I posted a minor correction to TexasGator’s post #55. But the basic point that he was making was that Ubuntu is not as easy to use or as compatible with other programs, apps and games as Windows is absolutely true. No amount of consternation is likely to change this in the near future.
If one is familiar with Ubuntu and knows a little more than the basics it is pretty amazing what can be done with it. I prefer installing Ubuntu Studio myself because it comes with an incredible suite of multi-media tools already installed. And yes, if you use it with games that you purchased with Steam most of them work surprisingly well depending on your hardware.
But for at least the near future... Microsoft will continue to dominate the scene. That is because they have $Billions of dollars invested and huge numbers of well-paid workers keeping their products ahead of the game. Do I like the policies of the company when it comes to politics and world affairs? Obviously not! But I also continue to purchase products from Amazon and Costco, and my landlines are all “free Google phones”. These companies have made it to the top because they offer convenience and value.
Ubuntu is amazing, but all of the computers that I have set up for my parents who are in their 80s are using Windows. And they have plenty of difficulties with them. Fortunately, my siblings and their kids can usually get them through whatever challenges that they are having. Ubuntu simply would not fly in their situation.
Let’s cover his points and I will show why he is wrong.
“Ubuntu is harder to use.”
Not true. I have used Ubuntu but prefer to use Mint which is simply Ubuntu with a few minor tweaks. It is full GUI point and click drag and drop windows style interface and just as easy to use as windows 7 with almost all the menus, file system, with standard basic features being the same but with additional productive options.
“Requires using command line.”
Not true. The average user can use Ubuntu or Mint and never need the command line at all unless you are doing something technical such as building your own local VPN server and client which the average user will not be doing. Or building something very custom. Or downloading a 3rd party program that only has download instructions for back when Linux WAS primarily command line. But now even almost all of those have been packed up in an installer file download. It is not honest or true at all to try and discourage folks from trying it by painting Linux as a “DOS like command line only” OS. NOT ANYMORE at all, one will never need the command line interface for average normal use.
Won’t run a lot of popular programs and games.
This is not the fault of Linux and will naturally be corrected if MORE folks dumped MS and used Linux. Build a demand and they will come. There are only a very limited number of important programs that are not compatible and this is because the developers refuse to port them to Linux. They have made crooked deals with MS to not port them to Linux.
Replacements for these are available for Linux but no one wants to make time and effort to adapt to them or use other alternatives. They are lazy. And what issues these replacements might have are only still present because of lack of demand or developers would take the time to fix them.
Games... As you say, there are games just as technical and as good as MS games available from steam ported for Linux. But users have THAT ONE GAME they just cannot live without to be rid of MS. They would instead allow themselves to be perpetually abused by MS rather than adopt a similar competitive game ported for Linux. This is the fault of their OWN addiction not Linux.
“Won’t run Android apps.”
Not true. There is Anbox, Genymotion, or Waydroid apps for Linux.
And there is no reason why one can’t have BOTH Linux and MS in the same machine to cure these very limited application issues. Files in a MS volume can even be accessed and manipulated drag and drop/copy and paste to Linux volumes when booted up in Linux.
“I prefer installing Ubuntu Studio myself because it comes with an incredible suite of multi-media tools already installed.”
This is why I use Mint “Cinnamon” version. It comes boxed with about all apps and tools you will ever need in a suite. And it has all kinds of Gnome type graphics customization options. And of course it comes with direct access to the Ubuntu software repository with one click application installs using the software manager or synaptic.