Linus and Linux showdown
Linus and Linux showdown
I believe the problem lies in the community's lack of honesty about the challenges of learning new operating systems. Everyone experiences a learning curve when moving to different distros, and some are more difficult than others. Manjaro is an example of one such option. Additionally, many people overlook the importance of exploring Linux-compatible software instead of relying on WINE to run Windows apps.
I believe Linus should try Pop!_OS again now that the apt problem is resolved. I've been using Majaro KDE for several months and have also used Kubuntu for quite some time. Even on my end, there have been a few oddities or quirks. While I can't share my personal experience with Pop!, gaming on Ubuntu has always been smoother for me. I set it up as a home entertainment PC and (regrettably) need to boot from a 1080 Ti system. There are some minor issues, but overall most things have worked well, especially when playing via Steam Big Picture with a controller. Linus likely would have had a better overall experience if he had taken that path.
I've faced a lot of problems with Gnome. It often locks up unexpectedly because it relies on dbus communication. The DE lockup until the gnome-settings-daemon times out is frustrating. Journalctl keeps showing 'gsd-binary timed out' even after a fresh install. Sometimes the GTK GUI crashes due to a tracker miner process that stops working, forcing a reset. Your desktop restarts every time you save files because the /home/user/.config/user-dirs.dirs file gets corrupted during an update. This can confuse other desktop environments, but Gnome handled it poorly. Overall, it works enough to get the job done, but troubleshooting these issues can be a nightmare if you're not familiar with the inner workings.
Luke stands out as the key player here for choosing Linux Mint, which essentially mirrors Ubuntu—similar to Debian, a version that Todd Howard would likely promote repeatedly due to its reliability. I began with LInux Mint XFCE and found it offered a smooth shift into the Linux environment. It let me accomplish tasks I struggled with on Windows, such as terminal operations and package management, while still supporting full functionality on Windows, including gaming setups. Pop!_OS also runs on Ubuntu, but I was surprised by its performance since it feels like an emerging competitor that might bring some challenges. I don’t hold back or criticize—it’s fair to acknowledge their effort in making Linux more approachable. This goal is common among many distros, not just about drivers but about simplifying user experience and expectations. Manjaro is definitely a solid option for newcomers; it provides extensive resources like the Arch Wiki, a strong community, and better package options compared to standard Arch users. This makes managing installations and dependencies much more straightforward, especially when you need specific software from the AUR or official channels. Proton-GE serves as another compelling example.
He must still rely on the GitHub script for his GoXLR since the developer didn’t make a Linux-compatible package. I believe Linus intentionally picked that look, it wasn’t part of the default font.
I've spent over two decades using personal computers. My initial machine featured a 540mb hard disk and just 8mb of RAM, running OS/2 and Windows 3.1. The first game I purchased was Magic Carpet. To grasp how I installed and played games, I studied a beginner's guide to DOS. I don’t see myself as a power user, but I’ve owned, purchased, and assembled multiple PCs throughout the years. About three months ago, my graphics card failed, which led me to explore options and purchase an RTX 3060. Although it cost more than its listed price, it was reasonably priced at the time and widely available. Choosing a fresh graphics card, I felt it was the right moment to overhaul my setup. I gathered everything needed for the upgrade. I installed Linux Mint on an old system that still ran Windows Vista on an AMD Athlon 64—still performing well for basic tasks like browsing, emailing, and document work. After watching Anthony’s guide, I opted for Pop!_OS. Setting it up was simple, and I was pleased with the interface and overall experience. For most of my time using Linux, I stayed within 95% of Windows, enjoying its lightweight nature. My Steam library is modest—featuring titles like Age of Wonders III, Rise of the Tomb Raider, The Bard’s Tale, The Witcher 3, Thief, and Cities Skylines. I also installed necessary tools such as Lutris, Wine, and Steam. When I tried Cities Skylines, I encountered issues with mods. Upon launching the game, it alerted me that a traffic manager mod required additional installation. Finding the right package and instructions proved confusing, with inconsistent guidance across different Linux versions. Eventually, after several attempts, I performed a clean install of Windows 10 Pro, reinstalled Steam, and added all my mods. Cities Skylines ran smoothly within minutes. Although I haven’t fully committed to Linux, I believe improving usability would attract more users. I’m now thinking about installing Pop!_OS on a separate SSD for dual booting—a project I can enjoy at my own pace. If not, I’ll stick with what works, especially since I just wanted to finish the game without frustration. By the way, I managed to resolve the graphics card problem, and my old PC (Intel Core i5-4690K, AMD R9 290, 16GB DDR3) was given to a 12-year-old for YouTube and The Sims—she’s thrilled it’s better than her younger sibling’s outdated machine.
I found it a bit confusing. I’m not sure why Linus believed adding programs to Pop!_OS should only happen in the terminal, when Pop!_OS actually has them available on the "Pop Shop" app store. If he’d installed Steam through the Pop! Shop, he wouldn’t have disrupted the desktop setup. I’ve tried installing Steam multiple times during a clean install via the Pop Shop, and I haven’t damaged my system like Linus did. Ugh...
He had to simply refresh the shop; otherwise, the right package dependencies would have appeared. He didn’t just read anything in the terminal—he forcefully tried and ignored everything. It warned him he was attempting something risky right next to a suggestion to override it if he was certain. Now it’s clearer, but it’s still frustrating that people don’t understand simple English.
He reportedly utilized the store, though at that moment Pop!_OS had released a Steam package containing faulty dependencies.