What holds many away from moving to Linux?
What holds many away from moving to Linux?
Many websites present commands in a straightforward copy-paste style, but there are still situations where this isn’t the case. When it comes to packages like Packman, it’s simple. If a company lists the 'get' command on their site, it’s manageable. However, if you’re not familiar with GitHub or similar platforms, locating the right instructions can be challenging. The green button labeled 'get' or 'clone' often returns a command that your terminal doesn’t recognize—like "gh isn’t a recognized command." You usually find a detailed README file that explains the full process, which is very useful. But if you’re unsure how to make it work, you end up stuck trying to install a library needed for a program you downloaded from Packman. This approach isn’t user-friendly, especially when you’re short on time and not fully prepared. It’s frustrating when you spend limited hours on Manjaro a few years ago only to run into issues just trying to get a library installed.
The file manager in Gnome named "Files" was formerly called nautilus. I only realized its existence when I started using it today, as I typically run commands like "sudo vim <path>" or "sudo code <path>". I usually don’t touch system files on my desktop unless necessary. Most of the time, these changes occur on a remote server, making it a command-line task.
Well, from what I understand from the viewpoint of regular users, most folks just care about functionality and ease of interaction. Most people appreciate when things work smoothly and can be operated with minimal effort—those GUI-based programs tend to handle that well. Sure, there are occasional issues, but overall it feels straightforward and user-friendly.
For developers, this perspective is quite different. If updates aren’t mandatory, that’s a plus. However, from what I see, you’re usually still expected to keep things running, and naturally, problems can arise. Support might be inconsistent.
I meant to say this in a more coherent way… (that typo was strange, using a Japanese keyboard.) I don’t think I need to explain that much. Redundancies are common here—people often ask “how do I do X in Linux?” and get multiple suggestions like “or you could…” or “you could also…”. This is exactly what Windows offers: several approaches can lead to the same result, which can be frustrating.
On the plus side, Linux seems to offer better privacy (compared to Microsoft) and more freedom overall. While Windows isn’t fully secured yet, it’s moving in that direction. The downside is that getting started with Linux can be a big barrier for many users, making true simplicity hard to reach. That’s disappointing.
I installed Manjaro a few years back on my main desktop. Although I didn’t face many major problems (besides proton not being at a point where I felt ready to switch), I encountered quite a few frustrating times trying to install libraries or other system files to resolve error messages from software downloaded through Packman. It’s definitely possible to run Manjaro without directly using the terminal, but if you run into any odd compatibility issues, the graphical interface didn’t really offer a solution—especially in 2018, when I tried. Every fix I found online required terminal access.
Essentially, many people mention that in Linux talks, but the reality isn’t as widespread as it seems. Most are actually leaning toward the idea of using the command line, believing it would simplify their work. It’s not that they don’t see the value, but there’s a noticeable gap between perception and practice. They seem to think that mastering commands is essential, like a computer needs to be operated that way. Actually, it’s more about adapting to modern tools—Windows is trying to bridge this, and ease of use is a key reason for its popularity. It’s not about monopoly or tradition; it’s about how things have evolved over time.
If others notice this, in Ubuntu and PopOS you need to adjust your account settings to allow sudo access. It’s unclear how else to explain—after experimenting with Ubuntu I can run commands as sudo in Terminal, but I can’t open files in admin mode in File Explorer. During live update setup it failed because the user account wasn’t recognized as a sudo user or similar. I’m testing Manjaro just to check if the problem is with Debian or my laptop.
On one side I concur, on the other… my mother has been using Ubuntu for over ten years now. It handles everything she requires—web browsing, email, banking, eBay. I believe there was a significant issue after a system update that I had to resolve during all that time. The browser and email functions operate identically to what they do on Windows, and she doesn’t have to deal with system files at all. My father uses Windows because of certain software needs. So it seems the system I’ve been on has required regular virus removal and reinstalls. Updates are entirely optional. If you wish to report problems, it’s usually best to be on the newest version, though no one is obligated to keep up. Still, it’s a good practice (just like with Windows) due to bug and security improvements. But I’m free to skip them whenever I want, and the system doesn’t pressure me. Generally, I don’t mind updates—especially since they’re often necessary for fixes—but I do dislike forced updates when I’m not in a rush. Yes, it sounds contradictory, but it really comes down to personal preference. Gnome is quite stable, yet there’s no unified design direction for other applications like Windows does with its guidelines. Installing packages from KDE that rely on Qt instead of Gtk can look odd, especially if some apps switch between light and dark themes, causing mismatched fonts and backgrounds. This isn’t a big deal for most of the software I use. Acknowledged, but it really depends on your needs. As I mentioned, my mother is content with Ubuntu and mainly uses desktop tools like browsers and email clients. There’s no real issue with that; the challenge lies in being presented with options without clear advantages or disadvantages. Freedom and accessibility can feel at odds here, since developers are free to build however they wish. There’s no single corporate directive pushing for profit over user choice. I disagree with this perspective. In certain situations, typing commands directly is more efficient and less error-prone than navigating a graphical interface. Simply open the terminal and run “sudo whatever,” for example. On Windows, it’s more like opening a window, right-clicking, and moving around—often requiring many screenshots to avoid confusion.
Set up the lm-sensors and fancontrol tools. Follow the instructions in the terminal by typing 'sudo sensors-detect' and answer all yes/no questions. This might risk damaging your system or cause a crash, though it's generally safe for many setups. It's wise to back up your work before making changes. After the process, you'll see which modules need updating in /etc/modules and add them accordingly. Use 'yes' to insert those files into the appropriate directory. Then run 'sudo service kmod start' to apply the updates.
Next, configure fancontrol by entering 'pwmconfig' in the terminal. This will help identify which fans respond to PWM signals. You may need to specify sensors for temperature monitoring. For a single fan, use a core temperature sensor to control speed. Follow the prompts carefully and save your settings. Adjust /etc/fancontrol with your preferences and restart the service with 'sudo service fancontrol restart'.
Finally, activate fancontrol by starting it with 'sudo service fancontrol start'. This will launch the service automatically at boot. On some systems, you may need to restart module-init-tools if using Ubuntu 12.04 or earlier.