this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2024
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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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.

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[–] EuroNutellaMan@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago

I agree with this but we also need the average user to become tech literate.

There's little reason to introduce linux to someone who doesn't understand basic concepts like "I can save this file in this folder and find it there in the future instead of putting everything on the desktop" and doesn't even want to learn.

This goes for everything not just Linux. Maybe instead of dumbing everything down completely (not saying things shouldn't be made simple enough but there's a point where you need to get people to get up their asses and actually learn something) maybe we should be teaching people the basics at school, in my IT class back in HS they taught about buses, drivers, some other shit even I can't remember, and then immediately jumped to how to use excel specifically. None of the information in the first part was at all useful to anyone in that class (none of us was even studying IT, we were mixed classes to become chemical and architecture (?) technicians) and in fact promptly forgotten as soon as IT lessons ended, if not earlier. What would have been useful is the basics of how to use it and how the part users actually interact with works.

Then, once the population is tech literate enough to not panic as soon as they see a sudden popup and mindlessly click "ok" without reading, that's when Linux (and honestly Windows and Mac too because the OS is irrelevant if the user is a moron) will be truly ready for everyone

[–] SmoochyPit@beehaw.org -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I think GNU/Linux (What you're refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux.) is a great fit for non-technical people when they don’t have an established workflow on another OS. If their needs can’t easily be translated over, though, I think it’d turn users away.

[–] Cwilliams@beehaw.org 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Well, one of the benefits of Linux is that it's extreme customizability allows you to emulate whatever workflow you want. I think that Zorin OS has the right idea of asking what workflow you want to use. This way, even a noobie use can feel at home

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[–] birdcat@lemmy.ml -1 points 9 months ago (6 children)

id really like to use linux, but not before this is working. i dont understand how you linux people can live witout ahk.

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[–] backhdlp@iusearchlinux.fyi -2 points 9 months ago (5 children)

I don't want a lot of tech illiterate people using Linux.

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[–] yianiris@kafeneio.social -3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Not MS but IBM, created a front 13y ago called RedHat, financed it with consulting subcontracts installing RHEL,Fedora,Debian everywhere, to steer all Desktop/GUI development to depend on it, and when it all met its goals bought it to create its mass consumed system to compete with MS.

Very few attempt to maintain desktop functionality without systemd today, and upstreamers just quitely conformed to the "market'.

@jackpot @octopus_ink

[–] jackpot@lemmy.ml 0 points 9 months ago

and will this ever be fixed or?

[–] jackpot@lemmy.ml -5 points 9 months ago (3 children)

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 rufus (a 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) celebrate. it takes 15 minutes.

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[–] yianiris@kafeneio.social -5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Stop being elitist, spread Linux without systemd!

@jackpot

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[–] zwekihoyy@lemmy.ml -5 points 9 months ago (2 children)

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.ml 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

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 points 9 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] jackpot@lemmy.ml 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

im arguing against securitt thrpugh obscuriry, we're on the same side

[–] zwekihoyy@lemmy.ml 1 points 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.

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