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submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by Pro@programming.dev to c/linux@programming.dev

Archive.

You've heard the "prophecy": next year is going to be the year of the Linux desktop, right? Linux is no longer the niche hobby of bearded sysadmins and free software evangelists that it was a decade ago! Modern distributions like Ubuntu, Pop!_OS, and Linux Mint are sleek, accessible, and — dare I say it — mainstream-adjacent.

Linux is ready for professional work, including video editing, and it even manages to maintain a slight market share advantage over macOS among gamers, according to the Steam Hardware & Software Survey.

However, it's not ready to dethrone Windows. At least, not yet!

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[-] arsCynic@beehaw.org 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

but I think even after literally decades of development the actual desktop is still far behind Windows XP in many respects. […]

This argument is incomplete and unnuanced. GnomeLinux. While I use EndeavourOS and Linux Mint's Cinnamon as a desktop environment, I am completely confident that if computers shipped with Linux Mint*, then 95% of the population would have a far more pleasant experience compared to any other Microsoft Windows, especially the schizophrenic bloatware-laden Windoze 10/11 versions. Why such a high percentage? Because most users simply use the browser and don't need advanced proprietary software such as AutoCAD, Photoshop (†), nor specific driver software for niche twenty-something-button gaming mice.

*Linux Mint or any other Linux distribution that uses Cinnamon, KDE Plasma, Budgie, Xfce or similar desktop environments.
Caveat: Xfce hugely depends on how the distro configured it. Some, like Debian, badly configure the taskbar to have a—to me—unintuitive / unresponsive to shortcuts menu.
† Use Photopea instead. It's practically a copy-paste of Photoshop but in the browser, created by one person. Or if one has never used Photoshop before, try GIMP first.


✍︎ arscyni.cc: modernity ∝ nature.

[-] FizzyOrange@programming.dev -2 points 2 days ago

Because most users simply use the browser

This is the same problem as saying "an electric car with 100 mile range is totally fine because most journeys are well under 100 miles".

Most of the time I'm only using a browser (or VSCode). The annoying thing is the 1% of times when I want to print something, create a shortcut, use bluetooth headphones, configure a static IP, etc.

Use Photopea instead. It’s practically a copy-paste of Photoshop but in the browser, created by one person. Or if one has never used Photoshop before, try GIMP first.

Saying Photopea or GIMP is "practically a copy-paste of Photoshop" is laughable. Paint.NET, maybe.

[-] arsCynic@beehaw.org 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is the same problem as saying “an electric car with 100 mile range is totally fine because most journeys are well under 100 miles”.

Well… isn't it? If one's daily or most frequent back-and-forth journeys don't exceed 100 ㎞, then a 160 ㎞ range is indeed fine.

Most of the time I’m only using a browser (or VSCode). The annoying thing is the 1% of times when I want to print something, create a shortcut, use bluetooth headphones, configure a static IP, etc.

If one can figure this out on Windoze one can definitely figure it out on a beginner tailored Linux distro / desktop environment. Gnome is not one of them.

Use Photopea instead. It’s practically a copy-paste of Photoshop but in the browser, created by one person. Or if one has never used Photoshop before, try GIMP first.

Saying Photopea or GIMP is “practically a copy-paste of Photoshop” is laughable. Paint.NET, maybe.

I choose my punctuation marks carefully. I did not say GIMP is practically a copy-paste. However, Photopea, for what many if not most people use it for, is.

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✍︎ arscyni.cc: modernity ∝ nature.

[-] FizzyOrange@programming.dev -2 points 1 day ago

Well… isn’t it? If one’s daily or most frequent back-and-forth journeys don’t exceed 100 ㎞, then a 160 ㎞ range is indeed fine.

Uhm... No. Most people only have one car so if you get one that only works 95% if the time it's going to be super inconvenient when you have to hire a car every time you go on holiday or visit your family or go to a distant concert or whatever.

That's why low range electric cars are not very popular.

this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2025
41 points (82.5% liked)

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