this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Some people will never be willing to move to Linux. Even if Linux was 98% compatible with their needs, they would stay on Windows for that remaining 2%.
There are folks who would let Windows punch them in the groin or slap them across the face once per month as long as they could play their favorite kernel-level anticheat esport trash.
There are a few people who make their living using evil software like the Adobe suite, and for them I truly feel sorry that they are trapped in the dystopian hell of modern proprietary software, but we do live in a society I guess.
The tough truth is, many people don't really give a shit about privacy, consumer rights, software freedom, or transparency, even if they say they do. They will huff and puff about how terrible Windows has gotten. They will rant and rave about how ridiculous the ads are in their OS or how they think it's wrong for their OS to spy and track their actions constantly.
But when the rubber meets the road and they can sacrifice a few things to gain their freedom, they won't do it. I know, because I have multiple friends and family that have been acting like this for years.
Whenever I suggest Linux or FOSS alternatives to their proprietary apps, they initially are interested. But of course they will always find the one or two things they like to use/play/have that doesn't work or is a pain on Linux, and they bail.
I had one friend who was saying they were "totally serious about switching to Linux soon." But they bailed when they found out that Valorant doesn't work on Linux. Do they play Valorant actively? No, they haven't played it in years, but they, "wanted the possibility to play it just in case they decided to get back into it again."
Personally, there isn't a single game or piece of software I would ever give up Linux for. I just flat out refuse to use Windows or MacOS on any of my personal computers. It's a pledge I made years ago and I will forever stick to it.
Hot take: If you claim to be against all the big tech abuses and value software and computing freedom, but a handful of PC games is enough to stop you from leaving an abusive proprietary OS, you weren't very serious about it to begin with.
I think the "Valorant" mind set also applies to other software, like Photoshop or Excel etc. The vast majority of people don't really need to use Photoshop professionally, or the advanced capabilities that only desktop Excel can provide, but they like to think they do. It's a comfort zone thing, the devil you know and all that.
The important part here is that if someone is willing they can add these features to foss software. Either by learning/doing the work or by helping fund someone to do it for them.
Libre office (no idea about open office, sadly) works in the same way excel does. A lot of the „advanced“ features of excel can also be achieved in other ways or by other software. Of course I‘m willing to get schooled by someone who has advanced knowledge of both and says its insanely different. But from my perspective the differences are marginal.
Your argument is that if someone can use an "advanced" excel feature, they should also be able to code up that feature for a foss alternative software?
Obviously not. I said if a feature is so advanced that libreoffice doesnt have it yet, they can either help building it (by code or by reporting the missing feature or helping advance the discussion) or they can use additional software if such exists or they can pay someone to do it.
For sure.
I am very serious about using Linux exclusively. I have ported/rewritten all of my university's course materials in my past two years of gamedev studies and made them available for others. But the time has come to do an internship and I have yet to find a single studio I could be at while still using Linux. I feel like I reached a dead end tbh
Yeah, IT is in a similar boat. Not as bad, but still where I live, Linux environments are super rare. So if you are going into IT, you are going to be working in Windows environments, and most firms use software that isn't compatible with Linux.
Stuff like their remote management software, or their inventory management software. Plus, unless you're the guy in charge of the IT department, almost nobody wants or even knows how to administrate a Linux endpoint.
So they don't want one of their sys admins to be running around on a Linux machine that they don't have as much visibility on or understanding of how it works.
I'm lucky that the company I work for is small enough that I am the entire IT department, so I can use whatever OS I want. Debian 12 with Plasma, love it.
But out in the world, you're going to find a bunch of situations like you are in, where so much of the defaults use Windows and proprietary garbage, you're stuck running exactly what they are.
Long term, you could start trying to build your own indie studio that is FOSS-based. Maybe years down the line you can make it on your own. Do that full time and make supplemental income as an outside contractor or something. IDK, that also comes with its own set of issues. It's a shitty tech corpo dystopia all around us.
Wow yeah, your position sounds awesome. I guess if I were in an indie studio I could be in charge of the engine or like, dev environments. I've found such benefit in doing gamedev on Linux, even if targeting Windows via cross-compiling, it's so much faster and nicer. But what company would be willing to hire an intern to move over their whole workflow... not happening lol.