Linux Must Mimic Windows To Become Popular

Many people within the Linux community lament the fact that we have such a small desktop marketshare, especially compared to Microsoft Windows. Naturally, everyone seems to have a solution to how Linux can become more popular. A common suggestion is that Linux needs to become more like Windows to become popular...

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[jvandermerwe]

We don't need to beat windows in market share, we just need enough market share so companies invest and develop software for linux

[thingsiplay]

Correction: Linux does not need to mimic Windows, but to support what Windows can do. WINE and Steam shows why this is important.

[fubaralakbar]

Two things:

If Linux actually did take over the desktop, the computing landscape would look more like it did in the early 90s, when pretty much everybody with a PC had DOS under the hood, but everybody's desktop environment was completely different--some people had Windows 3.1, some people had just a DOS command line...hell, I used DOS Shell instead of Windows 3.1 and loved it. Some people even had a menu program like Direct Access. But it was still the same thing under the hood, so you could be sure that anything you could use on your computer, you could use on your friend's computer (provided it was powerful enough).

So if Linux took over today, you would have your Ubuntu people, your Arch People...and even in those groups you would have your Plasma people, your Budgie people...but because it would be pretty much all Linux, you would have almost universal compatibility AND universal individual identity at the same time. That was such an awesome thing back then, and it would be even better now, compared to all these cookie-cutter Windows PCs.

Second: you have to remember that Linux has two parts. There's Linux itself, which was NOT some hyper-angry anti-corporate revolution against Microsoft, it was created by a guy who just made something really cool and wanted to share it with the world. Then there's the GNU part, which very much IS intended to be a hyper-angry anti-corporate revolution--but for us moderates out here, it just completes the circle: giving us free (in both meanings of the word) software that the corporate sticklers can't do anything about. The two need each other.

[SweDennis]

I usually think about it in terms of that I really don't care whether Linux becomes more popular or not, so long as it's perfect for me, contains what I need, and gets timely security updates.

[AxWarhawk]

I think one big thing that holds Linux back when it comes to desktop market share is the UI. UI in Linux typically looks nice, but is often a nightmare to use. For instance, Gnome 3's approach to make every application have a hamburger menu instead of a regular menu bar is just bad. Accessibility shortcuts like Alt+F no longer work, accessing the menu takes one more click, etc. Additionally, features that were considered super basic a decade ago (like drag-n-drop from the file-roller) are nowadays missing or broken (file-roller bug regarding Wayland, now open for over 4 years IIRC).

I get why all the Linux users prefer to do everything in the terminal. I would do the same. But you can't expect non-technical people to migrate over from an 'acceptable' GUI (Windows) to a Linux terminal.

[empirelinux]

In the 90's, Linux users enjoyed rock-hard stability, virtually limitless uptime, and the ability to fix issues in a compartmentalized manor without risk of disrupting the rest of their system or software. The move to imitate windows has not just been visually on the desktop, but also internally in the way the environments are designed. Now, after 20+ years of trying to imitate windows, instructions like "you probably need to reboot" and "at this point, you should just backup and reinstall" have become common is Linux support forums. Congratulations, we have succeeded in bringing the windows experience to Linux.

[OldieBugger]

Windows and Linux are somewhat different, but for the average user they are all the same. I tested this with my mom. She had Windows 7 before, then I installed Linux Mint 18.1 for her. After I figured her desktop to look 100% like it used to be, there is no difference. Except this one: during the days of Windows I had to go there 1-2 times a week to fix some problem with Windows. Now with Linux, I only go to meet her and help her with shopping.

[linuxwithzach]

Linux desktop market shares has increased quite a bit if you compare 2008. Our community is constantly growing, and developing. I don't know if the "year of the Linux desktop" will ever truly come, but, in the next 5 years, as windows 10 sets on its users, we may see another increase in Linux users

[linuxrant]

I don't really know why I switched to GNU/Linux... I think it might be more mysterious than I think. At First probably it was "necessity" to recover my old netbook.
But then "curiosity" stepped in and took over for a while.
Then I think I stayed for the amazing "fun with Customizing User Interface" (window borders, icons, cursors) on a scale I never had in Windows
(As a kid I always played with customizations in windows 98, but I could do only so much).
Now I totally dig the FOSS values.
I am in AWE for how LINUX and BLENDER grew over years.
They outgrew its competitors in the terms of features and quality of the product.
(My definition of quality might differ from yours)

[iqgustavo]

ReactOS would be a great place once it is more compatible

[constancies]

I think you’re looking at this in a very binary way: Should Linux be nothing like Windows, or exactly like Windows? I think what this comment really meant was to work on bringing over the ease of use of Windows, and other positive traits of Windows that Linux currently lacks. It’s true that strides have been made with distros like Linux Mint to make it easier and less headache inducing to use, but there’s still a lot of work to be done, imo. I think that’s what the spirit of the “mimicking Windows” idea is.

[thedrunknmunky]

I just want Linux to run whatever Windows software that I need, without having to think too much about it. I don't wanna mess about with configuring WINE. And I want my software to be as fast as if it were running on Windows.

I decided to dual boot my work PC as I prefer Linux, but there's always some software that I need Windows for.

[EliasOda]

I spoke with the Developers of blustack Android for windows and asked them if they can creat Blue stacks for Linux. They emailed me and said that will be in the works. Just email Developers who develop software for windows base system and ask. Thats all.

[reocode]

"Becoming Popular" idea should not be more important than "Becoming Free". That's why mimicking windows is a bad idea. Linux is not windows. It's different, it should be accepted with it's difference.

[alenasenie]

Honestly, budgie and cinnamon are close enough in the UI that those are familiar enough for windows users, the same way pantheon is close enough for Mac user, and the starting point is important, to have a similar UI for those people, then they can move to better options for them, but a good starting point will always be important.

Also, Linux grows slow but steady, it will eventually surpass Mac, it might eventually be the main one, but the importance of how many people use Linux simply boils down to development, if more people use it then developers will focus on it, and there is the reason why it matters, valve is helping, but for example, the wallpaper engine team does not support Linux, and in their words is because there is not a large enough userbase, that is why it is important. Even when there is a kde plugin to make it work, I want to have it with a window manager, not with kde

[JF]

I think the argument isn't that Linux should steal data and serve ads, but more in the sense of being easy to use andhave better app compatibility, like if it was under the control of the Linux community

[davidbdukes]

I suggest that Linux distributions that offer a Windows-like desktop environment would be good for new users. That would be one less thing a new person would have to worry about. No "where is everything?" involved with the transition. That would give them a level of comfort that allows them to learn more and more about the overall Linux experience. As they get more comfortable, they would transition into making Linux more their own.

[Not-THAT-ChrisPratt]

Amen! Preach, brother!
You are, by far, the best voice for FOSS/Linux. You never look down on us noobs, but lift us up with your educational videos.
Please keep up the good work.

[danielberglv]

Most people don't even know what Windows is. Not really. People in general don't think about operating systems. They use applications that is started by clicking some icon on their screen.

10 years ago I switched my mothers Windows with Linux on her laptop, because I got tired of the constant breakdown and me having to fix it every time. She used that laptop for years, never noticing any difference. She clicked the Firefox icon like she had always done, do get on the web and she clicked the office icons when she needed to write a letter or something and the file manager icon to access files. The sudden difference in the desktop environment never entered her mind. People use whatever is pre-installed on their system.

Also Windows/Linux these days, are only used if your are a gamer, creator or developer. Most people just use their phones or tablets. There is no need to beat Windows anymore, as this market has become quite limited. Instead Linux's main focus should be to invade the mobile market. That's where the future lies and Google has become the next Microsoft.

[pavfrang]

DRIVERS. That's the magic word. Low market share will always mean low support for drivers. That's the only objective reason.