If I remember correctly, that require manual Linux install as well, didn’t it? I think it was more complicated which was the reason I decided against a PS3. Never did it though.

That’s not what I meant or said. But depending on your setup, the user might need to deactivate bios settings which are named differently or can at least be found in different areas of the bios. So that’s a skill they need. Additionally they have to format a hard drive, which requires understanding that not all data is wiped if the data is for example stored in the cloud or a different drive. Additionally, they would have to decide for a distro and desktop, which can easily be overwhelming, as well as a fulesystem during installation… there are lot of skills most users don’t have because they are no longer required. And seeing these skill requirements for an unskilled person can be a huge barrier and deal killer.

Absolutely agree. My point is, that we people should consider these aspects because many comments I saw where a bit one sided as if this loop was already accelerating and 2025 would be the year of Linux.

I might be misinterpreting your response but you seem offended. Not sure why, as it wasn’t my intention.

Firstly, I am not aware of, as in “not well informed about” windows based hand helds. To my understanding, steam is quite dominant in the market, and advertising the steam deck through their platform. Why should someone bother with a windows handheld to install steam on the device, if steam comes with the steam deck? Why should someone with a large library move to another system? No, I think steam deck is the most comfo choice when you play games on steam and want a console or hand-held system without the drawbacks of other systems. I own a switch and deeply regrett buying it in 2019, now that the steam deck would allow me to play the same titles. It’d be a much better choice for me.

I don’t understand your comment on gate keeping though. Having easily installed upgrades (win 10->11 for example) makes live easy. Moving to a different os nowadays is a much larger barrier compared to, say, the year 2000, when you had to buy a cd and format your entire system just to realize that drivers are missing and you had to actually figure things out. At the time, moving to a new version was complicated but forced people to educate them selves. Now, it’s just a click to upgrade. The barrier is reduced, less gate keeping, great! But also less skilled people.

And it’s not meant with disrespect. Live got easier, keeping the system updated got easier, people weren’t forced to learn stuff and subseque vendor locked in. Now the skill barrier seems huge for many people and trying another os, even if it was apple, becomes unfathomable.

Again, it’s great that Through the steam deck Linux development is pushed forward as fast as it does. My day to day users won’t migrate unless they are very tech savvy or the enshitification progresses further and further. My employer just decided to move everything to SharePoint because co pilots helps us all doing our work so much faster… I’d have opted for something different and tried to reduce the vendor lock in… but that step would’ve been to large apparently.

I think OP is referring to the percentage, not functionality. Windows, especially the office suites / GUIs are micht more refined. Someone somewhere pointed out at some point in time that backend development is often open source because developers are dedicated to the cause and the function. Designers, on the other hand, not so much (maybe they need payment because their main job pays less… I don’t know.

In the end, the user uses the front-end, not the backend. And unless money flows into front-end development, for example, by a growing market of companies who want to switch away from office 365 for functional and financial reasons, we won’t see front-ends which are attractive enough for people to switch to Linux for daily/ work related tasks.

I think it’s important to point out that the percentages are not necessarily that meaningful. If more people are using steam deck and ditch their windows PCs for it, it’s not an OS choice. It’s a choice to move to consoles. Additionally, steam deck also competes with traditional console brands (PS, Xbox, switch) and might take some market share there as well, so that even if no one ditched their windows PCs, the total number of users using goes up and hence, the percentage.

I haven’t had a steam deck in my hands, but I guess that it doesn’t need the user to understand the underlying system at all. It can be used by the same unskilled people who use android or iPhone. So, one core requirement I think people need to have to install any other os is not met or even trained, which is actual knowledge about computers.

The reports about “increase in market share of Linux user’s” is from my point of view, which is “I think it would be great if people would ditch windows and office” just a market bit. Useful but ultimately little meaningful.

I’m not using dual boot anymore, but when I did, I always selected the partition from BIOS, which was totally fine for me. Are there arguments against it?

Great response, thanks!

Well, I get that lightning and usb c provide different features, but the dimension of a USB C socket and plug could remain the same if you were to turn plug into the socket and vice versa, wouldn’t it?