Poll: Why don't you use Linux?

[OrbWeaver]

I'm not stopping you from creating Void if that's what you want. Perhaps it would be a fantastic desktop (and mobile) environment that works for everybody, and I would certainly be willing to give it a try (just as I have tried most of the existing Linux desktop environments). Perhaps it would become really popular, and displace all of the existing desktops due to its self-evident superiority.

 

But sadly, you're not going to find this out until after you've spend thousands of man-hours building it, debugging it, testing it, documenting it, persuading Linux distributions to include it and persuading end users to try it. And even if it does become more popular than GNOME or KDE, you're still going to have an uphill struggle to convince the millions of Windows and Mac users to switch to it, given the issues with familiarity and program compatibility that chakkman and others have pointed out.

 

Much as we might wish it to be different, people don't always use a tool just because it's the best. They use what they are comfortable and familiar with.

[jaxa]

To be honest this debate's becoming less and less relevant anyway, because desktops are on their way out — other than (non-console) gamers which need Windows for obvious reasons, and office users who will carry on using Windows until the end of time because it is the safe and well-known option.

 

Most ordinary users are using tablets and iDevices, not desktops, and if you include all of the Android tablets and phones, Linux is not only hugely successful but actually one of the most dominant operating systems.

 

And if this means we finally see the end of interminable "Linux will never be ready for the desktop until (insert my particular issue here)" flame wars, that can only be a good thing.

 

Your numbers are old. Desktop and laptop sales have stabilized:

 

https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/13/17567760/pc-sales-growth-idc-gartner-july-2018

 

https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2018-10-10-gartner-says-worldwide-pc-shipments-experienced-flat-growth-in-the-third-quarter-of-2018

 

I wouldn't be surprised if they decline further, but the category has life left in it. Smartphone sales are slowing down, and tablet sales have been low for a long time. The tablet is being pulled in several directions: e-readers, two-in-ones (laptops that double as tablets), and very recently, foldable phone-tablet hybrids.

 

Strong PCs and laptops will continue to exist for gamers and people doing real work on their computer. And when I say "continue to exist", I mean that sales are not going to crash to something like 10% of the current annual sales amount. Maybe 50-80%.

[Fidcal]

Since posting earlier I came across an astonishingly-configurable taskbar replacement for Windows called Nexus by Winstep. It does much of what I described: configure everything I could think of plus more all at the point of use with good clear info where needed. Of course, it's not a complete OS or UI but it precisely defines the principles of what would make a good UI imo. One of the best-presented, flexible-yet-intuitive programs I've ever seen. Even an old cynic like me is raving to myself! And free (though I'm likely to buy the pro version with stackable bars and other goodies to provide a complete popup launcher.) Why I never found this before I don't know because I've searched for docks before.

I confess I was a little dejected at the responses here to my vision but now I see there really are people out there who see things my way. Just wish they, or someone like them, would develop a new Linux distro and change the world!

[Fiver]

On 2/16/2019 at 5:38 AM, AluminumHaste said:

Linux people on the forums HATE new Windows users asking "dumb" questions and are assholes.

As a Linux user who believes that a large user base will drive quality and usability for everyone, this is painful to read.

Linux distros are always evolving. Perhaps you'd be willing to give it another chance someday. I get that there is a learning curve, but ultimately I think most Linux users would say it's worth it.

Linux is maturing, information is more readily available, sometimes there's a video, and an AI can be used to help a new user overcome many minor hurdles.

Any forum not treating newcomers fair will have a difficult time regenerate and grow. I can't imagine someone giving snarky answers to newbies winning any points from other forum uses.

[JackFarmer]

8 hours ago, Fiver said:

As a Linux user who believes that a large user base will drive quality and usability for everyone, this is painful to read.

 

I fully agree with you.

[revelator]

tbh. many here allready made the jump on the linux wagon.

but not so much because of windows being incapable but because of recent strategies.

making windows into a service for one, incessant spying on customers and plastering the OS with AI and add's while using the userbase as a free Q and A apartment and refusing to make those marketing 'features' opt in instead of opt out.

questionable descisions like not allowing the user to control updates because ewww security while churning out updates that break your machine.

the list of grievances is pretty extensive so ill cut it short here.

but they all added to many of us jumping ship so in retrospect i guess what is microsofts loss is linux gain so it is all good 

[AluminumHaste]

16 hours ago, Fiver said:

As a Linux user who believes that a large user base will drive quality and usability for everyone, this is painful to read.

Linux distros are always evolving. Perhaps you'd be willing to give it another chance someday. I get that there is a learning curve, but ultimately I think most Linux users would say it's worth it.

Linux is maturing, information is more readily available, sometimes there's a video, and an AI can be used to help a new user overcome many minor hurdles.

Any forum not treating newcomers fair will have a difficult time regenerate and grow. I can't imagine someone giving snarky answers to newbies winning any points from other forum uses.

I'm on Linux now (Kubuntu 26.04 / kernel 7+) 

Still haven't changed my opinion on the help forums, there is STILL a lot of assholes gatekeeping / new user bashing.

My favourite is "Linux is super power user friendly and you can do pretty much anything that you want!"
Cool, how can I do this?
"Why do you need that? You don't need that! Just leave it the way it is!"

[Fiver]

13 minutes ago, AluminumHaste said:

I'm on Linux now

Welcome!  I hope you'll like it, or at least find it better than Windows.

14 minutes ago, AluminumHaste said:

"Why do you need that? [...]"

I have never received that answer myself, but I have seen it in various forums, not necessary associated with Linux. It is such a dumb and unproductive respone. Either it can be done or it can't. The purpose is not a factor.

One silver lining though: it teaches us what kind of answers we don't want to provide ourselves when someone asks us a question. 

[AluminumHaste]

My issue was that when starting the computer, the first log in screen would be a 60hz, and on OLED that causes horrendous flicker due to PWM voltage control. Input latency also gets high on lower refresh rates (>60 ms on some monitors), so moving the mouse around on the log in screen felt awful. Even my non gamer wife immediately noticed how not nice the log in screen was compared to the Windows 11 log in.

 

Once I logged in, and the monitor switched modes to 240 or 360 or 540 hz, I could log out and it would be at the high refresh.

So I did some research first and all the guides for kubuntu/ubuntu basically said the same thing, modify SDDM and apply plasma settings to the SDDM. This did NOT work for refresh rate on first boot.

So I did more research and edited some files, still didn't work.

So I asked the question on the forums.

90% was Apply Plasma Settings... in the SDDM section, and the other 10% were, you don't need that, that's not important, you're dumb for asking this question.

 

[Fiver]

1 hour ago, AluminumHaste said:

you're dumb for asking this question.

Ok, first: no, you are not dumb for asking that question. Anyone saying that is dumb. 

I've had, and still have, some screen issues probably because of incomplete configurations. I'll live with it. Going back to Windows is not an option for me.

And I did get some useful AI help this weekend that solved a config related issue this weekend.

1 hour ago, AluminumHaste said:

Input latency also gets high on lower refresh rates (>60 ms on some monitors)

Interesting! I sometimes see latency when connecting to large external monitors, but I never thought of that being related to low refresh rate on the external monitor. In my distro the refresh rate for the external monitor was said to be 60 Hz. Hmmm. I'll try to keep that in mind if I troubleshoot that issue again.

[AluminumHaste]

If you have a subscription on rtings.com, one of the tests for monitors and TVs is input latency.

It's crazy how bad older TVs were, especially in cinema/movie mode. I remember playing on my old LG LED TV and in cinema mode it was measured at 120ms of input lag, unplayable.

Switching everything off, got it to about 50 ms, not great but at least playable.

Now in game mode on my new Samsung QDOLED, at 144hz input latency is in single digits.

[Fiver]

2 minutes ago, AluminumHaste said:

It's crazy how bad older TVs were

That's what's confusing to me. I have a TV that is over a decade old (may it never break). It works perfect and with negligible latency, while other TVs (that MUST be newer) that I have tried have very noticeable latency. It doesn't make sense to me. One of them even had a "gaming" mode, but that was no better.

[revelator]

got an old phillips 52 " tv that works pretty well with linux as well (60 hz 1080p only) allmost 2 decades old now .

has all the connections a tv enthusiast could drool over like s-video composite scart hdmi and vga .

i dont use it anymore though as my LG 58 " 4k tv works fine with solus (may be because it can only handle 4k in 60hz ?).

as for aholes on forums, i had my fair share just like trolls they seem to pop up from time to time and i found the most effective way of handling them is just to ignore them (dont feed trolls!). otherwise ping the site admin if they are doing they're job a warning about decorum can usually put them right but otherwise a ban might be needed. permanent if nessesary.

 

[AluminumHaste]

7 hours ago, Fiver said:

That's what's confusing to me. I have a TV that is over a decade old (may it never break). It works perfect and with negligible latency, while other TVs (that MUST be newer) that I have tried have very noticeable latency. It doesn't make sense to me. One of them even had a "gaming" mode, but that was no better.

Older TVs that were just dumb TVs had no complex signal processor to upscale and color correct and do fancy things, so they were....ok.

60hz were still like 33 ms or higher.

Modern Game mode just bypasses most of that stuff, which is fine by me.

 

 

EDIT: I meant older as in older smart TVs.

[Xolvix]

Some people seem to define their personality/self-worth from their knowledge and skill at something that's niche (in this case, Linux). I've been there, I grew up. Some people don't and they're incredibly exhausting and infuriating to talk to. However I feel like as Linux has become more and more palatable an option and genuine improvements have been made in usability and utility, other people are finally starting to stand up towards these obnoxious types and tell them to give it a rest. It's still a problem unfortunately in certain areas of the Linux community who wear such behaviour as a badge of honour, but in many places it's now considered poor form.

 

[chakkman]

I miss the poll option "Because it sucks and never works properly".

[revelator]

8 hours ago, AluminumHaste said:

EDIT: I meant older as in older smart TVs.

yeah my phillips tv is pretty dumb, it can access the internet but only for firmware updates .

the LG model (smart) can use HDR and upscaling but the refresh rate at 4k is pretty meh.

i do have a 160 hz ultra wide pc monitor i tried hooking up to it and it also works at that refresh with solus so it is maybe something about the tv's edid that confuses your version of linux ? (not unheard off even happens in windows with some tv's).

EDIT: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=295188 

has a bit about the edid problem

[SeriousToni]

On 5/18/2026 at 2:14 PM, revelator said:

yeah my phillips tv is pretty dumb, it can access the internet but only for firmware updates .

the LG model (smart) can use HDR and upscaling but the refresh rate at 4k is pretty meh.

i do have a 160 hz ultra wide pc monitor i tried hooking up to it and it also works at that refresh with solus so it is maybe something about the tv's edid that confuses your version of linux ? (not unheard off even happens in windows with some tv's).

EDIT: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=295188 

has a bit about the edid problem

My mother also has this Phillips TV for like a decade. It is damn slow and you can't read anything on the remote anymore. I always wondered when she will upgrade, but this thing won't die. You can give it that at least  

[revelator]

Hehe yeah those old philliphs tv's are made of granite . The picture quality is actually not bad either despite it being a 1080p screen.

Got mine for free many years back from a neighbour whose son used it for his ps3.

My mom had a smaller model of it which also still worked just fine.

[revelator]

Btw now were talking about old phillips tv's all remotes from phillips are universal between models (atleast the pre smart era models were). I have a remote from a different model (silver) which works with mine as well . Something which makers of other models could learn from.

[SeriousToni]

My mother has the silver one too. But the paint vanished. I'm glad she remembers the functions behind the buttons still, haha. 

I really like the Samsung remotes as they only have a few buttons instead of the 95% buttons you never use. 

[revelator]

the silver one did indeed have an overabundance of buttons, the original for my philliphs tv had far far less (actually less than any samsung remote i seen ). it uses the radial layout from later tv's but has far less buttons for extras eg. no vcr dvd or otherwise. most of the teletext buttons are also gone from it.

ill see if i can upload a screenshot of it.

[revelator]

bit like this one but without the vcr/dvd controls at the top.

[SeriousToni]

That's my mom's. In silver.  

[datiswous]

On 5/18/2026 at 1:50 PM, chakkman said:

I miss the poll option "Because it sucks and never works properly".

Or:

Quote

"It sucks because it never works properly".

I think you liking it or not might depend heavily on frustration related to hardware incompattibility in Linux instead of how the operating system works in other ways.

Off course hardware compattibility might be the most important factor in using it.

Edited June 4 by datiswous