Work: windows laptop. It's fine.
Home: dual-boot. More windows time than Linux generally (I'm almost afraid to "admit" that on this forum, ha)
I use macOS as my daily driver and Windows on my dedicated gaming PC. I have a server running Linux.
I've used Linux as my main desktop OS in the past and liked it (certainly more than Windows), but I just don't enjoy tinkering with my computer in my free time. I spend 8 hours a day messing with computers for work. I don't want to do it when I'm not working too.
I definitely see the value in having full control over every part of the OS, but it also means it takes more effort. Especially since I'm the kind of person who, given the option, will configure every little detail to my liking. With Linux that's basically a never ending project.
I use all 3. Mac and Linux on my personal computers. Strong believer in use the tool that works best for the situation.
Battery life was the saling point for the Mac, software is whatever, I try to avoid all locked in features and software. Prefer Linux due to flexibility. Windows has annoyed me with all the crashes, slow performance, and increasing need to dump shit on us. Only use it personally when a game doesn't work on Linux.
At work, its just windows. I use WSL when I need to do some coding outside of a browser. Most of the time its noticeably slower than it would be on Mac or Linux but not my computer, so its whatever.
Commodore Basic represent!
people are surprisingly opinionated about it.
Getting repeatedly burned by soulless multibillion dollar comanies tends to do that to a person.
I've self hosted for a while but never used linux desktop. Just this week I just set up dual boot on my laptop with the intention of using it 90% Linux 10% windows 10. Its been great so far & I'm enjoying the learning curve finding alternatives to what I'm used to (some of which I'm sure I can't run on Linux - Traktor & several other more obscure things). Lots to learn but good fun & the lack of AI horseshit plus the OS not spying feels liberating.
The very first software I installed (Brave) recommended to use terminal which didn't bother me in the slightest but it may be intimidating/offputting for mainstream.
I use windows 11 at work & at a friends who needed help. It's absolutely loathsome, everytime I open anything there's stupid irritating notifications & popups getting in the way when it tries to “help". Windows 10 will be the last version of Windows in our house
Of course there are.
It also shouldn't be surprising that something like Lemmy, an open-source project originally aimed at tech geeks and still used by a LOT of tech geeks, is filled with Linux users. Linux is an open-source project used by a lot of tech geeks.
I'm in the Apple ecosystem, hardware-wise, and pretty happy about it. Not much to discuss, if other people feel differently, that's fine.
Me too ✌🏻 I like it, the hardware is rock solid and software-wise I try my best not to get too far into the walled garden. It's a good compromise
My only complaint Hardware wise is all the extra lengths that Apple go to to make sure that things are less upgradable etc.
I have gone back and forth between linux and windows over the years. I suspect my laptop would have a better battery life under windows but i'm too lazy to switch again. Hmmm I don't think I count as the Windows user you're looking for actually, but I wanted to share my position
I am also the only person on Lemmt who thinks Windows 11 is good
I think there's plenty of non-Linux people here, you just don't notice them because they have interesting things to talk about instead of their OS testing hobby.
interesting things to talk about
I'm here for the Star Trek memes and Dull Men's Club. Interesting things? Pfft!
Like how to disable today's forced ai or kernel level anticheats being totes ok
Ey, it's fine to use Windows, no need to insult Linux people though.
You can do some really cool shit with Linux, when it comes to ricing etc. You don't have to like it, but it can be a really cool hobby.
If they're not insulting Linux users, they have to deal with copilot shoving its nose into whatever they're working on.
Like, how many days in a row do I have to dismiss the fucking AI prompt asking me if I want to have my data mangled? I'm not sure the actual answer, I just ignore the fucking banner because I can't be assed anymore. I'm sure there's a setting somewhere, but MicroSlop will move and re-enable it again later so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah, we can just STFU about it.
I think in order to use desktop Linux you have to be comfortable making your computer a hobby. I've tried many distros across 16+ years and I couldn't go for more than a few days without some part of the OS breaking, some app not working properly, or some functionality simply not being available. Depending on your career and lifestyle, some or all of these are solvable if you're willing to put in the effort.
Sometimes I'm willing to put in that effort, but increasingly I just want my computer to be a tool that gets out of the way. I think militant Linux users regard that extra effort as a positive in and of itself, or are willing to put up with it for ideological reasons, and thumbs up to them for that, but they can't grok the fact Linux simply doesn't work for some people. If you need THE MS Office or Adobe, and many many people do, Linux isn't going to work. If you need accessibility, as I do, Linux isn't going to work.
I think the original meaning of "The customer is always right" fits here. If someone says they need something that Linux can't provide, and especially if they've tried what Linux offers and found it unfit for their needs, they need to be taken at face value instead of being gainsaid at every turn.
If you've found that Linux meets your needs, hats off to you. I'm even a bit jealous, but until my needs align with what Linux can provide I can't switch. I'll keep trying Linux here and there just as I have the last 16 years, but I'm not holding out hope that accessibility will improve, and won't be able to switch until it does.
This really isn't trua anymore with immutable kde distros, everything really does just work. You have to relearn some things but that's a fundamental issue with switching to anything, the recent ltt experiment confirms pretty much the only thing that's missing at this point is anticheat and it's the year of the linux desktop. I feel like your stance was valid a few years ago.
I know this would be an Microsoft Propaganda post
militant Linux users
lmao
A lot of that comes down to user error. Either in not managing/understanding expectations or using it on proper hardware. If you buy from a system integrator like system 76 tuxedo etc etc etc. You're going to have a good Hardware experience. If you try using some random old laptop. There's almost always going to be parts of it that don't work or at least don't work well.
The other part is down to use case. If you are deependant on Mac only software and try to transition to windows you are going to have a hard time. It's no different with Linux. Windows has ways of doing things, Mac has ways of doing things. Linux/BSD has many ways of doing things to. If you are not a new user. You're adjusted to a specific ecosystem. Change will take time and effort.
As to your stability problems. The biggest issue I've had in recent years was the upgrade to Wayland. There were issues around getting KDE switched over initially. But it was easily handled and smooth ever since. I have even switched over my entire immediate family and I have far less tech support issues than before. I will say though that post covid and definitely in the last 10 years there has been a dramatic sea change in everything. If you haven't tried it in a while it's definitely worth trying again. Linux is a better alternative than it's ever been depending on your use case.
i love windows 3.1 and 95 does that count?
Oh yeah I'm still using Win10 because tbh I'm too lazy to get into linux
Apple/macOS is my main 'home' for work, creation, and general use. At work, I also deal with Linux a decent amount running a few k8s clusters. At home, I use a Windows gaming machine but literally only use it for gaming.
I don't want making my computer function, to be a hobby.
I want to get off Windows but every time I have tried to switch to linux, stupid stuff makes it a pain in the ass. This last time, I tried Zorin. I put chrome on it (not my computer) and it just absolutely refused to run. I spent my whole day off just trying to get chrome to not brick the computer. No dice.This is just one instance of at least 4 or 5 times I have legitimately tried to switch, or tried to switch someone else to Linux.
May I ask why you want to get off Windows? I mean I can imagine a few reasons but I don't like making assumptions
Your assumptions are probably accurate. As an OS, I don't want tracking, AI, fingerprinting, using my data, age verification blah blah blah. As a company, I don't like much of what they stand for, also enabling and promoting many of the things I mentioned above to become industry standard.
Linux CAN be that for me, and it feels like I can make the swap at some point, but every time I try, and with multiple distros, I run into something that just drives me back.
Everytime when I see someone has windows problem you can be sure at least a opinated Lemmy user recommend them to uninstall windows and use Linux instead.
This is not always the best solution.
If the machine is from work or school you can't simply install anything you want.
Maybe the user has other programs/hardware that work only on windows and install Linux would cause more problems. I know you could use wine, virtual machines or other tricks but some stuff don't work there.
Sometimes the "just use linux"-advice is posted as a meme. A non tech savy person would not understand this meme and could feel they are not being taken serious.
Even as a Linux evangelist, I had to switch one of my systems back from Linux to windows because I couldn't get a couple specific games to run on it because it was an old HP business box and hit that lovely trap of the system being too old for the current OS, but the graphics card isn't supported on the couple older OSes I tried. So I installed windows 10 and called it good.
Probably could have kept trying and found something that worked, but at a certain point it's just easier to deal with windows than constantly tinker with a secondary box for my kid who just wants it to work.
I use Windows 11, macOS, and Fedora Workstation. I’ve never understood why some people make their OS choice part of their identity.
Mac for personal, Linux for work. Been that way for over 20 years. They tried to force us to switch to new windows machines (we’re a linux shop) and i said i’d quit first. They tried to sell the WSL crap… i showed them how my 8 yr old machine ran circles around their new windows laptop. I’m still running linux. Every ounce of my being hates windows. Mac just works. Linux (for me) just works. Linux can be a bit fiddly at times. But once it’s working, it just works.
Use and support windows systems at work. I'm at a small business that uses some ancient software that is only Windows compatible.
At home am fully switched over to Linux.
I have an 2025 M4 Pro 16” MacBook Pro, an iPhone, and an Apple Watch. But I also have a 2012 iMac that’s running Fedora
I like both Macs and Linux. I see them both as having their places. macOS is a form of UNIX/BSD after all, so they interoperate particularly well.
Mac at home, Mac/Linux at work. Though I suppose Linux has its foot in the door at home also via the Steam Deck. I haven't spent too much time on its desktop though. Mostly, I do stuff on a MB Air at home and a Mac mini at work.
I seldom use Windows anymore. I have an old gaming PC that ran it, but the Steam Deck is generally more powerful, so it's been resting idle for a while now. There are a few people at work who use Windows, and I occasionally have to do some IT stuff for them on those machines and I hate it!
I’m a windows and Mac user.
And Linux too, but mostly for servers only.
My work laptop is running Win11
What is your question? I do use Linux at home, and nothing else. But at work, I have to use Windows or macOS if I want a salary. macOS is better than Windows because it's a unix like lunix.
I mostly use Linux but on a slight occasion, I'm a Windows user.
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