Linux

Windows has fallen billions must use Android and IOS

Insert link to linus daily driver video

I've been using Linux for 30 years now, certified to teach it and everything... Here's your problem:

"Stop telling people it's 'tech-y'"

Compared to Windows or MacOS, yes, it is very techy.

"offer to help them install." - If they need your help to install it they absolutely have no business running Linux.

"They don't understand the concept of distros" - If they have no understanding of distros, they have no business running Linux.

Think of it like this... if they can't wrap their head around a distro, what's going to happen when you try explaining a package manager?

I get the evangelism, but Linux simply is not for everyone, that's why Apple invented iPads.

No, it's better to be honest. The average user isn't ready for Linux, because Linux is not ready for the average user. I'd never try and get someone to use it if they're not already interested. I hate that it is this way, but it is. Linux is only really for people who already want to use it. Because if you're not interested in using it, you're not going to put forth the time investment to gain the benefits from it. No matter what angle I look at it from Linux is not for the average person.

Your second paragraph says it all. Find out if the user needs to dual boot? The answer is obviously "No" because no matter what they're using the computer for, Linux is unneeded for them, since they have Windows. There are tangible benefits to using Windows, since it runs their software, meanwhile, you failed to list any real benefits to using Linux for the average user. It's faster? No, not really, since they'll be learning how to use it, and even ignoring that, it's not so much faster that they'll perceive it anyway. It's more secure? Not really, Windows is the better choice for the average user in that respect, since it'll automatically force them to restart the machine every week to install security updates. Main choice of professionals? That's not entirely true, and even if it were, it's not relevant, the average user is not a professional. And for anyone who already owns a computer already running Windows, Windows was 'free' too.

The only time to have this discussion is if the user is having a PC built, and then the answer is also "No" to Linux, because they're going to buy Windows anyway, since it's better for gaming, and that's the primary reason for someone to build a PC, unless they're doing a specialized task like video editing, and if they are invested enough into the task to want a PC just for that, they have specialized software that almost always runs only on Windows, and even if it were able to run on either, it's not my place to alter their workflow.

The real elitist attitude is thinking people need to use Linux in the first place. For me and (maybe) you, it might get the job done, but for my family and friends. It's better that they use what they're comfortable with. The main point of a computer is to accomplish tasks, and giving them Linux is a hindrance to that.

Linux is great, but it's not for everyone, and it may never be.

I stopped having Linux discussions years ago. If people approach me and ask for my opinion I tell them to try Linux Mint and make backups before installation.

no one in my family or friend group is tech literate enough to follow most of those steps, let alone deal with all the tiny troubleshooting they're in for at every step.

In order for MS and Apple/ios to block people from booting linux on "their" machines, they came up with the secure-boot scheme. Commercial puppets and traitors of open free software rushed to be part of the scheme so all the rest of the linux distributions couldn't boot but their systems could.

Now we are accused of being elitists and not alarm new users of true garbage distributions?

If anyone is stuck trying to disable secure-boot and couldn't it is their own damn fault for buying garbage machines. Gigabyte (not Gigabit) has created some monstrosities of bios software that look like a video game and it is hard to count in how many places you have to disable the crap in order to boot open and free linux.

You know back in the day they used to sell Linux distributions on the shelf at software stores. I remember seeing a boxed copy of mandriva next to windows. Home computing used to be a hobby for some but that means there was commercial support at some point.

I do think that home users of "Linux" will need a commercial alternative that supports all their apps. ChromeOS looks like the current best alternative. If you can get people into chrome books, you're one step closer to getting them onto Linux.