this post was submitted on 12 Apr 2025
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Lol I'm a millenial software engineer. I grew up using Windows and was able to learn my way around a filesystem perfectly fine without ever having to compile any programs from source.
Don't put Linux's lack of stability on GenZ's use of apps.
they mention genz specifically but boomers and millenials are falling down the same path expecting software to just download and work, Because of the google/apple/microsoft/sony/nintendo ecosystems we are so used to. But even in these ecosystems learning to troubleshoot is paramount so I expect to see younger people entering the linux sphere in droves.
You definitely are a minority though, most people dont care for this stuff at all. Most will simply give up instead of doing more research and trying different tactics to repair software and hardware.
They expect it to just work because literally every other product they buy just works and well made software should too.
Like, I'm the kind of person who will take apart a broken power tool or appliance, order replacement parts, and figure out whatever I have to to fix it... and that's precisely why I try to pay for stuff that's high enough quality that I don't have to do that.
I value being able to repair things when they break, I don't value things that are shipped with the expectation that I'm going to have to repair them, or learn a bunch of arcane stuff just to use them.
Most people have a millions different things they are trying to do with their lives, and there are a million and one different complicated systems in our world to spend your time obsessing over. Not everyone can or will understand how software is compiled.
The fact of the matter is that Microsoft's approach to Windows created an enormous amount of stability and backwards compatibility that let an absolutely massive chunk of the population progress to being overall computer power users, without a computer science background or any knowledge of coding.
Linux has not done the same. It has many strengths, but it's inability to maintain backwards (and cross distro) binary compatibility has hamstrung it as a consumer desktop tool.
Agree with everything you said except the last paragraph there are definitely too many distros all with different standards and design philosophies. And you are correct that this has stifled its use for standard consumers. But "linux" isnt working its way to becoming a new standard individual distros are attempting this. Popos ubuntu fedora are all fighting to become that consumer desktop experience and in some peoples opinion its 99% of the way there. We just need the amount of users to increase, For more valuable bug reports and feedback for that to actually happen.