i cannot install linux on my mothers pc, because all she needs is…
excel, and a browser.
and excel isn’t on linux.
and sure, i could show her libreoffice calc - i use that without issue - but she’s not interested in learning anything new these days
and sure, installing excel, specifically, isn’t super easy on windows. But generally, installing a piece of software on windows, is easier than linux. There’s often an installer package downloadable from the website - where as for linux you’re often greeted with a terminal command.
Thats not “mom friendly”, especially not for the stereotypical “mom” who doesn’t know tech.
Phones have made it super easy to install software - and the app stores for mac and windows are good solutions for these non-tech savvy people. Only a few distros have an alternative, as far as i know
Nearly every Linux distro nowadays comes with some sort of “app store” for installing programs, the notion that the only way to install things is via a terminal is outdated. And I’m sure if you slapped a Calc shortcut on the desktop and renamed it Excel, your mom would be none the wiser.
Don’t know what you’re talking about. I am not “stirring up” anything. Just acknowledging the facts that so many Linux users intentionally ignore. They can’t understand why more people don’t use it but then deny the reasons when they’re told.
The few reasons you’ve given haven’t been true for at least a decade, and you’ve declined to give any reasons in our thread. Be honest, when’s the last time you directly interacted with a Linux PC?
I didn’t simply dislike your reasons. Your reasons are invalid, untrue in 2026.
I’ve been using Linux at work for well over a decade, and at home for at least 5 years on my gaming PC. I have watched and experienced various Linux distros going from poor Windows replacements to very serviceable Windows replacements.
On my home gaming PC, I have only run into two issues that I used a terminal to solve. And one of those I could have solved with a package manager because the solution was just to reinstall a few things that had gotten corrupted.
Again, I recognize and accept that there are some things Linux still can’t do. But my whole point is that’s ok, because it can still function as a replacement for Windows without those things, for a huge chunk of the people still using Windows. It’s weird that a person that’s used a Linux laptop for the past 3 years doesn’t recognize that.
My reasons are not invalid or untrue, you just don’t like them.
I’ve been using Linux at work for well over a decade
Congratulations?
But my whole point is that’s ok, because it can still function as a replacement for Windows without those things
Depends entirely on what those things are and how badly you need them. For many they are essential applications. MS Office, Adobe products, hardware interfaces, etc. etc.
It’s weird that a person that’s used a Linux laptop for the past 3 years doesn’t recognize that.
I’ve used several distros on several devices, including a dedicated gaming PC (currently Cachy) and a dedicated server (Debian). It’s weird that you don’t recognize how complicated these things are to use for a normal person.
There’s often an installer package downloadable from the website - where as for linux you’re often greeted with a terminal command.
Bingo. #1 biggest problem for Linux right there. And the particular terminal command you need will be different from whatever you find, depending on your distro. And the software itself is often not packaged for your distro either. And even if all of that is correct there’s still a good chance it won’t work. Some missing dependency or other generic error comes up with no useful information for even an experienced person to use to debug.
When everything you need can be found in the graphical package manager as a flatpak this will be a solved problem but until then…
Indeed
but you gotta admit it would help mass adoption.
i cannot install linux on my mothers pc, because all she needs is…
excel, and a browser.
and excel isn’t on linux.
and sure, i could show her libreoffice calc - i use that without issue - but she’s not interested in learning anything new these days
and sure, installing excel, specifically, isn’t super easy on windows. But generally, installing a piece of software on windows, is easier than linux. There’s often an installer package downloadable from the website - where as for linux you’re often greeted with a terminal command.
Thats not “mom friendly”, especially not for the stereotypical “mom” who doesn’t know tech.
Phones have made it super easy to install software - and the app stores for mac and windows are good solutions for these non-tech savvy people. Only a few distros have an alternative, as far as i know
Nearly every Linux distro nowadays comes with some sort of “app store” for installing programs, the notion that the only way to install things is via a terminal is outdated. And I’m sure if you slapped a Calc shortcut on the desktop and renamed it Excel, your mom would be none the wiser.
It doesn’t matter if it has an “app store” or not if the software you need isn’t in it.
Go respond to our other thread dude, you don’t get to dodge that one to stir up more bs here
Don’t know what you’re talking about. I am not “stirring up” anything. Just acknowledging the facts that so many Linux users intentionally ignore. They can’t understand why more people don’t use it but then deny the reasons when they’re told.
The few reasons you’ve given haven’t been true for at least a decade, and you’ve declined to give any reasons in our thread. Be honest, when’s the last time you directly interacted with a Linux PC?
So like I said, I did give you reasons, you just didn’t like them.
I’m literally typing this on a Linux laptop right now. I haven’t used anything else in…3 years?
Be honest, what’s the longest you’ve gone without opening the terminal?
I didn’t simply dislike your reasons. Your reasons are invalid, untrue in 2026.
I’ve been using Linux at work for well over a decade, and at home for at least 5 years on my gaming PC. I have watched and experienced various Linux distros going from poor Windows replacements to very serviceable Windows replacements.
On my home gaming PC, I have only run into two issues that I used a terminal to solve. And one of those I could have solved with a package manager because the solution was just to reinstall a few things that had gotten corrupted.
Again, I recognize and accept that there are some things Linux still can’t do. But my whole point is that’s ok, because it can still function as a replacement for Windows without those things, for a huge chunk of the people still using Windows. It’s weird that a person that’s used a Linux laptop for the past 3 years doesn’t recognize that.
My reasons are not invalid or untrue, you just don’t like them.
Congratulations?
Depends entirely on what those things are and how badly you need them. For many they are essential applications. MS Office, Adobe products, hardware interfaces, etc. etc.
I’ve used several distros on several devices, including a dedicated gaming PC (currently Cachy) and a dedicated server (Debian). It’s weird that you don’t recognize how complicated these things are to use for a normal person.
Bingo. #1 biggest problem for Linux right there. And the particular terminal command you need will be different from whatever you find, depending on your distro. And the software itself is often not packaged for your distro either. And even if all of that is correct there’s still a good chance it won’t work. Some missing dependency or other generic error comes up with no useful information for even an experienced person to use to debug.
When everything you need can be found in the graphical package manager as a flatpak this will be a solved problem but until then…