Controversy of always: Why has not the use of GNU/Linux become widespread?
This week at Linux communities where I live, we were dealing with one of many customary questions from every year about GNU/Linux. And this was: Why hasn't GNU/Linux conquered most home and office computer desktops yet?
Consequently, in this post we will briefly address all the points and arguments, which for some of us are still important solve, overcome or achieve so that this objective is achieved in the shortest possible time.
And as usual, before entering fully into today's topic on this eternal controversy or debateOn "why GNU/Linux hasn't yet conquered most home and office computer desktops", we will leave for those interested in exploring previous publications related to said question, the following links to them. In such a way that they can easily explore them, if necessary, after finishing reading this publication:
"There are many articles about comparisons between different operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux, among others. There are also many others with reasons to use a specific operating system, but in this article we will introduce several reasons why we should not use an operating system: Microsoft Windows. These reasons have been created taking as a reference to other UNIX-type and open source operating systems, such as Linux, FreeBSD, among others”. Reasons not to use Microsoft Windows
Controversy: GNU/Linux, when will it be the King of the Desktop?
Current points considered in the controversy
In the following we will briefly mention Top 10 of points than in Community of users of free and open technologies, we consider that today they are part of the problem and the solution to achieve this goal:
Compatibility with recent hardware
At this point, more progress should be made in the development and improvement of drivers and firmware created freely and openly by the Community. But above all, in drivers and firmware produced by device and equipment manufacturers, freely and openly.
High level and quality apps to work, study and play
Much progress has been made on this point in the last 10 years, but there is still a long way to go and many things to achieve. Specifically, for example, that large proprietary software companies produce equivalent and native solutions for GNU/Linux.
Free and open ecosystem, but profitable and economically sustainable
Here it is considered that much remains to be done, since every day there are more users, more developers, more community, more applications and systems, but the level of contributions or investment of economic resources by users and the community towards developers independent or in teams, is still very low.
Better user experience
At this point much has been accomplished, and one can almost say it has been surpassed. Many aesthetic and functional innovations have been achieved in the Distributions, both in the Desktop Environments, such as the Window Managers, as well as the applications of general and frequent use. It has gained a lot of stability and usability, and in beauty of the GUIs.
best marketing campaign
At this point much remains to be done, since more and better publicity is needed on the Internet by the entire Community to sell the virtues, benefits and advantages of Free Software, Open Source and GNU/Linux.
Default pre-installation on computers
Little progress has been made here, but more and more interesting initiatives are emerging in this regard, both by small and trading companies, as well as by some large companies and manufacturers.
Migration to mobile, the Internet of things and other technologies
This point is considered in favor, in the sense that Linux is better adapted to the cloud, excellent stability and usability in small devices, and better adaptation to alternative or emerging technologies such as the use of ARM chips.
Errors by third parties in favor of Linux
Both Microsoft on Windows and Apple on macOS can continue to make mistakes in their products or ways of marketing them. That is, if these design errors and limitations are not corrected; the serious and frequent failures, vulnerabilities and abuses of telemetry; the costs and ways of licensing; and the high hardware requirements to operate; all this can continue progressively in favor of more users migrating to free and open, like GNU/Linux.
Fewer Distros, More Apps
At this point, many consider that a great variety of Distributions, Desktop Environments, Window Managers have prevailed over the offer of more and better useful and necessary applications.
More productive and less toxic communities
In this penultimate point, it is considered that the Linux Communities should focus more on troubleshooting, operating system installations, and third-party training, than on less relevant issues such as showing graphical interface customizations and fighting with users of proprietary Operating Systems, closed and commercial.
Training from childhood by the education sector
In this penultimate point, variable achievements are considered, depending on many countries and geographic regions. Since, for example, in some countries or continents more than in others, the degree of support from public educational institutions and other government entities is very different.
For example, in Europe very few regions of certain countries implement programs in this sense. Although, Spain is usually a pioneer in this. While, in Latin America, countries as a whole (such as Cuba, Venezuela and Argentina) tend to implement these programs a little more. Achieving this, donating computers with GNU/Linux installed for students of certain stages/levels and motivating migrations from proprietary software to free and open software, in the possible work platforms of their workers.
Summary
In summary, the basis of this eternal controversy It will surely last for a few more years. In other words, there is probably a long way to go before both GNU / Linux specifically, such as Free Software and Open Source generally reach a point of no return. Both in terms of its relevance, importance and degree of usability, as well as in the number of users, both at home and in offices. Giving rise to it becoming undeniably the King of Desks.
We hope that this publication is very useful for the entire «Comunidad de Software Libre, Código Abierto y GNU/Linux». And don't forget to comment on it below, and share it with others on your favorite websites, channels, groups or communities of social networks or messaging systems. Finally, visit our home page at «FromLinux» to explore more news, and join our official channel Telegram from DesdeLinux.