There is no realistic alternative to Windows, this is a reality. The average user is accustomed to the facilities of this operating system, he does not want complications. We see it with Android, which is more than a “user friendly” Linux distribution. Therefore, the Linux developer community must consider that so many distributions do not make sense.
Android and Windows are characterized by being very easy to use operating systems. They have a friendly and simple interface for all kinds of processes. The problem with Linux is that it’s not always that simple and sometimes you have to know a little about entering commands and other more technical aspects.
Too many Linux distros not helping
Linux is characterized by being an open source operating system that can be used by anyone. In addition to being used by anyone, anyone can modify it to their liking. The problem is that we have an excess of versions that generate, on many occasions, doubts for users about which one to choose.
More technical and specific Linux distributions like Arch Linux or specific ones like Red Hat makes sense. The problem comes when we have a multitude of distributions for the average user. Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint or Elementary OS are some examples of what we could call distributions for the end user.
GNU/Linux has the particularity of having a distribution structure similar to a pyramid. We have at the top the “general” code, to call it somehow and on which the distributions are generated. We have below the distributions that take this code and adapt it to their needs in a second layer. Below we have the variants of the distributions that we would have in that second layer.
We see at this point how we have distributions of distributions, which generates doubts in the user. It should be simplified and the developers unify to improve and simplify the operation of these operating systems. As long as Linux (its distributions) doesn’t look very similar to Windows and Android, there’s really nothing to be done . Microsoft will continue to be a giant that does not care about the user.
I’m not saying that all distributions should disappear, but the “fusion” of many. I understand that there may be Lubutu or Linux Mint, light distributions for old computers or with limited resources. It stands to reason that there are Arch Linux for programmers and developers, Red Hat for servers, as well as other more specific distributions, but there can’t (or shouldn’t) exist 20 or more Ubuntu variants that do the same thing.
The lessons that Android leaves us
Not many people know this, but Android is based on Linux. Without going into technical aspects and others, Google has created its own layer that monetizes and on which it establishes limits. The smartphone or tablet maker can make cosmetic changes , add or remove default apps and other features, but not make major code changes.
And yes, despite being based on Linux, companies pay a fee or license to add it to their smartphones. Red Hat is also a paid Linux distribution for servers and data centers. These distributions have dedicated developers and have their own built-in elements, which, let’s say, are the ones that pay. Come on, this is a brutal simplification to make it understandable.
Android shows us the way. It has an extremely simplified user interface layer that, while it differs in many ways, is quite similar to Windows. The same solution is to pay a low-cost license for Linux , let’s say between 10-30 euros or an annual fee of 5-10 euros. But of course, this would be with a Linux distribution for computers.
Tips I sell…
There is an aspect that makes me quite funny about those who extol Linux from Windows. You can use Windows for convenience and nothing happens, you may like Linux but for many reasons, you go to Windows. Everyone is free, but you can’t put yourself in the middle of the square to proclaim the benefits of Linux and then use Windows.
You can’t say that people should use Linux more and switch to Windows for convenience. In the end, you tell the user who knows less than you, to use another operating system that you have stopped using for convenience. We have all kinds of alternative tools to the most popular software on Windows. Also, popular tools for Windows have their version for Linux, so if you go to Windows, you won’t like Linux that much.
I consider Linux to be a great operating system, but I don’t use it for convenience and it’s okay to say so. I think that the problem with Linux is the huge number of distributions, which can confuse the user. It annoys me that, if there is a pending Windows update, my computer goes badly, but it is the price I pay for being lazy. And one can say, “switch to Ubuntu”, because the truth is, I am very comfortable in Windows at the moment, despite the fact that sometimes I have to face the real earrings.
