it's everything else.
The only place I've ever seen ads on my MacBook is in the App Store, the iCloud section of settings and on Apple's website, all of which it makes sense for the adverts to exist. Oh wait I may have seen one as a precursor to a YouTube video but sans ad-blocker that is standing regards of OS.
I cant wait to fully abandon windows with my next tower (Already on Linux with my deck) but MacOS is FAR MORE cancer than M$, part of the issue with M$ is it keeps trying to be more and more like Apple
2 edits: I think someone replied to this and then blocked me (or someone I've blocked replied to me somehow) as apparently theres a response to this but I cant see it nor have I been notified
And
Damn, a lot of you apparently want a mega corp have complete control over what what your operating system looks like/does/what accessories you can buy for it if you think Apple is in anyway better than Microsoft. I thought the whole point of jumping to linux was freedom, you have LESS freedom with macs than with PC's
I thought this until I actually tried windows, it just doesn't work right ever and feels so weird and old. I wouldn't use macos, but it's fine, it feels competently made and for the most part makes sense.
Yes, Windows feels old but at least is usable (10 was more usable that 11 in my opinion). MacOS feels very janky to me and you have to jump to various hoops to do basic things
I will always choose Windows over Mac, if I have to. Using MacOS is infuriating on so many levels, I'd rather give myself the bullet (which doesn't mean much tbh). At least I can ameliorate Windows for my VMs (in case of apps not working on Wine) which makes it ok to use
I know that this is irrational and I try to not let it influence my perception of people, but my brain is usually wired to "Mac user detected: technical opinion discarded"
Linux > windows 10 > Windows 11 > MacOS is my experience, I just can't stand apple and their walled gardens. I hate that they try to force me to use their shitty cloud and prevent me from installing third party apps. Windows 11 hhurts my eyes. And as a W10 refugee that's gotten used to linux, I think its tolarable
I'm an Android fan, but I do like the walled garden for iPhones. There are so many people who just do not understand how to protect their privacy online, and phones are a treasure trove of personal information. I've no doubt that the tight controls on iOS have saved many people from identity theft due to their own negligence. That, combined with the ease of use and the superior accessibility features over Android makes iPhone the better choice for older generations who don't understand technology as well.
In my experience, win 8.1 < win 10: less CPU and ram hogging, less telemetry, and overall less frustration. Although, yeah, you'd have to replace metro crap with something less tablet-oriented.
Honestly you can use a Mac perfectly well without ever signing into iCloud + you don't get prompted to sign in ever really unless you click on a feature that requires iCloud like the iCloud tab in settings.
You can even use the apps like mail without ever signing into iCloud.
For me, they both suck. I've been on Linux for close to 10 years now and continue to enjoy it more and more.
However, I will say, that if I need to recommend a computer to somebody who knows nothing about computers and doesn't want to know anything, I will recommend Apple. I die a little inside each time though, knowing about their right to repair and privacy policies.
Honestly, if y'all would help your friend out with Linux they might be interested. If you just write down a note for them with the most basic commands for Debian, they would be okay.
DE:
Use GNOME
Partiton layout:
Use default /home for everything, don't make seperate partitions for /root, /var, etc.
Add their user(s) to the sudoers file
CTRL+ALT+T to open the command line
Basic commands:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
Install Flatpak, and bookmark Flathub in their browser. That should be good enough and honestly anyone could figure this out.
It requires a little bit of computer knowhow but is definitely possible, heres a video of a guy building a custom pc and installing macos on it
Here is the open source software he used to do it
I got haggled for being a macos user in college because, "pc was superior". Turns out, that the CompSci people that gave me shit about my Mac, didn't understand the difference between "PC" and "Windows'. My MacBook is still the best laptop I've ever owned. It literally survived having beer being pulled into it's fan, and it's battery turned into a balloon long ago... it still runs fine, almost a decade later (if I keep it plugged in). I was "tech illiterate" to people because I used a MacBook. But switching from windows to mac, got me comfortable with trying linux. It got me comfortable with being uncomfortable, because I was constantly trying to figure out how to "get this to work on macos"
I've met a lot of tech-illiterate people over the years... and they all gave me less shit about trying something different.
Well, "tech illiterate" is relative. Some people may be ignorant of how their desktop works, but do wonderful things with PD or something else for synthesizing music, which requires knowing lots of math and music theory and signal processing.
Never be arrogant, please remember than people doing actual stuff - developers, business analysts, musicians, artists etc, and even lowly office workers sometimes, - are kinda more important than IT personnel. There are of course infrastructure and network admins who know their sh*t quite well and get paid accordingly.
Yet everytime you open Twitter they act like they know what they're talking about and send clown emojis whenever someone responds with a counter argument
Have you tried Manjaro? Steam makes it pretty simple with proton (which is based on wine) to run games. (Or if you prefer, arch. Manjaro is arch with a gui installer)
Surprised about the comments. Mac OS is actually certified Unix whereas Linux distros, while wonderful, aren’t. I’ve never had to use windows for anything other than games in the 90’s so I can’t speak to it now. I’ve used Irix, then Linux, and now Mac professionally. I find Mac to be meh after Mojave. Perhaps BSD was the answer all along.