Leftist Linux lover laments living with lesser operating systems.

FULL COMMENTS - Why is Linux not bigger in leftist spaces?

The shit just ain't casual friendly. It's for nerds and coders and devs.

I have to disagree, windows out of all three seems like the most odd to use

I mean in a perfect world if I could snap my fingers and have everyone intuitively understand Linux sure. But we don't live in that world...Plus games run like shit on it cause they aren't optimized also Linux has terrible drivers for gaming. A lot of these issues would be solved if more people used it but that's the problem isn't it.

games absolutely do not run like shit on linux

it really isn't, things like point and click on icons are universal, but folder structure in windows is a NIGHTMARE compared to linux and even MacOS.

Look I'm not anti Linux at all. I just get why it's not popular. The fact that it's only now in 2024 becoming what even resembles viable as a gaming machine means it lost the relevancy war literal decades ago. You're not going to get people to change now I'm sorry.

This is like somebody who specializes in studying Latin insisting it's super easy to learn and people a should learn it

It's literally not at all. This pre-concieved notion that ALL OF LINUX is a specialist thing is weird.

“This is the year of the Linux desktop!” was a meme back when I was in high school which is becoming depressingly far away lmao.

We argue relentlessly against conservative talking points who reject better and more sustainable solutions in favor of keeping things familiar, but when it comes to tech, that's fine?

Mate, it's an operating system. Equating UX familiarity for an OS to the systemic issues caused by conservatives is just…wild. Like, this is so far down on the list of priorities dude.

Data privacy and cyber security is not low on the list. As we speak red states are subpaneling tech companies to use their data to monitor trans folk and pregnant people to enforce these ridiculous policies. The metric fricktons of damage Microsoft and apple have done to not just the digital landscape, but the actual landscape. When Windows PC or Apple Products crash people chuck the computer and buy a new one, the carbon footprint of making electronics is insane, not to mention the labor exploitation? Reducing these things to "just an OS" is just really ignorant.

I'd understand people saying they're just too inundated with windows and apple to make a switch, but actively blaming linux devs and hand waving them as irrelevant seems in poor taste.

I'm not blaming anyone. I'm laying out the reality of the situation. If you want people to up end how they operate and literally have to learn a new system you're going to have to provide them with a good reason. A problem needs to be solved in the process. And Linux only presents new and more numerous problems for people to solve.

Better security, breaking reliance on tech giants from your hardware, privacy, etc. Sure these should be solved with legislation, but why keep poisoning just because it isn't illegal? Cutting down on carbon emissions and e-waste, reuse possibilities are pivotal in climate and environmental issues...W/e you win all hail big tech I guess.

Many of us grew up with windows/macos machines so we're much more intuitively aware of how to use them, so that's much more important for your average user (let alone leftist ones)

This is kind of my point as well. Double clicking an icon is universal (shockingly even in linux), you can have desktop and task bar icons, I'm not sure what exactly is more complicated?

My guy, my dude us normal people can't even operate a printer properly.

Understanding social and political nuances that have hundreds if not thousands of years of world history and context behind as well as working through socially ingrained biases and programming to come to ethical, tolerant and compassionate political views seems WAY harder than loading up Firefox in Ubuntu.

Maybe for you, most people literally shut down when they run into problems with machines. Its why the morons at the Best Buy genius bar still get business despite their utter incompetence.

sure, but if someone decided to be a conservative or a liberal because politics is too complicated to understand and they want easy answers and world views, we wouldn't say that's okay. Allowing capitalist institutions to literally have a stranglehold over our personal lives with our tech choices when there exists viable alternatives seems dumb.

But that's literally what US politics is, people do not understand nuance and are primarily reactionary or single issue voters.

You could make that point about literally everything in the world. There's a reason we form societies and have specialisms. Where do you draw the line? Politics is the exception as it's something we should ALL be well versed in as a base line due to the danger an ill informed voter bloc can pose, but we can't be well versed in absolutely everything in the world.

Most people who use windows aren't well versed in computers. Same with linux. The only reason I'm seeing boils down to "everyone else is doing it so even trying something else is dumb, im very smart"

Well no shit, it's the OS that comes pre-installed and set-up on pretty much every single non-Mac PC. How many people do you think actually set-up and install everything on their PC's?...Windows (or Apple depending on your field) is beaten into you from day one when working with a PC, and it's what you'll be using for your entire work life. To insist that "real leftists" should be learning how to use Linux in addition to this because Microsoft/Apple bad (which I agree with btw) is just utterly and completely unrealistic.

So is the patriarchy, toxic masculinity, conservatism in general, yet its easier to break away from that? You can Eye-roll and say "its just an OS" all you want but it doesn't change the fact that MS and Apple are destroying the environment and promoting e-waste and worker exploitation to meet a demand.

Did I say those things were easier to deal with? And can you frick off with comparing Operating systems to ideologies that want people like me dead. It's frankly offensive and disgusting.

The linux community has made it easier than ever to jump into and use beginner friendly distros out of the box. But to even suggest people look into it, get all these visceral reactions as if linux is the big bad evil source of everything wrong in the world.

No one is reacting like Linux is evil. This has been explained to you time and time again but you seem to just want to feel superior so frankly you can frick off.

Where do i come off seeming like that? By answering people's questions and concerns or pointing out false perceptions where I see them? You morally policing me comes across as wanting to feel superior. Sure I don't respond well to people being condescending or reactionary towards me but according to you not one person has bee condescending, rude, or stating false pretenses and the only one who's done wrong is me. Like will you even admit that you're being condescending, hand waving, or rude?

My guy, you're constantly deriding this community as "passive consumers" and acting as though they're bad leftists for not wanting to use Linux. You're coming across as a massive butthole which is why people are being rude in response.

I don't need to engage with bad faith assumptions and attacks to get my point across. if they don't want to listen or reconsider, that's on them .

You really can't fathom why people are being rude to you, huh?

The average person doesn't wanna mess around with computers. They just want it to work.

That's what I don't understand. Linux, just works. Unless you're doing more than a normal person would do, you're not running into issues. Turn on computer click internet browser. What wizardry are people imagining linux is like?

With this comment I'm almost certain you've never played around with any of the distros.

Literally on reddit on popOs lol.

Yeah...yeah you are. Why are you here and not using something open, like kbin or mastodon? Disappointing to see you passively consuming social media.

I've never said people shouldn't use windows or non open source software. And I'm actively using reddit by having a discussion about the very topic we're discussing. Passively using it would be scrolling and joining in dogpiles for entertainment.

Not everyone is capable of using Linux. Alot of leftists aren't that tech literate

Windows is more complicated. Being used to something doesn't mean it's more intuitive.

If something becomes widespread enough it kind of does, at least it has the same effect

That's a capitalist idea that the "best product is the one that sells the best". Microsoft has so many contracts and buy outs that positions itself as the primary desktop OS in businesses and schools. Ofc teaching it to young people indoctrinates them into being used to it.

Look you asked why people aren't willing to use Linux. People are explaining it to you. Windows has become the default and iOS is the alternative.

Conservatism and capitalism are the default world views, but I'm not gonna default my values to that because its convenient. I just didn't expect this level of callousness and complacency

My guy it's an operating software lol. I willing join you in the fight to change economic systems eg. Advocating for socialism. I don't care what operating software I use

Maybe it's just an operating system to you, but that data, and tech influence has downstream impacts in data privacy, security, data brokering, etc. its the "climate change is already happening, why try to stop it" mentality that I hate.

Have you seen a person who does not major in engineering or computer science try to use Linux? Your question suggests you have not! :D

My 60 yr old parents manage just fine. Neither worked in tech. I set up a laptop for them and told them to try to learn to do things on their own, they figured most things out with minimum intervention.

OK..... so your response is to do a 'I escaped poverty, which means everyone else can too.' My friend I have read through your comments here, if you honestly think there is nothing extraordinary about Linux and it's just another alternative - your opinions are your opinions and therefore they cannot be 'wrong', but let's just say your preferences are an exception.

You know that linux is cheaper than a Windows license? Do you really think that EVERYONE can learn Windows but only certain people can learn Linux? Everything from the source code, to tutorial and a whole community of people are available to help those those need with navigating linux. FREE OF COST.

Good luck bro. I am sure everyone will realize how right you are very soon.

That's just rude and unnecessary.

You have argued with everyone who disagrees with you in this thread. The word for what you are is 'crybully'. You're either a troll or severely disadvantaged in understanding social cues.

I never understood the obsession with reddit downvotes. playing the good will hunting bit on me is just cringe.

Time to cry about how I blocked you.

Linux requires time. It's not that it's very very hard -- It's that it requires you to sit down and learn how to use it. Even flashing a distro onto a USB and then booting it up through BIOS, for the average person, is difficult and will take time to learn. Most people don't have time, or don't want to put time into it.

You need to do this for windows as well! Tons of people in the community build their own PC's, have amazing degrees, understand thousands of years of world history context, etc. I agree it's a little more work, but spending time to learn being looked at as a negative in a leftist community is making me feel pretty sad.

Holy shit the comments in here. Bring up Linux to a leftist might rival "scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds." For irate reactions.

Like…where though? I just see people explaining why it hasn't caught on and OP overreacting to it.

I get it. You hate Linux.

Dude, this is what I was talking about. I literally don't hate linux - I even use it at work. You're seriously overreacting to people.

Dude, seriously. Stop gaslighting me.

lmao, okay. Post my comment that shows me hating linux.

Goodbye 👋

Same reason it's not big everywhere. It's obtuse and unavailable in stores.

that makes sense for why liberals and conservatives don't use it. As leftists we're always looking for different options and possibilities, not just settling for what media or large corporations are telling us good.

No leftists are no better at this shit my guy. The only people with even a passable interest in Linux are people with autism and deep end computer nerds. The leftist in your head is imaginary.

This is just rude.

I'm fine with that

Linux is one of the few things that can bring leftists and libertarians uncomfortably close to each other.

Not sure about that one, leftists seems pretty hardcore against it.

Literally no one in these comments is "pretty hardcore against it", dude. You asked a question and haven't liked the answers.

The answers don't make any sense. The reasons people don't want to use or even learn about it exist in the what they use already or aren't the case. a few people who are honest but most seem reactionarily against it without any semblance of openness to be informed.

Literally where? Saying that the people broadly aren't likely to take the time to use a new OS they're not familiar with isn't "being reactionarily against it", and explaining to you that the average layperson's understanding of technology is far lower than your expectation isn't that either.

https://old.reddit.com/r/SubredditDrama/comments/1ag4hm5/leftist_linux_lover_laments_living_with_lesser?sort=controversial