Linux needs to grow. Stop telling people it’s ‘tech-y’ or acting like you’re more advanced for using it, you are scaring away people. Linux Mint can be used by a senile person perfectly.

Explain shortly the benefits, ‘faster, more secure, easier to use, main choices of professionals and free’. Ask questions that let you know if they need to dual boot, ‘do you use Adobe, anti-cheat games, or Microsoft Office’, ‘how new is your computer’, ‘do you use a Mac’.

And most importantly, offer to help them install.

They don’t understand the concept of distros, just suggest Linux Mint LTS Cinnamon unless they’re curious.

That’s it, spread Linux to as many people as possible. The larger the marketshare, the better support we ALL get. We can fight enshittification. Take the time to spread it but don’t force it on anyone.

AND STOP SCARING PEOPLE AWAY. Linux has no advertising money, it’s up to us.

Offer family members or friends your help or copy and paste the below

how to install linux: 1) copy down your windows product key 2) backup your files to a harddrive 3) install the linux mint cinnamon iso from the linux mint website 4) use etcher (download from its website) to put the iso on a usb flash drive 5) go into bios 6) boot from the usb 7) erase the storage and install 8) press update all in the update manager 9) celebrate. it takes 15 minutes.

edit: LET ME RE-STATE, DO NOT FORCE IT ON ANYONE.

and if someone is at the level of ignorance (not in a derogatory fashion) that they dont know what a file even is genuinely dont bother unless theyre your parents cause youll be tech support for their ‘how do i install the internet’ questions.

  • Holzkohlen@feddit.de
    29·
    3 years ago

    No. Mint is fine for my dad who uses a browser and an email program and nothing else. I’m not gonna recommend it to people who do a lot more with their machines. I can tell them I use Linux and they can ask me anything if they are ever curious about making the switch, but that is it. If they don’t make the conscious decision to use Linux, then they won’t stick with it anyways.

  • kent_eh@lemmy.caEnglish
    22·
    3 years ago

    People who daily drive Linux are not the ones who spread the old idea that it’s “too techy”.

    • Random Dent@lemmy.mlEnglish
      9·
      3 years ago

      I admittedly don’t have many conversation about Linux with people, but yeah the ones I do have are usually me trying to convince people that it’s less techy and scary than they think it is. One person asked me how I do everything if it’s only text. They thought Linux was literally just the terminal with no UI at all. I had to be like “no dude, it’s like everything else. You can just install Firefox or Chrome or whatever you want.”

      • Alborlin@lemmy.world
        24·
        3 years ago

        It’s still techy, here two recent problems I faced with still no solution’( specially with only Gui)

        1. Try to put Programs such as Firefox , emby in startup of linux
        2. Find a folder comparison software, let it feels nd external drive ATTACHED TO LAPTOP and compare two folders on it.

        and every time I say Linux is not usefull for simple use i get downvotes all the time . Cause Linux bro dudes can do it with terminal so easy… Well guess what linux dudes , its hard for performing many tasks which are simple enough on windows/Mac heck even on Android ( which is Linux also I know) , but desktop Linux has looooooooooooooong way to be normal os in households

        • rcbrk@lemmy.ml
          3·
          3 years ago

          Find a folder comparison software [with only Gui]

          A quick web search (even without ‘graphical’) turned up pages suggesting meld in the first few results.

    • octopus_ink@lemmy.mlEnglish
      82·
      3 years ago

      OK I’m searching in vain for the mega-upvote button.

      I would add that desktop Linux only exists today as an alternative to Windows because of those values. This history of Linux desktop environments and applications is rife with examples of popular or personally important bits of software that were forked and kept alive by the freedom granted by FLOSS licensing.

      If “Linux” was a thing that MS could have bought and then destroyed or enshittified, they’d have done it twenty years ago. And make no mistake, they continue to play the long game.

      Yes, we should all be good to newcomers. No, the direction of desktop Linux should not be steered by wanting more of them. It should be steered by a need to provide desktop Linux for people who enjoy using desktop Linux.

  • GravityAce@lemmy.ca
    191·
    3 years ago

    Things are fine until one day they need to plug this random peripheral/accessory and it’s not plug and play. Then they hate you forever

  • GravitySpoiled@lemmy.mlEnglish
    182·
    3 years ago

    Stop being elitist.

    Use linux mint.

    Why linux mint?

    It’s like ubuntu but no snaps.

    What’s ubuntu?

    It’s like debian but not as stable. You’ll get more recent apps in ubuntu, test them, and when they are tested companies use the apps in debian.

    Ok, What are snaps?

    You can install packages with snap, but it’s proprietary.

    Ok, that’s bad?

    Yes. Foss apps are great and better than proprietary garbage.

    Ok, foss good, proprietary garbage.

    Why debian and not fedora?

    Because all apps are build for it.

    So it’s like aur?

    No. Aur is made by users for users. Builds on debian are mostly official.

    So the package manager is better on debian?

    Yes, kind of.

    I heard of distrobox. I could use the package manager on any distro.

    Yes, but it’s easier at the beginning to stick to one distro and package manager to get used to it.

    Why not arch?

    It’s too unstable.

    Ok, no arch distro. I heard manjaro is good.

    No, it holds back packages for no reason.

    Ok. What about fedora?

    It doesn’t have as many packages.

    But it has the copr, aren’t there a lot of apps?

    Yes, but it’s like aur, it’s build by users. Debian builds are good, stable and widely used.

    Ok. What about nix? I heared it’s the new arch and there are even more packages.

    Yes, but It’s not for newbies.

    What is an immutable system? I heared that’s the next big thing.

    It’s like android an image based operating system where you can’t brick your system by accident with rm -rf /

    What’s rm -rf /?

    Just test it in a terminal, it’s fun.

    How can I play games?

    You install steam.

    Do I have to configure anything?

    Hopefully not

    Can I only use linux mint?

    No you can use any distro, they are all linux. You can choose whatever you want. Just choose mint.

    Why mint?

    It has no snaps.

    What do I use instead?

    Flatpaks

    If I use flatpaks, why does the package manager matter so much?

    Because not all apps are available as flatpacks, especially command line tools. Snaps has cli but it’s proprietary.

    Can’t I just use any distro and use a debian distrobox for those packages I need from debian?

    Yes, use linux mint, it’s easy to use.

    Do I actually need all those packages? I only use word and steam.

    No, probably not.

    Why not using ubuntu and install flatpaks?

    Because ubuntu sucks.

    But isn’t mint based on ubuntu?

    Yes, but it has no snaps.

    Can’t I just use debian?

    Yes, but it doesn’t have the latest packages.

    How do I install word?

    You can’t. You can use the online version.

    That’s a lot to understand. Can’t I just windows? I only open steam anyway.

    Yes, but it’s proprietary.

    Steam is also proprietary.

    Yes, but you xan play games with it on linux.

    But if steam is proprietary, and windows is proprietary, and I mainly use steam anyway, does it even matter?

    What’s a DE?

    Linux mint uses cinnamon, it’s cool!

    I saw some KDE screemshots. It looks cool and everyone talks about it. There’s a big release coming in a few weeks. how do I install it?

    You usually don’t mix DEs unless you know what you do.

    I don’t.

    Then don’t mix it.

    But I want to use KDE. Which distro should I use? Kubuntu?

    No, it uses snaps like ubuntu.

    …

    • hendrik@lemmy.ml
      7·
      3 years ago

      No it doesn’t. If you don’t care and just want anything that runs Steam, don’t bother. Just pick anything, it runs fine on most Linux distributions, Windows and probably Mac. You’re fine with tossing a coin. I’d choose Linux in that case since it’s cheaper.

      A proper conversation would be like this:

      What shall I use?

      Depends… What do you want to do with your computer?

      Play games with Steam.

      Alright, then use XY. Wanna know more?

      No.

      Fine.

  • mvirts@lemmy.world
    15·
    3 years ago

    Build an automatic Linux mint installer that can handle most typical configurations and migrate data and apps from windows (with wine)

    Get some oldish windows exploits together.

    Build a worm that replaced vulnerable windows systems with mint

    ???

    Profit (3 free meals a day and TV for the rest of your life)

  • redxef@feddit.de
    15·
    3 years ago

    If someone comes to me I’m more than happy to answer questions and help, but I won’t bring it up. People don’t like being told that their tool of choice is “bad” “not optimal” or anything like that. Even if it’s only their choice because they grew up with it or don’t want to learn anything new. And they still need to learn if it’s more than browsing the web.

    Also I really don’t want to be the one they come running to once something doesn’t work the way they expected - or not at all. I don’t have the time nor the inclination to be tech support for my family and half of my friends.

    • flubba86@lemmy.world
      5·
      3 years ago

      This is the same as how I am. People know I’m “the Linux guy”, but I don’t preach it. I don’t try to get friends and family to switch operating systems. That’s like trying to get someone to switch to your favourite brand of underpants. The whole ethos behind Linux is the freedom of choice. If someone wants to learn more about it, I’m happy to point them to helpful resources, but they need to make the decision on their own, and choose for themselves. I won’t install it for them, because I don’t want to deal with the “where are all my pictures are gone?”, or “why doesnt my scanner work anymore?”

  • model_tar_gz@lemmy.world
    12·
    3 years ago

    I’m a Linux user and fan for a lot of years now. Software engineer by profession.

    It’s not ready for widespread adoption to the less tech-savvy masses.

    It misses some functionality that is really hard to get right but is absolutely expected to get right. For example: graceful suspend and wakeups. It happens so often even to me that I close my Linux laptop for the day, next morning open it up to a bunch of warnings and error messages about Bluetooth adapters or whatever the device of the day that wants to malfunction is that prevents a sound S2 S3 sleep.

    I don’t get freaked out about it. But grandma sure would. And yet my 10 year old MacBook Pro gets it right every single fucking time; completely flawlessly. This is the bar of usability that Linux has to achieve for widespread adoption as a true, polished, personal computing experience.

    edit: meant S3 sleep.

  • Eugenia@lemmy.mlEnglish
    10·
    3 years ago

    People can make their own choices. I have 6-7 Linux machines, and asked my brother to install it too. He hated the experience. He bought a Mac at the end, and he’s very happy with it. Some people just don’t want Linux. They don’t care about its philosophy, or that it’s free. They want an ecosystem, and a status symbol.

  • maxprime@lemmy.ml
    10·
    3 years ago

    I don’t think anyone who isn’t already curious about Linux should install Linux. And I sure as hell am not going to try to convince anyone and be blamed for not being able to use adobe products.

  • TalesFromTheKitchen@lemmy.ml
    8·
    3 years ago

    I wrote it here some time ago. Tried Linux Mint with the intention of finally switching from windows on my notebook. Bricked one partition that I forgot I had set to dynamic, Headphone jacks didn’t work even after fiddling around with arcane parameters in the cli. If you mainly need the command line to set your system up and stuff doesn’t work out of the box people don’t have the nerve to switch and learn all that. Love Linux, great on steamdeck, have a couple of Virtual Machines to play around with on my old Poweredge server but it’s not ready for me, the average user. That and I’ve to use windows for my cad work at my job anyways. I’ll take the downvotes but you’ll have to realize you are tech savvy people who have fun learning all that. Most people don’t.

  • just_another_person@lemmy.world
    91·
    3 years ago

    Headline: “Person new to and overly excited about Thing, starts telling other more experienced people about how to approach and think about Thing”

    • Quazatron@lemmy.world
      21·
      3 years ago

      This is the attitude the OP is talking about.

      Being snobbish helps noone, we’ve all been noobs at some point.

      • just_another_person@lemmy.world
        4·
        3 years ago

        Linux is the most widely deployed OS on the planet. I’m not sure OP is actually talking about aside from desktop usage. It’s in your headphones, home appliances, routers, competing OS’s, datacenters that run the world…what do you imagine is missed?