Linux Is Hard For beginners in 2024

this is a video about why is linux hard for new users enjoy.

[jokysatria]

The only reason why linux is confusing with their distros/environments, because we are conditioned using single OS (Windows/Mac). And for me, using single OS without questioning why feels monotone.

[redchief]

As of windows 10, windows will absolutely break itself for no reason by updating poorly. I've seen it dozens of times and its gotten much worse the past year or 2.

[Pritam]

I feel like linux can be broken easily, but it is also relatively easier to fix

[sicker]

personally, the only reason why i don't use linux as main OS is because of COMPATIBILITY. A lot of dominant apps and games which I use and play just don't work on linux, which is just sad.

[mangini]

Funny that this video trashing Linux came in the exact time as half the world was paralyzed by a faulty windows update 😂

[derekr]

All operating systems are hard when you first use them, Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS or BSD. I have used all of these systems and all have their pro's and con's and you use the system that you find best for your needs.My wife uses Linux and never uses the terminal and is not at all tech savvy. She has not had any problems that required me to intervene much to my relief.Everything in life is difficult until you learn it.Some people are adaptable some are not so as I say you use what suits you best.

[TurnaboutUOEX]

Thanks God Linux keeps the average user away from using it.

[xsilverth]

I don't want this to come off as me fanboying Linux (even though I love it (or at least prefer it to windows)) most of the problems in this video are either exaggerated or not accurate.

The first problem you mention is "there are too many distributions". I feel like this isn't really a problem on its own.
Saying "there are too many Linux distros, so it's confusing" is kinda like saying there are too many ways of using Windows, so it's confusing.
Technically speaking, Windows also has a lot of distros (people can change it however they like and then share the ISO, effectively making it a "windows distro" it's just easier in Linux).

The difference here is that windows has an official default way of using it that makes it easier to find help when you face a problem.

The problem doesn't really come from there being a lot of distros, but from the community just not agreeing on a single distro to recommend to newcomers.

So while there is a problem here, it's not there being too many distros. It's more so because of the conflicting information on where to start.

The second problem you mention is "there are too many desktop environments, so it's confusing to get familiar with them"

I really don't get this one. It's like a repeat of the first problem. If all people started with the same or at least similar distros, then wouldn't this problem disappear on its own?

Also, of course it's hard to get familiar with a whole new operating system. The same thing would happen if you switched to Windows after using Linux for your entire life. You're just used to something else, so it feels unfamiliar.

The third problem you mention is "Linux breaks easily." This is just wrong.

First off, the components of Linux don't update individually. The components of Arch Linux are updated individually.

Second off, Windows updates break your system just as much as Linux updates do (evidently, lol), but at least you can fix them on Linux.

I know this has become a meme at this point, but FFS Arch is NOT for new users. Linux isn't arch.

Arch isn't even that fragile, it's just easy to break if you don't know what you're doing.

I've been using Arch for 5 years (btw), and of course I broke it a ton earlier on when I had just started using it, but now? I don't even remember the last time it broke on me (that wasn't on purpose).

The fourth problem you mention is "Users shouldn't HAVE to use the terminal, " and to be honest, it's the only one I completely agree with.
Although it's not as bad as some new users think, you still do need to do some things in the terminal.

Some people try to hide this issue by saying things like "it's faster to use the terminal anyways" but no, people should be able to use their OS however they like.

The last problem you mention is "Not all Windows games and apps work out of the box." The answer to this would be, "Yes, they don't work. Yet" with the pace at which gaming on Linux has been improving, I wholeheartedly believe that soon gaming on Linux will not only be as good as Windows but better than it.
Projects like Lutris make it easier for games that require tweaks to be easier to install for new users, and games that you just can't run are becoming more and more rare by the day (excluding anti-cheats, which I feel like at the point when Linux becomes popular enough to be profitable for game studios, it will fade away).
About software though, a lot of the professional software are already supported under Wine, but the companies behind them intentionally block them from running under Wine. I'm not sure why, but I feel like this shouldn't really be called a problem of Linux. Adobe being the worst in this.

Some apps like FL Studio work out of the box under Wine, but others, like Photoshop, never will (flawlessly).

Alternatives do exist for some of them though, like you said.

These don't really make Linux a 'bad' operating system for beginners. That would make Linux bad for everyone, because everyone is a beginner at some point. They just make it a little harder to get into.

Windows might be more reliable, but it is definitely not more stable. And Linux is also intended for the masses.
This video feels as if someone who started with Arch and only used Arch made it.
I'm not trying to create a hateful comment. Nothing against you. I also didn't intend to make it this long, but I couldn't fit everything into a smaller format.

Sorry for writing a whole page about this. Have a good day

[avarise]

Clickbait, video is like 5 years late. Only real argument is that some software doesnt work, but to blame linux is just wrong. I don't blame people in Sri Lanka that they don't speak polish, why would I blame linux that some software vendor locked in on windows? And "unstable" my ass, almost 4 years of daily driving arch, and update never broke anything. ONLY update that made my install unbootable was windows update wipining my bios settings to remove linux from list.

[lomenzel]

1. Yes there are a lot of Linux distros. but most of them aren't for beginners. it isn't directly a linux problem it is a communication problem and hardware manufactures that dont ship a beginner friendly linux distro out of the box but windows instead, which is less beginner friendly than some linux distros
2. Same applies for Mac and Windows. you have to use it some time to get familiar with the system
3. Simply not true. yes, if you use an advanced distro or heavily configure your installation, it might break but for normal day to day use it is damn stable.
4. Yes but No. There are a lot of things that require the Terminal but none of them is what a normal user needs. Install apps, change settings etc. can all be done graphically. advanced stuff needs terminal but that is also the case on windows. if you want to have a local account without microsoft account connected you pretty much can't without terminal
5. Fair point, but at least for gaming, it is getting better :)

[KodiAdmin]

With a headline like "MICROSOFT RECOMMENDS REBOOTING YOUR COMPUTER 15 TIMES AS BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH STRIKES WORLDWIDE" 2024 seems to disagree with you lol

[prakhars]

excellent video mate. yes terminal compulsion is a serious issue.

[RoyaltyInTraining.]

The only time Linux ever broke on me was when I was trying out arch as a noob. I've been running Fedora for more than two years now, and I haven't had any update break my system. I also don't get what's so hard about "learning" a new desktop environment. They're all pretty similar and made to be easy to pick up. And they all have graphical software managers that make installing software even easier than on Windows.

The one point I mostly agree with is it's reliance on the terminal. Linux distros can't afford to waste development effort on maintaining tons of GUIs for every conceivable configuration task like Windows does, so if you ever want to do something advanced with your system, you just gotta deal with copy and pasting a few commands.

[Thedude]

Chatgpt, claude and a linux distro is all you need.

[zotac]

I own a mac, windows, ipad, android AND linux laptop an servers . Different tools for diffenent jobs .

[LinuxInvictus]

Baring recent events, its pretty funny your example of a linux error is a corrupt filesystem, when that happens way less on linux

[bottlerat]

I'm so happy that this video has 229 dislikes and 33 likes, well deserved!

[Sinthoras]

Except for "Linux breaks" and "Games and other software is not supported" these are all soft problems, so linux is not bad.

For the "Linux breaks" side of things, just use a stable distro like Debian or something like NixOS which you can rollback easily. If you think you can repair stuff, you can go Arch no problem

For Games, it's almost all supported nowdays it's great, there are only a few games which won't work.

And if you want to use professional software like Adobe Products, you should stick to Windows. If you don't work in IT, Windows is still the better OS for work stuff but as regular Desktop, Linux is great

[jepleas]

Why just complain when promoting Linux Mint for beginners minimizes these issues? 🐧🍃

[vladsiaev]

1. linux is not bad at all, i hate windows because it has spyware(for A.I so it's not privacy concerning, idk about this bs), A.I, more GUI friendly than CLI. macos is okay it's more terminal friendly. linux basiclly is CLI it has GUI but i think i use terminal a lot more that other stuff on linux. 2. gaming on linux has wine, EAC bypass(kinda, just make EAC work with Wine), we have proton, and anyway we have pretty good game collection, games like half-life (2), portal (2), tf 2, cs:go/cs2.