this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2024

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Everything I need is still in in the old settings windows that haven't changed in 23 years (lemmy.world)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I don't know why I even bother opening the settings app

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[–] WatTyler 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I'd recommend Linux Mint or Fedora most likely. Debian if you don't need bleeding edge software.

Never is obviously being hyperbolic. However, any significant part of a user's environment is going to be an open-source democratic project. You are less likely to go down bad roads when devs are questioning the intentions of their fellow community members than their corporate paymasters.

Furthermore, in the instance that a tool you use does go in an unpopular direction, the ease of forking FOSS projects means there's a very good chance of someone maintaining a fork or even creating a whole spin-off project that resembles what you want. There are countless examples of this throughout the history of Linux.

Can you help clarify your final point to me? Just because as someone who uses Linux exclusively I find it far more user-friendly than Windows. AFAICT the only thing it fails to offer over Windows is that it doesn't have some particular software packages e.g. Microsoft Office or Photoshop. But that's nothing to do with Linux as an operating system. That's solely an issue of their developers not porting to Linux. If there's something I've overlooked I'd appreciate you explaining it to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Nothing in Windows is user-UNfriendly though. Your average user will struggle with linux exponentially more than with windows. For your regular person, Windows is as user friendly as it gets. You plug in a device, any device, and it works. You install a program, any program, and it works. How is linux any more user friendly?

[–] WatTyler 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Windows can often be pretty hostile to the user. Indeed OP's meme is probably my favourite example. For years now settings on Windows have been oddly divided or duplicated between the 'Settings' app, which a lot of people struggle with, and the Control Panel which many people had grown accustomed to.

Further examples of user un-friendliness:

Convoluted set-up process involving multiple consents regarding user telemetry. The 'opt-out' options for which are often minimised or otherwise obscured.
Installing applications by default by paid corporate sponsors e.g. Candy Crush.
Moving traditionally-owned software packages to SaaS e.g. Microsoft Office -> Office 365.
Heavy pressure towards setting up an online Microsoft Account and associating that with your local user account.
Taking away customisation options such as moving the position of the Taskbar with no discernible benefit or alternative.
It's impossible to configure Windows search to open links in any browser other than Microsoft Edge. In spite of the existence of a 'default browser' setting.
Attempts at vendor lock-in through services such as OneDrive.
Storage bloat and excessive hardware requirements (TPM modules) forcing people to buy new hardware or lose support.

Some historical examples:

Windows 8 and the Metro design language.
Aero performing terribly on Windows Vista.

In my honest opinion, the only ways Windows is more user-friendly are not even intrinsic benefits to the operating system they produce. They are:

People have grown accustomed to the Windows 'paradigm'. It's not necessarily easier but it's what they've grown accustomed to. Regardless this paradigm is frequently replicated (and improved) by environments such as KDE.
People don't have to install Windows on their own PC, as it comes installed by the manufacturer. Frankly the install process for most Linux distros is far, far more pleasant anyway. Most Linux distros will provide you a Live Environment on a USB so you can experiment with the entire UX without having to install anything. You can learn the new way of doing things and gauge hardware compatibility all from running off a USB. Furthermore, it's common for distros to include an installer option which scans your hardware and installs all relevant drivers, even non-FOSS ones, whilst installing the OS. Windows doesn't do this! If I install Windows, I have to boot for the first time before Nvidia drivers get installed.

If you gave someone a pre-installed Linux environment they'd get used to it very quickly. The only thing that's stopping manufacturers like Dell from offering this as an option is that it'd worsen their relationship with Microsoft.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Convoluted set-up process involving multiple consents regarding user telemetry.

Read and un-tick. Not convoluted or hard. If you care about telemetry (or even know what telemetry is) then you can't call this convoluted or hard.

Moving traditionally-owned software packages to SaaS e.g. Microsoft Office -> Office 365.

Office still sells as a standalone version if that's what you want. That's also not a Windows thing.

Heavy pressure towards setting up an online Microsoft Account and associating that with your local user account.

"Heavy pressure" lol. Most people like this because it gives you things like full background backups of your data and ease of use.

Taking away customisation options such as moving the position of the Taskbar with no discernible benefit or alternative.

But windows being windows means you can move it wherever you want with third party software.

It’s impossible to configure Windows search to open links in any browser other than Microsoft Edge. In spite of the existence of a ‘default browser’ setting.

Good thing edge is installed by default then. Windows Search is intrinsically tied to Bing because that's their search engine, and their browser uses bing by default.

Attempts at vendor lock-in through services such as OneDrive.

lol come on, this is ridiculous. You don't have to use OneDrive at all.

Storage bloat and excessive hardware requirements (TPM modules) forcing people to buy new hardware or lose support.

What "storage bloat"? "Excessive hardware requirements"? lol the language you use is so intentionally inflammatory to try and make even the tiniest thing seem like a show stopper. Most people don't even care about "support" - they run whatever version of windows is on their machine until it dies. Again - if you care about support, you can't complain about this stuff.

It’s not necessarily easier but it’s what they’ve grown accustomed to.

It's definitely easier too though.

Frankly the install process for most Linux distros is far, far more pleasant anyway.

Windows installs are like 5 mouse clicks lol.

Most Linux distros will provide you a Live Environment on a USB so you can experiment with the entire UX without having to install anything.

Yeah, because the OS is barebones and useless to most people.

If I install Windows, I have to boot for the first time before Nvidia drivers get installed.

Oh no, you have to log in to a computer that you've just installed windows on? The nerve of these people!

If you gave someone a pre-installed Linux environment they’d get used to it very quickly.

Sure, because it vaguely resembles an old Windows UI. Then they'd start using it and realize that doing anything other than using what's pre-installed is much harder.

[–] WatTyler 1 points 10 months ago

I honestly appreciate the effort you've put in to continuing the discussion. I'm happy to concede that I evidently will not get you, personally, to admit that there's a single thing hostile to the user about Microsoft Windows.

I'm just kind of intrigued as to what your experience of Linux is that you're so certain it's not an alternative for Windows? I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you've got some experience with Linux. However, your comments about it being 'barebones' or saying Linux has 'an old Windows UI' make me feel as if you might not have.

Furthermore I'm happy to be sold the positive case for Windows as software. I'll let you know I'd view arguments along the lines of it coming 'pre-installed' more as an endorsement of Microsoft's business practices than Windows as software.