Linux needs to grow. Stop telling people it’s ‘tech-y’ or acting like you’re more advanced for using it, you are scaring away people. Linux Mint can be used by a senile person perfectly.

Explain shortly the benefits, ‘faster, more secure, easier to use, main choices of professionals and free’. Ask questions that let you know if they need to dual boot, ‘do you use Adobe, anti-cheat games, or Microsoft Office’, ‘how new is your computer’, ‘do you use a Mac’.

And most importantly, offer to help them install.

They don’t understand the concept of distros, just suggest Linux Mint LTS Cinnamon unless they’re curious.

That’s it, spread Linux to as many people as possible. The larger the marketshare, the better support we ALL get. We can fight enshittification. Take the time to spread it but don’t force it on anyone.

AND STOP SCARING PEOPLE AWAY. Linux has no advertising money, it’s up to us.

Offer family members or friends your help or copy and paste the below

how to install linux: 1) copy down your windows product key 2) backup your files to a harddrive 3) install the linux mint cinnamon iso from the linux mint website 4) use etcher (download from its website) to put the iso on a usb flash drive 5) go into bios 6) boot from the usb 7) erase the storage and install 8) press update all in the update manager 9) celebrate. it takes 15 minutes.

edit: LET ME RE-STATE, DO NOT FORCE IT ON ANYONE.

and if someone is at the level of ignorance (not in a derogatory fashion) that they dont know what a file even is genuinely dont bother unless theyre your parents cause youll be tech support for their ‘how do i install the internet’ questions.

  • Willie@kbin.social
    2·
    9 months ago

    No, it’s better to be honest. The average user isn’t ready for Linux, because Linux is not ready for the average user. I’d never try and get someone to use it if they’re not already interested. I hate that it is this way, but it is. Linux is only really for people who already want to use it. Because if you’re not interested in using it, you’re not going to put forth the time investment to gain the benefits from it. No matter what angle I look at it from Linux is not for the average person.

    Your second paragraph says it all. Find out if the user needs to dual boot? The answer is obviously “No” because no matter what they’re using the computer for, Linux is unneeded for them, since they have Windows. There are tangible benefits to using Windows, since it runs their software, meanwhile, you failed to list any real benefits to using Linux for the average user. It’s faster? No, not really, since they’ll be learning how to use it, and even ignoring that, it’s not so much faster that they’ll perceive it anyway. It’s more secure? Not really, Windows is the better choice for the average user in that respect, since it’ll automatically force them to restart the machine every week to install security updates. Main choice of professionals? That’s not entirely true, and even if it were, it’s not relevant, the average user is not a professional. And for anyone who already owns a computer already running Windows, Windows was ‘free’ too.

    The only time to have this discussion is if the user is having a PC built, and then the answer is also “No” to Linux, because they’re going to buy Windows anyway, since it’s better for gaming, and that’s the primary reason for someone to build a PC, unless they’re doing a specialized task like video editing, and if they are invested enough into the task to want a PC just for that, they have specialized software that almost always runs only on Windows, and even if it were able to run on either, it’s not my place to alter their workflow.

    The real elitist attitude is thinking people need to use Linux in the first place. For me and (maybe) you, it might get the job done, but for my family and friends. It’s better that they use what they’re comfortable with. The main point of a computer is to accomplish tasks, and giving them Linux is a hindrance to that.

    Linux is great, but it’s not for everyone, and it may never be.

    • bouh@lemmy.world
      0·
      9 months ago

      That’s plain wrong. That’s not honest, that’s elitist at best.

      No user ever installed windows. So the whole installation and driver thing is a dishonest question.

      Even for gaming on a custom PC, just take an amd card and games on steam, it’ll run smoothly.

      Browsing Internet and desktop? Works fine on Linux. Fuck office, you don’t need it.

      If you need a computer for a specific software, that’s a different matter. But presenting it like everyone is concerned is dishonest.

      The security paragraph is complete nonsense. And obnoxiously rebooting is a major hindrance for most people, and it’s not avoidable without the professional licence.

      It’s not 2010 anymore.

      • narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee
        2·
        9 months ago

        “Fuck office, you don’t need it.” <- the audacity to assume someone doesn’t need something.

  • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world
    1·
    9 months ago

    Don’t tell them, just break in their home at night and install it. They’ll call you in the morning. Probably to thank you. Probably.

  • toastal@lemmy.ml
    1·
    9 months ago

    Things are about to get worse for onboarding those from other platforms. There’s been this massive push the last year to get every window manager to switch to Wayland & drop X11 support… meanwhile Wayland doesn’t support color profiles or color management (just sRGB). How are you going to convince someone with an awesome screen to drop down to sRGB? How will you convince someone with a poor screen that has been color calibrated to make it usable to go back to off colors? How do you expect content creators to migrate & still create content if they can’t have access to all the color tools they use in their workflow to come to Linux when Wayland won’t support them? A lot of Linux folk act like this doesn’t matter, but to a lot of people, a computer is a magic box that they interact with via a screen + keyboard + mouse, & if non-niche peripherals aren’t supported (which DCI-P3 is becoming the norm & saving a screen from a landfill can often be fixed to ‘good enough’ thru calibration), users will think it’s trash & unfinished.

  • Oisteink@feddit.nl
    1·
    9 months ago

    There’s 0 need for Linux to grow. It powers 80% of new web-apps, runs the big gaming systems, parts of azure and aws. It’s the go-to server os for most use-cases.

    The Linux desktop needs to mature if it’s to grow. Non-tech users don’t care for “new and innovative ux paradigms”. They don’t wanna scan the internet to figure out why sound is missing after upgrading to pop_os 4. That or they need someone close by to fix it for free

  • zwekihoyy@lemmy.ml
    0·
    9 months ago

    it is not more secure for the average user. sure it can be hardened to a great degree but that takes proper knowledge of the underlying architecture. for the average user’s ootb experience, Linux is the least secure option.

    • jackpot@lemmy.mlOP
      0·
      9 months ago

      malware isnt targeted towards linux and if theyre not running wine theyre safer. also, open source software’s dangerousness can be evaluated more easily than proprietary ones

      • zwekihoyy@lemmy.ml
        0·
        9 months ago

        open source exists elsewhere and security through obscurity is a terrible, strawman argument

          • zwekihoyy@lemmy.ml
            1·
            9 months ago

            the argument that Linux is less popular therefore less targeted is both misguided and a security through obscurity based argument. Linux is the most used server operating system and servers are targeted more than any individual and those server based malware often works on desktop versions as well.

  • mvirts@lemmy.world
    0·
    9 months ago

    Build an automatic Linux mint installer that can handle most typical configurations and migrate data and apps from windows (with wine)

    Get some oldish windows exploits together.

    Build a worm that replaced vulnerable windows systems with mint

    ???

    Profit (3 free meals a day and TV for the rest of your life)

  • randomaside@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    0·
    9 months ago

    You know back in the day they used to sell Linux distributions on the shelf at software stores. I remember seeing a boxed copy of mandriva next to windows. Home computing used to be a hobby for some but that means there was commercial support at some point.

    I do think that home users of “Linux” will need a commercial alternative that supports all their apps. ChromeOS looks like the current best alternative. If you can get people into chrome books, you’re one step closer to getting them onto Linux.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.world
    0·
    9 months ago

    I’ve been using Linux for 30 years now, certified to teach it and everything… Here’s your problem:

    “Stop telling people it’s ‘tech-y’”

    Compared to Windows or MacOS, yes, it is very techy.

    “offer to help them install.” - If they need your help to install it they absolutely have no business running Linux.

    “They don’t understand the concept of distros” - If they have no understanding of distros, they have no business running Linux.

    Think of it like this… if they can’t wrap their head around a distro, what’s going to happen when you try explaining a package manager?

    I get the evangelism, but Linux simply is not for everyone, that’s why Apple invented iPads.

    • scratchandgame@lemmy.mlTiếng Việt
      01·
      9 months ago

      Compared to Windows or MacOS, yes, it is very techy.

      Distros that have so much graphics like ubuntu and their linux mint isn’t (much) :)

      there’s a guy even claimed “Linux is almost identical to Windows”. That guy is a “masturbing monkey” that cannot care about anything other than privacy.

      but Linux simply is not for everyone

      correct. I think Torvalds would agree.

      Many people have no concept of a computer, offer them running linux is destroying their business and render them jobless

      And these guys are so hilarious: switching to linux but want to use windows app with wine !

      Switching to linux only to decorate the desktop and neofetch!

      They want to switch but never want to learn what a kernel is.

      Switching to linux and claim about “free”, “open source” but they hide their proprietary games