this post was submitted on 03 Dec 2024
1075 points (99.2% liked)
Technology
60091 readers
3102 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each another!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I think this is, for most people I've spoken with (including coders in games, my kids, etc) the major issue -- they don't want to have to use the command line for things. It's fine if you can, but that alone is a massive wall for some people. People are exhausted right now, and having to learn a variety of command line prompts instead of just clicking on icons is too much for some people. That can be argued till you're red in the face, but I think a major reason so many people bounce off linux, myself included, is that it's not 'as easy as windows.' We need to stop telling people it is, because that means they won't try again later.
I definitely hear you on that, and in some ways, it's a shame more people don't have the option to learn more about how their computer works.
The Linux OS is, in my experience, one of the most amazing things I've ever taken the time to learn. In my pursuit of not only learning programming and computer science fundamentals, but also the internals of the Linux operating system, I've gained a granular control over my computing devices that has allowed me to be spared the onslaught of forced "AI in everything" that has recently been pushed down people's throats. I also have minimal exposure to invasive advertisements, and other unwanted features.
But the cost for access to said knowledge was an immense amount of time studying, an equivalent amount of patience, and a strong desire to learn difficult subjects. That's a cost the majority of users are unable or unwilling to pay. They simply dont have the time and/or desire, and that's just reality.
Ultimately, I don't think it's acknowledged enough that it requires a vast amount of privilege to have the time and energy to devote to such endeavors such as learning how Linux, the command line, and Computer Systems more broadly, work. I think this is because to acknowledge such would open the discussion up to the more broader topics of the qualities of our education systems and our cultivation of more positively reinforced learning models, which is a much more difficult topic to navigate and argue about when contrasted with the "It's easy to install Linux. Windows bad, so just do it." argument that pervades the discussion space.
This is an incredibly thoughtful and well said point, thank you for making it. It's important to remember to empathize with users because we didn't all start in the same place, or have the same time or money, and so on. The comments about the privilege to have time and energy to learn it are spot on.
So again, thank you :)
You don't have to use the command line at all.
Here's step four of Mint's installation guide:
Then we get this:
You know Windows is exactly the same right?
Nice try, though. I'll let you have one more go.
Windows is just too difficult for normies to use. All that command line stuff, PowerShell, registry stuff.
Cool whataboutism; I was told 'you never need the command line' and then the installation instructions for Mint have you using the command line. Plus you regularly need it in Linux, and you don't in Windows. That's the point.
Do you actually think, sigh, 'normies' use the command line, powershell, or registry in Windows? The whole point is you can use it but don't have to. On linux you're forced to use it at times.
You don't need it, though. Who actually verifies the md5sum of their ISO?
Can you install without doing it? Yes. Therefore it's not needed.
Needed: necessary. A requirement to perform a duty.
Completely untrue. I have to use PowerShell and the registry quite frequently (at least every month or two). I don't have to use the terminal in Linux. Ever.
You are just making shit up.
Sigh yes, sigh they sigh do sigh, because sigh shit sigh breaks sigh and sigh you sigh need sigh to sigh go sigh there sigh to sigh fix sigh it.
Sigh.
Why do you keep making shit up? I've not used it on my PC for years. I don't even have it installed. That's how unnecessary it is.
Where's this "force"?
Why are you lying so much? Were you never taught to never lie?
I'm just going to assume this is a bot at this point.
Sigh. Can't retort so you just claim someone is a bot. A poor tactic, usually employed by the... er... academically challenged.
You keep lying. Lying is bad. Don't be a liar.
You can go now. Alt-tab back to the PowerShell windows users constantly have to use.