With the end-of-life for Windows 10 approaching in October many folks are bringing up the idea of the Linux desktop again. With that comes the arguments. Which one to use? You have the free ones, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin, Siduction or any multitude of others. Do you use one of the ones that have corporate backing; Red Hat, Oracle Linux, Linspire or SUSE, Chrome OS Flex.
Do you know which OS the general computing public will choose? Windows 11. 95% of Windows 10 users will simply buy a new computer or bite the bullet and upgrade their Windows 11 compatible PC's to Windows 11. The 3% will simply stay on Windows 10. I know many people who continue to use Windows 7 and dont plan to upgrade. So what about the other 2%?
The major hinderance to Linux adoption is the lack of preinstalled PC's and no company willing to challenge Microsoft. Community distributions dont have the capital or reach to be a real challenge. Red Hat and Oracle dont care about the desktop, Canonical does but you dont hear much from them. SUSE and PC/OpenSystems pretty much we see more adoption on Enterprise desktops and school systems. Sure we have our consumer users but our Enterprise customers far outnumber our consumer users.
I have seen many articles written lately where these people are having fever dreams about all 60% of Windows 10 users will come to Linux and be happy. Cupcakes and unicorns all around. Anyone can install Linux, we just have to teach them to download an ISO, teach them how to create a bootable USB key and fiddle with their BIOS and then try to explain to them why Office and other shit they use doesnt work. Also, which desktop? Gnome, KDE or XFCE.
As for the other 2%. They will buy Chromebooks or use Chrome OS Flex. Google has done a great job of making a stupid, so easy to use that anyone can use it OS. Chrome OS IS the Linux desktop and its hard to beat.
As for Windows 11, would I knock people for using it? No, technically and operationally speaking its the best Windows OS since NT 3.1 IMO. Its gorgeous, dumbed down easy to use and adequate for what people need. Will I call people stupid for using Chrome OS? No. There is plenty to like about it over traditional Linux distributions and I personally call it a win because they will be using what I love and thats Linux.
