If they need a photo manager, in my experience the most common application need after a web browser, then Digikam really cannot be beat.
I am a full time Linux user. And I'll probably support anyone who wants to try it until the day I die. I absolutely love it. But we still can't enjoy some of the simplest use cases without screwing around with configs and in some cases, writing scripts that listen to DBus or udev.... So every time I hear someone say, "just use Linux" I think... nah, just buy a Chromebook (and - yeah, use Linux). If your needs are any more than that, Linux might not be for you.
Sadly, this is now true for Macs as well. Were by "not work" I mean: not finding/not supporting the proper resolution and/or refresh rate for the display.
I never succeeded. I just use the Macbook with only the built-in display now.
> writing scripts that listen to DBus or udev
Exactly. Not to mention the preceding step of spending 30 minutes in forums to find someone else who has had this problem on a system with exactly the same motherboard so you don't try the things that didn't work for them.
I'm still 100% Linux on the server, headless Linux doesn't have nearly the warts as GUI Linux.
In the context of the original comment, though, this does narrow down the market that can be addressed by a company running the Next/Apple playbook.
It seems vastly cheaper to solve these issues than to start a new company to produce its own hardware and OS.
If you did start such a company and prove there was a market, then you're making a bet that Canonical (or KDE devs) won't put you out of business.
> Want to use bluetooth? It might work.
Sounds like the problem of installing Linux on a hardware designed for Windows. All those things work flawlessly on my Purism Librem 15, which came with preinstalled Linux. (Ok, I did not try Bluetooth, but saw reports that it works.)
Here is one. Randomly, based on no relevant input from me or changes in the laptop's state, my network connection dropped and the Network Manager UI was telling me no network adaptor could be detected.
Some fumbling around in the Terminal (including various reboots not solving the issue), and managed to enable the wireless adaptor which apparently could be detected and connect to my network, though at the same time the UI was telling me in no uncertain terms that no wireless adaptor was connected to my laptop.
Then later, again randomly, based on no relevant input from me or changes in the laptop's state, the UI agrees there is a wireless adaptor connected after all. This is on a machine currently in near-factory state with certified compatible Ubuntu preinstalled.
I share this example because one can at least comprehend why random monitors or graphics cards or what not do not cooperate without fiddling, can comprehend certain apps failing and crashing, can comprehend other unusual bugs. The UI thinking and acting like there is not a network card for no reason whatsoever, on the other hand, is completely illegible to even competent users.
Someone needs to just commercialise a proprietary and at least initially closed version of Linux (so as to to turn a profit) with good design principles in mind and deal with lawsuits and license issues later. There is plenty of money in it.