Chris Trottier
"Failure of Linux" is exactly what happens when a tech narrative takes over -- actual facts be damned.
Linux is the most popular OS today -- and there's nothing close.
"But what about desktop Linux?" is always the rejoinder.
Why is desktop so important when desktops aren't even our primary devices anymore -- some of us only use smartphones?
But okay. Microsoft bundles Linux with Windows -- therefore desktop Linux has happened.
Can we all go home now?
Nope, this will have to be a thread ?
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social I think it's not only not counted because it's not open source, but because it's a locked down ecosystem. It's hard to run regular Linux tools and apps on ChromeOS, and doing anything regarding customization is completely off the table. The kernel may be Linux at its core, but it's not the GNU/Linux desktop ecosystem people have come to expect.
Chris Trottier
3/ I will go ahead and allow that Chromebooks can be interpreted as "not Linux" (even though they are) because some people don't like Google's proprietary license for Chrome OS.
(Even though it is functionally similar to Chromium OS, and Chromium OS is open source.)
There are in fact more "Linux" desktops in the world than Chromebooks.
Surprising, I know.
Chris Trottier
2/ Obviously, many people believe that Windows can't count as Linux because... reasons.
I'm sure you all have your reasons.
But let's just pretend you're right.
Even without Windows, Linux commands over 5% of the desktop OS market.
That's probably a conservative estimate because there's a further 5% of computers for which we can't account for -- and a good many probably running Linux.
"But that doesn't count because so much Linux is just Chromebooks!"
Thus goal posts get moved...
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social really? With OpenWRT and PFSense, a ton of routers are customizable
Chris Trottier
@thatonecalculator But that's the case with most devices running Linux.
Customization of your router is completely off the table.
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social also, unlike a more embedded system, people are using Chromebooks as actual desktop computers, not IoT devices. Sometimes even as their main computing device.
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social but ChromeOS users can't install different DEs like GNOME or KDE, they can't easily install normal desktop Linux apps, it's like using an Android phone on a computer.
Chris Trottier
@thatonecalculator They're customizable in the same sense Chrome OS is customizable.
I can customize Chrome OS, it's just not immediately easy to do.
But give me bash, and things happen.
Whatever the case, if I don't like Chrome OS, I can install something else. And I have.
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social while they're not core to Linux itself, I'd argue Desktop Environments are core to a desktop GNU/Linux userspace. Users of Chromebooks and ChromeOS aren't looking for a terminal-only experience.
Chris Trottier
@thatonecalculator GNOME and KDE are just DEs. I don't even consider them core to Linux.
On most Linux installs I use, all I have is a terminal.
Chris Trottier
@thatonecalculator I don't know. I've used Linux for a long time, and I still remember when TWM was what many people used if they wanted any kind of GUI.
I also owned the first EeePC, which used IceWM.
And at various times, I've used Fluxbox as a basic GUI.
I don't really think KDE or GNOME are core to a Linux desktop experience.
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@atomicpoet@mastodon.social I didn't mean those only specifically (I use Hyprland and bspwm), I meant *any other DE/WM* that isn't the ChromeOS shell.
Adam Dalliance
@atomicpoet @thatonecalculator
Indeed, the huge majority of them don't even have graphics cards.
But we were talking about desktop linux right? I think that needs a desktop manager.
ThatOneCalculator :calcdumpy: :calckey:
@pre@boing.world @atomicpoet@mastodon.social that's what I'm trying to say
Chris Trottier
@thatonecalculator I don't really like conflating Linux DEs with Linux because I see that as an exercise in moving goal posts.
Which people are always bound to do when discussing desktop Linux.
That said, I've addressed this elsewhere: Chrome OS isn't even the majority of desktop Linux.
Chris Trottier
@pre @thatonecalculator There we go. Shit corporate Linux is still Linux.
We might not like it -- I certainly don't. But it is what it is.
Adam Dalliance
@thatonecalculator @atomicpoet
ChromeOS is really linux, it's just shit corporate linux.
Ferdinando Simonetti
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