Hacker News Reader

Comment by sds2 | Hacker News Reader

> Linux is a great server OS but a really terrible choice on the desktop.

Why?

Because I spent 4 hours today trying to figure out how to prevent something from starting on boot (which boot system is Ubuntu using this version? Why do the systemctl and service commands disagree with each other?). I spent two weeks trying to make my ctrl/capslock swap stick and not reset every time the computer slept/resumed. When I plug my headphones into the computer, I have to manually switch the output source every time. If I plug in my external monitor while the monitor is off and then turn it on, linux refuses to recognize it. I have to unplug it, turn the monitor on and plug it back in. Sometimes, when I plug the external monitor in, it won't retain the settings from the last time I used it. It could do the same thing 9 times out of 10, but that 10th time it will decide to mirror the display instead of extend it or something equally silly. Now I have to spend time to fix something that should have just worked.

Is that enough for now? I could go on. I'm using Ubuntu 17.04. Linux on the desktop is still not as easy to use or predictable as Windows or OS X. It's the predictable part that's a deal breaker for me. I want my OS to respond the same way every time I do something, even if that way is wrong or annoying. Every time I sit down to do some work, it's a toss of the dice whether I'll be able to just get into it or if I have to spend some amount of time fixing or resetting or otherwise dealing with nonsense.

A lot of those issues result with non-uniform hardware. If you want predictability with that then buy from a manufacturer who has designed for and preinstalled Linux, like one of those Dells.

It's a Lenovo W530 Thinkpad. It uses standard hardware that Ubuntu officially supports. Been there. Done that. Also keep in mind I've been using Linux off and on since 1999. I'm not a stranger to hardware compatibility issues and none of these problems result from that.

You're using linux from 1999 and you've problems like this: "I spent two weeks trying to make my ctrl/capslock swap stick and not reset every time the computer slept/resumed."? It's unbelievable.

> Because I spent 4 hours today trying to figure out how to prevent something from starting on boot

Learn systemd then? Or use the "Startup" app?

> I spent two weeks trying to make my ctrl/capslock swap stick and not reset every time the computer slept/resumed.

xmodmap or gnome-tweak-tools?

> When I plug my headphones into the computer, I have to manually switch the output source every time.

I never needed to. See your settings.

> If I plug in my external monitor while the monitor is off and then turn it on, linux refuses to recognize it.

That's your window manager.

> Is that enough for now? I could go on.

Going on with what? With pure laziness from your side to look up tutorials? Or that you use one of the worst window manager/desktop on linux in its almost-beta version and complain about it?

> I'm using Ubuntu 17.04.

That's your problem. 16.04 or switch distros. Don't use unity either. Don't expect things to work when you use (practically) unstable stuff and you don't even know what you're doing.

> Linux on the desktop is still not as easy to use or predictable as Windows or OS X.

None of your claims are true. Just because you misconfigure something somewhere or because you use a crappy window manager it doesn't make the "linux desktop" worse. Windows is not predictable either - I'm forced to use it at work and it's a pretty bad experience overall.

Sad to see this simple reply downvoted for no reason by a bunch of Apple fanboys.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com