Linux

shit like this comment thread is why regular people use windows

No, regular people use Windows because that's what their device they purchased came with. If they bought a Chromebook instead for example, they'd be using ChromeOS which is based on Linux, and if they bought a Smart TV, it'd probably be running some sort of Linux-based OS as well.

Regular people don't know or care about Linux, nor what operating system their device is running - they just want a device that's easy to use, looks good, has a good price and can let them use Facebook, Zoom etc or whatever it is they're expecting from that device.

who the fuck wants to learn about this kind of stuff when you can just point and click

There's no need to learn about this stuff, Linux is already just point and click. The main hurdle these days is installing it on a PC, egular people don't mess around with the OS on their device, they just use whatever it is that came on their device. They shouldn't have any big issues using Linux (especially if it's a user-friendly distro like Zorin OS), as long as it's already installed on their machines.

if y'all want people to use linux maybe make it palatable

It is already palatable, we just haven't gotten mainstream manufactures to sell preloaded devices to the masses. There are some OEMs like System76 that are doing a good job, but they haven't hit mass market yet. What Linux needs is a partnership with mainstream manufacturers and some big $$$ invested into marketing, plus partnering with retail outets like Best Buy etc. And maybe have a hardware certification program, like how Windows has the WHQL. Market the hell out of it, pass out shiny "Linux compatible" stickers to vendors, put Linux on sleek and shiny MacBook-like devices, and you'll find regular people getting into Linux.