Is there any good reason for anyone to be installing windows anymore other than locked-in enterprise IT setups? Gaming was the big holdout and even that doesn't feel too relevant these days
I last installed windows on my PC a couple years ago after upgrading CPU/Motherboard, and since then it just trucks along with zero issues, every game I play works perfectly, and programs I use are easy to install and work reliably.
I have Linux on my laptop and it's nice not having the bloat, but it's also a huge pain getting things working.
Just today I tried to install DaVinci Resolve to do some editing and it's throwing library errors for some reason, why doesn't it resolve it automatically? Or better yet why doesn't the installer come with them like it does on windows? Linux tends to leave everything up to the user which sucks.
Also tried to play EVE through Steam, but it just says "unsupported OS" when I click play with no other help or explanation.
Everything on Linux feels like pulling a tooth, sure it'll eventually work after a lot of time and effort, until something updates and breaks everything again.
What value would Linux provide my mother?
My parents prefer Linux because it doesn't pressure them with pop ups and enabling new features, it just leaves them alone. If your mom uses a Microsoft account and is happy with windows then Linux would be a nuisance to her as windows popups were for my parents.
Ok, "chug along happily without user involvement" probably isn't the right way to phrase this...
For 99% of of people out there, that's preferable to all the headaches you can get under Linux.
And for gaming, yes, it's still essentially the only real option. Out of the library of games I own maybe 10% work on Linux out of the box, and maybe 1/3 with WINE and a lot of work.
But I play mainly VR.
I know games with anti cheat often don’t run, but those are the exception not the rule.
Only about 50% of my windows game library still runs on windows.
MacOS is even worse: ~33% of my mac games still run on macos; ~90% of them have windows/linux ports that run on Linux.
- Mac: Ideal for those who don't mind a more controlled environment, where Apple dictates much of the user experience. While it's possible to customize beyond Apple's defaults, doing so can complicate things.
- Linux: Suited for users who can tolerate some unpredictability. It offers the most control, particularly on desktop, and can be incredibly efficient when functioning smoothly. However, maintaining this state can require significant effort, as updates may disrupt previously stable features like hibernation, graphics drivers, and Japanese input. The introduction of Wayland has further complicated the landscape.
- Windows: Strikes a balance between Linux's flexibility and Mac's controlled ecosystem. While it lacks Linux's high degree of customization, it's less restrictive than Mac. The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) provides a competent Linux experience for many use cases. Although troubleshooting can be challenging, issues are generally less frequent compared to Linux.
After transitioning from Windows to Mac to Linux and back to Windows, I've gained a newfound appreciation for Windows, especially its later versions. Despite its flaws, Windows emerges as the platform requiring the least maintenance, efficiently facilitating both work and leisure with minimal friction—at least in my experience.
So the other option is macOS. Good hardware but the os is annoying in some parts.
XFCE, LXDE, etc, are OK compromises, since they let you configure wifi graphically out of the box (they are similar to windows before the whole windows 8 thing). Current KDE is surprisingly good too. I get the impression all of those will continue to work for a long time.
Anyway, the worst thing about MacOS is the window management. It's ridiculously buggy. Just the other day, I couldn't find one of my VS Code windows with the mouse or keyboard. I had to go to the "Window" menu and click on it to get it to open.