Right. I spent the last several hours trying to get a mixed batch of Win10, Win11, and Win10-upgraded-from-8 computers to talk to a printer and had just about enough of this argument. If you want a pissing match of who can be the biggest dick, take it to Twitter.

Locked.

People don't want solutions, they want to bitch endlessly and have a horde of strangers agree with them. Then they can also bitch about nothing improving!

People in my life get the benefit of "are you looking for solutions or are you looking for empathy?" Randos on the Internet don't get to use everyone else as free therapists.

If you're complaining about windows on linuxmemes, I'm not sure it's rational to expect no one to mention linux.

There's only so much incessant bitching I can hear about dark patterns, intrusive automatic updates, shoehorned-in and useless AI, zero user choice, planned obsolesence, and being blindsided by enshittification before I say "just try using the free thing that doesn't have those problems".

"I've tried nothing, and I'm all out of ideas." If you have to for work or something, though, I totally get it and encourage the bitching.

People trying to shame us encouraging people switching to a OS that respects our privacy from the shit show Microsoft has become makes me roll my eyes every single time.

We pass so much of our time in front of a screen. Why not do it while retaining our freedom as much as we can? Sure, if you must use it for work, it is what it is, but Linux is definitely something worth learning using no matter what your technical level is.

If you can navigate through Windows with some degree of confidence, you absolutely can use Linux effectively. You can go full GUI no problem if you want to.

Linux is so easy nowaday. Yeah, some niche things might require some digging around, but that's nothing compared to the bullshit you have to accept from Microsoft.

If it's not for work, I'm sorry but use Linux or stop bitching. The correct answer will always be don't use the trojan OS.

Same mood when people complain about corpo media

I feel for them, but they should know they are making a choice by staying

Boss told me I couldn't use EndeavourOS because "it doesn't work with M$ InTune".

So I said if I could make an old unused laptop work with that setup, maybe the company could turn that into a pilot system and we could be more sexy to new developers we want to hire.

Boss said why not. IT said sure, here's your laptop, have fun.

A few months later, a couple of devs have switched to Linux. Some have kept Windows. Some didn't care because they have Macs. Everyone's happy, we have more options, and everyone can choose what they subjectively feel is the best tool for the job - which is what professionals do instead of fighting.

And we actually hired a new dev who uses Linux.

I have a fundamental problem with this attitude. If you recognize there's a problem, and the problem disturbs you, and you CAN fix it, why not fix it? It's not world hunger, it's a computer for God's sakes. Maybe I don't want to hear people complain about problems that are 100% within their control and refuse to fix it.

Not about GNU/Linux. Just my thoughts on complaining about simple problems with easy solutions.

Edit: typo

ITT: people who have never had to learn that sometimes when someone complains to you they are not solution oriented, and it genuinely just feels good to share something wry/ridiculous to bond over.

It's a good skill to pick up, folks. Definitely comes into play in relationships.

The year of the Linux Desktop doesn't happen when people shut up about Linux.

If I have to see you whining about windows, you have to see me shilling for linux.

/s

Just use Linux.

The inverse of this should also be true. Just because my game occasionally takes a minute to get set up as I try one or two different versions of proton doesn't mean I want to be told to switch to windows so I can get my data mined further.

Be honest with yourselves; How many of you actually read this post and tried to make even the slightest effort to see where OP is coming from? The reaction to someone who's view was "Yes, I already know Linux is great but it can't be installed on my work PC so saying use Linux isn't actually helpful" being "I'm not your fucking therapist" is absurd. Do you believe there is truly not a single valid reason to use windows whatsoever?

I know it seems like it's not a big deal. You go online, act a little mean, and that's that. I love the internet, but unfortunately our poor use of it has cultivated a society where we no longer try to understand each other. I know people here are smart, even the ones I disagree with. So I really don't get the over the top reactions to a bland statement.

We create the world we live in through every action we take, no matter how small. Telling people they don't have the right to vent frustrations just to feel better isn't a kind thing to do. It's divisive to your own communities. If you want to live in a better world, be a better person. I feel like this is all just indicative of a much, much larger problem in society. It perfectly captures how callous we have all become. We forget somewhere on the other end of the screen there was a person with a valid perspective and point.

I know it comes across as preachy, but I am horrified by the state of the world and desperately want things to change. But we can't even behave ourselves on a dumb post about an operating system. And some of you want to talk about changing our economic structures when the real problem here is that none of us seem to have interpersonal skills anymore. I know this is just a very small example that ultimately doesn't matter much, but I see this kind of behavior everywhere for things that really matter.

Maybe I'm too soft, but being unnecessarily rude is nothing to be proud of, being unnecessarily kind is.

tl;dr: take a good long look at yourself and ask if you are giving the same level of understanding that you expect to receive from others (and you should expect it!)

use linux

Ok but have you tried linux?

If i have to listen to people complain, then they can listen to the rational and obvious solution to their problem. It doesn't add anything of value you say? What value is there in your complaining? If i have to hear you bitch about something thats easily avoidable im gonna call yout out for it. It goes both ways.

Don’t care, use Linux.

It’s the ethical choice.

Don’t put yourself in the learned helplessness box

ok so a couple things for the people in this thread:

1. sometimes, when people complain, they don’t want advice. they just want to vent their frustration. that’s ok. your advice is just gonna come off as annoying, especially
2. if they’ve heard it a billion times already. and trust me, if you’re on the fediverse and complain about windows or macos, you’ve heard "just use linux lol" before.
3. holy shit stop doing victim blaming. this goes for everything btw. like. stop. "lol your fault for using windows" shut up. if you’re already doing victim blaming for trivial stuff, i don’t trust you for when much more serious problems arise.

But sir, this is a Linux community.

Yeah ok, so use linux

I use Arch by the way

Ah yes, get everyone's attention by complaining but punish those who try to help. If you wanna complain and not get a solution, do it offline.

Do you have a few minutes to talk about our lord and saviour, Linus Torvalds?

If you want to complain about your OS but are not open for alternatives then don't post your complaint. You are not adding anything

Too fucking bad. You are not entitled to complain if you refuse to help yourself fix your problem.

The fediverse is definitely a “I use Linux, please clap” kinda crowd.

This just reeks of right wing anti-intellectualism. People actually offering solutions are vilified because they're sometimes rude or annoying. Grow up, and learn to ignore people you want to ignore. Not everyone will bow down to your whims. You wanna complain, fine, some will respond with solutions. If you want that, ignore them. It's not very hard.

Sounds like something that would be fixed by using Linux. Can't reply "use Linux" to you if you're already doing it. And now, the fun begins, because you have an issue, already use Linux, and those smug posters now have to help you, but you can't really tell what a distribution is, or what the message was, and typing commands is really obscure so you're becoming their rock of Sisyphus of online tech support.

Note: the above is an exaggeration of a lot of things. Be mindful of others.

Don’t give me the solution waaaah!

I will keep pestering people who complain about Windows to install OpenSUSE instead.

This has anti-S.P.E.W. don't-upset-the-slaves-they-normally-like-being-slaves vibes.