People usually do prefer the comfort of familiarity. That’s not a cop out. That’s just how most people work. Why do you think the most unanimously hated windows versions were the ones that changed the most? Why do you think the basic design of macOS hasn’t changed at all in more than two decades? People like what they’re used to. And a lot of them are used to Windows and have been for decades.
While yes, they can learn, a lot have acquired their (probably indeed very basic) knowledge of windows over the duration of 20+ years. It’s quite a jump to suddenly change that. It’s possible to learn, of course but it’s also necessary to lean and most people aren’t willing to do that if what they have works well enough.
This does indeed come back to people prefer what they’re used to. Of course that also goes for available software. People are used to Microsoft Office, Acrobat Reader, Outlook, the Creative Cloud, etc.
For some of those there are good Linux/FOSS alternatives, but for some there aren’t. I, for example, cannot switch my work macbook for a Linux machine. It’s simply not possible because of the software I need. My desktop at home does run Linux though, because there I don’t have the same hurdles.
That is indeed a big part that deserves more focus. A mainstream PC manufacturer (like Lenovo, Dell, HP, Acer, etc.) shipping a line of devices with Linux instead of Windows, especially if they pass the licensing savings on to the customers might do a lot for Linux adoption, similar to what, for example, the Steam deck did.
Because a lot of people don’t actually care. Yea, they’re more comfortable with Windows but in the end, all they need is a browser. Why do you think chromebooks sell so well?
Why do you think the most unanimously hated windows versions
I know that people hated every single one since Windows 98SE… it’s basically a constant cycle of releasing shit, then keeping it relevant -mostly via forcing people to buy it with their PC- long enough that people resignate and believe tech has to be that bad, then forcing the next and even worse version on people.
So which were those unanimously hated versions. Or -maybe easier- which version was widelys adopted before people had no choice because all support for older ones was cut?
People are used to Microsoft Office, Acrobat Reader, Outlook, the Creative Cloud, etc.
And that is some kind of law of nature? Or the result of paying massive amounts of money to flood everything with this shit for free? Seriously… I think you competely misjudge the majority of users. They are not so much clinging to the familiar as just lazily sticking to whatever pops up when they press the power button.
Why do you think chromebooks sell so well?
They do? I have seen one chromebook in real life. Which I would probably not have noticed between all the other laptops and tablets if it wasn’t for the fact that this was the most overpriced piece of shit constantly having issues with even the most basic stuff.
(Edit/PS: I just did a quick search and most numbers I found point to chromebooks being more rare than Linux. Which is an achievement given that barely any piece of basic consumer laptop/tablet/whatever comes pre-installed with Linux.)
But I know the sales internationally were declining for quite some time until they spend a lot of money to bribe governments to hand them out as the tech version of a gateway drug.
So for example at the moment increases in chromebook sales in the last years are mainly caused by government procurements in Asia. Japan alone saw sales increase by a factor of 20 in 2024… so I really, really doubt anyone actually wanted a chromebook. But this will probably change after the next generation of students conditioned to think that this shit is how it’s supposed to be enters the market. *sigh*
For some of those there are good Linux/FOSS alternatives, but for some there aren’t. I, for example, cannot switch my work macbook for a Linux machine. It’s simply not possible because of the software I need. My desktop at home does run Linux though, because there I don’t have the same hurdles.
Because a lot of people don’t actually care. Yea, they’re more comfortable with Windows but in the end, all they need is a browser. Why do you think chromebooks sell so well?
I know that people hated every single one since Windows 98SE… it’s basically a constant cycle of releasing shit, then keeping it relevant -mostly via forcing people to buy it with their PC- long enough that people resignate and believe tech has to be that bad, then forcing the next and even worse version on people. So which were those unanimously hated versions. Or -maybe easier- which version was widelys adopted before people had no choice because all support for older ones was cut?
And that is some kind of law of nature? Or the result of paying massive amounts of money to flood everything with this shit for free? Seriously… I think you competely misjudge the majority of users. They are not so much clinging to the familiar as just lazily sticking to whatever pops up when they press the power button.
They do? I have seen one chromebook in real life. Which I would probably not have noticed between all the other laptops and tablets if it wasn’t for the fact that this was the most overpriced piece of shit constantly having issues with even the most basic stuff.
(Edit/PS: I just did a quick search and most numbers I found point to chromebooks being more rare than Linux. Which is an achievement given that barely any piece of basic consumer laptop/tablet/whatever comes pre-installed with Linux.)
But I know the sales internationally were declining for quite some time until they spend a lot of money to bribe governments to hand them out as the tech version of a gateway drug.
So for example at the moment increases in chromebook sales in the last years are mainly caused by government procurements in Asia. Japan alone saw sales increase by a factor of 20 in 2024… so I really, really doubt anyone actually wanted a chromebook. But this will probably change after the next generation of students conditioned to think that this shit is how it’s supposed to be enters the market. *sigh*