Alternatively people could just install some beginner-friendly Linux distro, and enjoy a much better desktop experience without ads and bloat.
Obviously not all Distros are the same and some are more reliable than others, but my experience with Linux is just many hours of troubleshooting why XYZ doesn't work out of the box, granted this has gotten better over the years, but I dunno if a non-tech-savvy user would be able to fix these problems (if they occur) without calling me every month.
I am curious when your last experience with Linux was, and with what distro(s)? As you say, the general Linux experience has gotten better over the years, to the point where I think a non-tech-savvy user would have the same issues on Ubuntu as they do on Windows - which is to say issues they'd have on any OS, because they're not savvy :P
> I'll probably get downvoted for this, if not push-back
Nothing wrong with "push-back"; I'd hope you'd be happy to hear opposing views
The next day I installed OpenSUSE on my PC and couldn't connect to the internet. Eventually I found out that the problem is that the rndis module is blacklisted and AOSP can't use CDC ethernet*, and I can only connect to my internet by using USB tethering with my smartphone.
* <https://jordemort.dev/blog/why-android-cant-use-cdc-ethernet...>
I don't think an update on a Ubuntu LTS release in like 15 years has ever broken the system. Don't install arch on your grandmothers laptop.
As for apps, yes there's an uncanney valley to it where mid-level users, like say gamers, will run into more problems on linux, but most people these days live in Chrome. My 60 year old parents happily browse away on linux. It's functionally a chromebook for them. Exactly the use case OP was talking about. Old laptops that they'd have thrown away are snappy again.
I see new awesome software being released on Linux first every year. Every cool Windows software project I can even name started maybe 10 or 30 years ago. The amount of development dollars going to Android gaming has long since surpassed the dollars going to Windows gaming, and the revenue is already in Android's favour, but there are still more quality games on Windows. That will flip one day and when it does things like Proton will make more and more sense.
For me, Linux feels like the future as flawed as it is, while Windows feels like the past. The only way Microsoft could possibly save Windows at this point would be to open source it and rescind their monopoly to it and adopt the Red Hat business model, and that might not be enough, and I don't see it happening.
I installed Ubuntu on my grandma's machine after she installed malware on her windows machine. I get less questions because it doesn't update with "features" constantly.
99% of people can’t tell what an ad is. Is a trial software an ad? Is a shortcut on the start menu an ad?
People want a bmw, they don’t care that heated seats are now a subscription service. People use YouTube, they see ads as part of the entertainment.
For majority of people, they don’t know there’s better so they don’t care.
It also has even worse support than Windows.
I think most modern users don't care about their operating system anymore because the browser is the operating system 90% of the time. Which I suppose why it's a shame Windows 10 is seeing end of support because it's really, for 90% of users, just as good as Windows 11.
Want to play some Call of Duty or The Finals, nope anti cheat only works on Windows.
I'd probably tell most people to just buy a Mac if they don't want to play games. I like Linux personally, but I don't find myself using it as a desktop OS unless I want to tinker with something.
I do find Linux great for programming through, no temptation to jump into a game.