Windows just works for gaming and all connected devices. SteamOS maybe works well for dedicated handhelds, but I can’t imagine a casual user bothering with Linux and wondering why the newly bought xyz Bluetooth device doesn’t work on it.
Windows is no walk in the park. And Linux is easy to use these days.
So… sure maybe this is still sorta true. But we’re long past the days of needing to be a hacker to use a Linux OS and it’s only getting better, while Windows is only getting worse.
I’m not against Linux; for developers and servers, it’s awesome. But for casual users, I don’t see the appeal. There’s no reason to bother as long as it works—and it does. Do you genuinely think, that a user who complains that Windows is bad and doesn’t work, will be able to install Linux and be happy? First thing someone like that will do, is probably try to execute an exe file and the complain under some YouTube video about it.
This very much used to be true. But most gamers (i.e. the group we’re talking about here) are more than technically savvy enough to run Linux. Most gamers have seen a terminal once or twice and know how to google the solution to common fixes.
And yes, I do believe most motivated users (those unhappy with windows) can install Linux. It’s SO easy these days requiring nothing more than a USB and an hour or two of time.
Why would anyone want to bother with a terminal just for gaming, a little bit of browsing, casually installing mods, using Photoshop, etc.? I mean, just watch the video, and this is coming from a guy who at least knows one or two things about computers.
Plus, don’t forget, Linux also has its quirks, just like Windows, only in different areas. Like not so awesome Nvidia drivers :P
https://web.archive.org/web/20200219180230/http://slated.org...
I have to uninstall crap all the time. :’)
> and wondering why the newly bought xyz Bluetooth device doesn’t work on it
It's not the early 2000s anymore, things just work now.
>Photoshop or whatever
No one who _needs_ Photoshop is a casual user.
Even if we ignore Windows-specific software entirely, there are still other pain points: DRM support, HDR support, certain drivers, and even the variety of package managers and ways to install things. You know what I mean—these things are nothing special for us, but for someone who’s just casually gaming or doing some creative hobbies, being forced to use the terminal to, for example, update Nvidia drivers or find a workaround to get an unsupported game launcher to work, can be a total dealbreaker
Even something as basic as swapping out PC hardware as a gamer isn’t as seamless on Linux as it is on Windows. That’s a lot of friction for someone who just wants things to “work”. And you know I’m right because if I would be wrong with all these points, we already would have a year of Linux desktops … as it’s being said every year.
You underestimate how most people just value ease of use, familiarity and don’t care about freedom and control over a system. Most don’t want to spend their time tweaking or figuring out why something doesn’t work and that’s totally fine.
That, Mac and Mobile ownership and I do have to wonder what MS's long-term strategy to avoid pissing away Windows Desktop users is, because I can't see it.
In my opinion, what will most likely happen is the same thing that happened when Windows XP was retired: nothing at all, people just kept running the same Windows XP they had already installed. That is, people will just keep Windows 10, not caring that Microsoft does not care about it anymore. And, for them, it will work even better, since without constant updates, Windows 10 will become more stable (as in: not changing all the time, not having random automated reboots due to updates, etc).
(We might be concerned that, without software updates, the security bogeyman will catch and eat us, but most normal people don't worry about that.)
Give private users up because you can't extract money from them, but keep milking Office 365, governments and enterprises that Just Can't move away from Windows due to decades of legacy garbage.
Interestingly enough PS2 had printer support[0], and so did PS3[1]. But it seems it didn't work very well.
If someone just wants to play games, why pay extra for Windows? Especially if all they are going to do is play games on a handheld / console.
There are a few reasons, but I agree with you that if you use only a handheld, SteamOS probably will work fine.
Windows has momentum, but it certainly isn't because it is easier or more reliable anymore.