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[–] 32 points 3 years ago (3 children)

"Okay, I switched to Linux, now I'm getting this error message: _______."

"Install ______."

"It gives me this error now: ______."

"You have to update the _____ library first."

"It won't let me."

"You have to use sudo."

"It tells me to clone the git via the command line, but git says verifying login from command line isn't supported any more."

"You're following seven year old instructions."

"They're the only instructions I can find."

"You should switch to this other flavor of Linux."

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  • [–] 4 points 3 years ago

    I do not prefer apt-based systems, but I've installed variations of Ubuntu (e.g. Mint) on systems for geriatric (grand)parents in the past 5 years and have not yet needed to drop into shell to fix something.

    If the needs are basic (browsing, email, printing, documents), Linux hasn't needed wizardry for years. This is mostly thanks to Gnome and KDE's hard work on GUI admin tools, but if someone is going directly from Windows to i3, they've chosen a steep hill to climb.

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  • [–] 23 points 3 years ago (17 children)

    Switch to Linux and spend way more time making sure everything is updated and having to jump through hoops installing things.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago

    Yeah I’m not sure the last time you used Linux but it’s nothing like that these days. As long as you stick with a well established distribution you’ll be fine. I haven’t had to go in a β€œfix” an update in a while, even in some of the beta updates they’re fairly stable.

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    [–] 21 points 3 years ago (2 children)

    I remember I had a date with a girl back in the'10s. We hit it off and got back to her place. Wanted to show her a funny Internet video.

    She brought out an ancient laptop that refused to boot and said her Ex had tried to fix it with Linux.

    I got it pointed at the right dependencies, she fellated me as it updated.

    I think this is my only sexy story that includes Linux.

    Well, I guess there was this one time I loaned a lonely neighbor DOS 6 disks.

    But, that does not include Linux.

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  • [–] 11 points 3 years ago (2 children)

    My suspicion is it's not just your sexy Linux story but the only sexy Linux story.

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  • [–] 14 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    Switch to Linux! Then you can have problems with Linux.

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  • [+] 7 points 3 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 3 points 3 years ago (5 children)

    i'm sorry, i've been out of the loop, and i haven't used windows on my own machines since XP quit being supported, but, fucking ads in the OS. i don't know if you're having me on or not.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (3 children)

    If you run an office and need your computers to be relatively idiotproof, use Windowss

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  • [–] 14 points 3 years ago (10 children)

    About the same when you ask for a good GUI replacement for X and someone replies "just use the command line", like cheers for that men, not what I'm asking for.

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  • [–] 9 points 3 years ago (3 children)

    AMEN! I asked recently if there was a good Linux alternative to this program I used in Windows called "Bulk Rename Utility" and i was flooded by people telling me how easy it was to set up a script to do what I want.

    Turns out the best alternative is running BRU in Wine.

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  • [–] 4 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    There almost always powerful existing utilities that can do what you want in linux.

    But you have to find them and they have a learning curve. Sometimes that "curve" is a cliff.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago*

    Tbh though, as a person going through this learning right now, the single most essential thing I did was youtube "basic bash tutorial" and watch a few videos/follow along with them. Gave me the first foothold to start climbing the cliff, made it much less foreboding.

    Now I'm struggling with for loops, but that is not exactly basic and I'm blaming that on my ADHD, I haven't tried to learn in months, I'll get around to it!

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago

    This makes me wonder how powerful a repo platform like gitlab would be if it allowed people to suggest software ideas and have people make them. In this instance a simple GUI wrapper for bulk rename command line would be sufficient but I would bet there's millions of things like that, not world changing software just nice qol stuff

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (1 child)

    "Why even use a DE? Try a WM like openbox"

    Well, because a lot of things are simplified with DE functionality, and not everyone has the same preferences...

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago

    I do have to vouch for sometimes the command line is easier, not with everything but sometimes. Like my VPN sometimes it’s a little slow on the uptake and finding a server all that nonsense but I can also just have a few taps away at the command line and bing bang boom it’s done.

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    [–] 5 points 3 years ago* (1 child)

    The ones that make me laugh uncontrollably are those Windows disk encryption issues for which the solution is…wait for it… run Linux from a LiveISO, fix the disk with Linux, then reinstall Windows. Because Windows is incapable of fixing its own issues that it itself caused.

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    [–] 4 points 3 years ago (4 children)

    A non-technical end-user once had a problem with Windows. A technical friend said "SWITCH TO LINUX". Now they have thousands of problems.

    I've been a non-stop user of Linux as my primary OS since before Ubuntu was a thing. I do not recommend Linux systems to my non-technical friends.

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    [–] 4 points 3 years ago*

    No, you don't say "switch to Linux". This is an opportunity to be free from the shackles of being the go-to IT support person! If they say they are having computer problems, ask "Is it Linux? No? Sorry, can't help you"

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  • [–] 3 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    50% of the time the Microsoft forum help solution for any Windows problem is "Have you tried Re-installing Windows?"

    • source, my ass
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    [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    Im gladly to help!!

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

    Okay, I'll bite. I've been trying Linux every few years for the last few decades and it's never been anywhere close to replacing Windows for me. I'm not a luddite; I was in tech for many years (MCSE certified) but there just... ALWAYS something that doesn't work right. And there's NEVER a simple fix. Linux for me ends up being more of a hobby than a tool and I haven't had the time or patience to deal with it in the past.

    But I'm willing to try again,

    Anyone have any resources to get me pointed in the right direction? Which distro to try, how to install as a dual-boot on an exiting Windows machine without breaking it, how to get Steam/Nvidia drivers/games going, etc?

    EDIT - Apparently trying to dual boot with Windows on a machine with two physical drives is too much to ask (unless you have a CS degree). Maybe next time, Linux.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Also mention that you use Arch

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago*

    Pop os wolnt let me use my gpu so there's that

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